Three Koala Joeys Take Their First Steps Beyond the Pouch
Artemis, Percy and Helene are out of the pouch and into the world, with koala preschool on the horizon.
There is something undeniably wonderful about a koala joey venturing away from its mother's pouch for the first time. At the Australian Reptile Park, that moment is happening three times over, with three tiny joeys all finding their feet at once.
Three koala joeys, Artemis, Persephone and Helene, have emerged from their mothers' pouches and are now entering the next stage of their development within the Park's koala breeding program.
First up is Artemis, the eldest of the trio at 10 months old and already tipping the scales at a whopping 1.02kg.
"Artemis is the first joey to come out of the pouch. His mum's name is Ariel, and he is 10 months old now. He is super cheeky and super sweet," said Seleena, Keeper.
Next is Persephone, known around the Park simply as Percy. At seven months old, she is the youngest to emerge and already winning hearts.
"Persephone, Percy for short, is the last joey to come out. She is now seven months old. Her mum's name is Petal, and she is the sweetest koala you'll ever meet," said Seleena.
Then there is Helene, whose start to life looked a little different. At eight months old and 414g, Helene is being hand-raised by keeper Seleena after her mum Hazel fell ill and could no longer care for her.
"She's been with me now for the past two months. She's doing great, and importantly her mum is doing so much better," said Seleena.
While Artemis and Percy are learning the ropes from their mums Ariel and Petal, Helene's road to independence runs through Seleena. It is a longer path, but one she is absolutely on track for.
"I have to teach her those developmental skills that she needs to be a koala grown up in the future. She'll grow up and develop a little bit more slowly than the koalas that are with their mums, but she is still hitting every milestone she needs to," said Seleena.
For now, all three are taking it one step at a time, gaining confidence and exploring a little further each day. The next big milestone on the horizon is koala preschool, where the trio will join their fellow joeys and grow into true ambassadors for their species.
Koalas are listed as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, with populations across Australia continuing to face pressure from habitat loss, disease and the ongoing impacts of climate change. Every joey born and raised at the Park is a contribution to safeguarding the future of an iconic Australian species.
"Koalas are an endangered species, and their numbers are still in decline. That's why it makes us so proud to have a breeding program here for this iconic Aussie animal," said Seleena.
Come and meet Artemis, Percy and Helene at the Australian Reptile Park in Somersby on the Central Coast, just one hour from Sydney or Newcastle. Catch the daily koala talk and hear all about these three from the keepers who know them best.