Baringa and Bundaleer, two appealing, furry visitors from Down Under, are pretty much settled in their new exhibit and ready to greet visitors this weekend at Hogle Zoo.
Don't expect to see a lot of activity from the two koalas as they're perched on mulberry trees or munching eucalyptus leaves. But plan on being delighted with the opportunity to see the cute and cuddly 8-year-old Baringa and the year-old Bundaleer in the exhibit.
This summer's featured attraction at the zoo, the exhibit will be open beginning Saturday morning and continue through Sunday, Oct. 8. The koala exhibit, "Wonders from Down Under" is open without additional charge to visitors with zoo admission. Regular zoo admission is $6 for adults (ages 13-64), $4 for children (ages 3-12) and senior citizens (age 65 and older). Children 2 and younger are free.
During a Deseret News visit Tuesday, Bundaleer, who weighs about 8 pounds, was clinging to Baringa a lot, as the two marsupials, native to Australia, were entwined on a mulberry branch.
"He's been going to her for comfort," said Jane Larson, senior animal keeper who is in charge of the new attraction at the zoo. The move to Salt Lake City and adjustment to new surroundings "have been a little strenuous," she said.
"She (Baringa) could be batting him and hitting him away, but she is allowing him to do that. They are good companions."
The koalas, on loan from the San Diego Zoo, arrived in Salt Lake City on June 6 aboard a Southwest Airlines flight. The koalas flew first class (for a koala that is) in a travel crate in their own seat next to Larson, who spent two weeks at the San Diego learning all about koalas, and Ann Dahl from that zoo. The animals were transported in style to the Salt Lake zoo in a limousine.
The fuzzy Australian creatures are often called "bears," when in fact they are marsupials. Marsupials, such as koalas, kangaroos and wombats, have external pouches where their young do most of their development.
Moving the two koalas to Utah has taken a lot of planning and preparation of their exhibit, which Dahl has said is one of the nicest she's seen for koalas on loan. And the adjustment hasn't been without problems. It was a little nerve-wracking for the baby koala when a thunderstorm roared over the Salt Lake area last Friday.
"We came in at one point and he (Bundaleer) had his head buried in his (mother's) tummy. That is fine, except we are happy to see him spending more time over the last couple of days away from her. That's good because they are really solitary animals. That means he's adjusting better," Larson observed.
Koalas are very picky eaters, eating only eucalyptus leaves. Eucalyptus, which is poisonous to most mammals, has a smell similar to cough drops and supplies koalas with all the liquid they need. Koala is aborigine for "no water." Fresh eucalyptus browse is flown in to Salt Lake City from Florida twice weekly.
The new Hogle Zoo exhibit also includes kookaburras and the "walking stick" insect. Kookaburras are mostly gray or light brown and are about 18 inches long. They are the largest of the kingfisher family and are native to the forests and woodlands of Australia. The birds are known for their loud, human-sounding laugh. The birds give a loud call when they roost in the trees at night and again at dawn, so they are known as the "Bushmen's Clock."
"Walking sticks" get their name from their appearance, resembling a twig or stick. The insects are vegetarians, feeding on cherry and a variety of other leaves. Walking sticks spend their days motionless, hanging from leaves and branches waiting until dark to feed. If walking sticks are in danger, they gently sway back and forth, attempting to look like a dead leaf swaying in the breeze, according to materials prepared by the Hogle Zoo staff. Other Australian animals, including kangaroos, cockatoos and kowaris, are also available for viewing at the zoo.
E-mail: palmer@desnews.com