Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park, home to the largest collection of native Australian animals in the world, has introduced the latest addition to its family.

The adorable koala joey has emerged from the pouch with an inquisitive nature, a fondness for people and a strong bond with her mother, Scout, who is never far away.

Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park is located in the Bungarribee region of western Sydney, named after the Aboriginal word meaning ‘The Creek with Cockatoos’.

Proud of this special link, Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park has named this new Joey Bungarribee, who will be lovingly nicknamed ‘Gabby’ for short.

Her name is a symbol of Featherdale Wildlife Park’s mission to create a future where wild koalas and other endemic Australian animals will return to the region once more. The park is calling for the community’s green spaces to be earmarked for natural habitats, and Bungarribee will be the champion of this cause with the hope of one day seeing her descendants thrive in the wild in western Sydney.

Born in October last year, the joey’s cuddly coat has been months in the making. Like all newborn koalas she was born blind, hairless and without ears, measuring just two centimetres long and less than one gram in weight. She then spent seven months growing and developing inside her mother’s pouch before emerging with the distinct koala characteristics adored by so many including large furry ears and a big black nose.

“Koala conservation is a huge focus for Featherdale Wildlife Park, and the birth of Bungarribee really represents our hope for a future where this incredible animal can thrive outside of captivity”, says Chad Staples, Director of Life Sciences. “It will be a pretty special day when our breeding program is simply the first step on a koala’s journey into the wild, although we’re a long way off from that being a reality”.

So, why not take visit Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park and meet their amazing koalas with your friends and family?

Enter promo code ‘2GB’ when you check out www.featherdale.com.au for a 20% discount on all tickets and annual passes! 

The offer is only valid until September 27, 2019, so you better hurry!