Wombat & Koala

So, I finally got to see me a koala. Not only that, I got to cuddle and pet it. I even got in one pic of a wombat - this was reportedly a great rarity as they're usually asleep during the daylight hours.

The koalas are one of the most typical animals of Australia, instantly recognizable. They eat only eucalyptus leaves, and according to the gameskeeper, each koala will only eat the leaves of about five of the over 200 types of eucaluptys trees... the leaves are difficult to digest, which is why the animal spends most of its time sleeping in a tree.

Also, they have been extinct from large parts of Australia; in some cases for over 10,000 years. They're not to be found in the Northern Territory for example, which means that I was keeping the speed limits while looking around the treetops for absolutely nothing. Oh well.

All koala pics here.

The Northern Koala is smaller than the Southern ones. This one had wedged itself snuggly in between two trees and was sleeping with a rare determination.


A southern koala. Very charming creatures.


Gives a whole new dimension to the word "fluffy".


They were mother and daughter.


So cuuuute.


This was right before I petted her. I felt about four years old at this point.


The wombat.