Image: Instagram/@australianreptilepark
A wildlife park in Australia celebrated the birth of its first baby koala since bushfires ravaged the country’s ecosystem.
The Australian Reptile Park in New South Wales saw the birth of the baby koala as a “sign of hope for the future of Australia’s native wildlife,” as per its Instagram post last Wednesday, May 27.
The park’s keepers named the koala Ash. In a short video, the park’s staff cuddled and weighed an adult koala. It showed Ash while inside its mother’s pouch.
The months-long wildfires began in late 2019 and ended in March this year. The bushfires are estimated to have killed one billion animals, many of them unique to Australia. One Australian “megablaze” was declared under control on Jan. 13.
The organization International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) stated that over 6,300 koalas were killed across New South Wales during the bushfire season, as per its report on March 3. The data gathered was from its 19-week research period from Oct. 1, 2019, to February 2020.
The park announced that it will reopen on June 1, as the country eases its COVID-19 restrictions. According to its website, the staff has been working through the lockdown to ensure that the animals are well taken care of.
“During these uncertain times, visiting a wildlife park with your family is the best way to connect with nature and each other,” it said. “Connecting with nature and experiencing the natural world with your family will nurture your own physical, mental, social, and emotional wellbeing.” /ra
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