- Title: JAPAN: Two male baby Koalas make their public debut
- Date: 20th December 2006
- Summary: (ASIA) SAITAMA, JAPAN (DECEMBER 19, 2006)(REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MOTHER KOALA "YAYOI" HOLDING HER BABY KOALA VISITORS WATCHING MOTHER KOALA (YAYOI) WITH BABY KOALA ON HER BACK CLIMBING DOWN FROM A TREE VARIOUS OF BABY KOALA CLINGING TO MOTHER'S HEAD BABY KOALA CLINGING TO HIS MOTHER'S CHEST (SOUNDBITE)(Japanese) TOMOMI MIYANO, 25-YEAR-OLD MUSIC TEACHER, SAYING: "Babies are smaller and cuter than I thought." VISITORS WATCHING (SOUNDBITE)(Japanese) MAMI TAKIGAWA, 28-YEAR-OLD HOUSEWIFE, SAYING: "I heard that baby Koala sleeps no sooner than its mother sleep. I wish my baby were the same." VARIOUS OF KOALAS SLEEPING MOTHER (YAYOI) SLEEPING WHILE BABY KOALA YAWNING CLOSE UP OF BABY KOALA MORE OF MOTHER AND BABY KOALA SLEEPING (SOUNDBITE)(Japanese) RIEKO TANAKA, ZOO KEEPER, SAYING: "Very few young and energetic Koalas are available in Japan. So it will be impossible for us to keep breeding them if nothing is done in the near future. I hope some young male and female Koalas are sent here from Australia for that purpose." VARIOUS OF MOTHER KOALA (MAY) AND BABY KOALA ON HER POUCH EATING LEAVES KOALAS SCRATCHING BY THEIR HIND LEGS KOALA GETTING BACK INTO HER MOTHER'S POUCH
- Embargoed: 4th January 2007 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Japan
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Nature / Environment
- Reuters ID: LVA453BNYNPIBUHH7EZNUGM5HYM6
- Story Text: Tiny baby koalas made their public debut at the Saitama children's zoo -- neighboring Tokyo-- on Tuesday (December 19).
The six-month old two boys, who have not yet been formally named, just recently emerged from each of their mother's pouches.
Animal lovers are queuing up to get their first glimpse of two new baby koalas.
"Babies are smaller and cuter than I thought," said 25-year-old Tomomi Miayano.
"I heard that baby koala sleeps no sooner than its mother sleep. I wish my baby were the same," added 28-year-old housewife Mami Takigawa who came with her one-year-old son Shuta.
The babies are still adjusting to life outside the pouches and they will spend up to another six months on their mothers' back before becoming able to fend for themselves.
For now they end up going back to their beloved home "pouches" after they enjoy clinging to mothers' back or head.
The two koalas are two of three babies who were born this year in Japan's zoos.
The zoo has bred five Koalas excluding two newborn babies, but there is only one young male.
Young male koalas are really rare in Japan despite the country's nine zoos in which koalas are raised.
"Very few young and energetic Koalas are available in Japan. So it will be impossible for us to keep breeding them if nothing is done in near future. I hope some young male and female Koalas are sent here from Australia for that purpose." said keeper Rieko Tanaka. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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