Adorable koala joey has finally made an appearance
Keepers say the gender is still a mystery though
Last updated 13th Feb 2023
The latest southern koala joey to be born in the UK is causing a stir.
The little joey - which follows another koala named Hazel - was born in June last year and can now be seen by visitors to Longleat |newtab) at their dedicated enclosure in Koala Creek.
Mum Violet gave birth to the joey last year, with the baby spending the first six months of her life safely inside Violet's pouch.
As the joey grows and develops, she is now venturing outside and starting to explore a little more independently.
Keepers say she's been in mum's pouch until very recently and it could still be a few more weeks before we know the gender for certain.
More than 10,000 Longleat visitors and supporters voted online from a selection of names chosen by our keepers, and the winning name was Hazel.
Koala Creek is part of a ground-breaking joint initiative with the Government of South Australia, Cleland Wildlife Park and Longleat to support research and raise funds for koala management and conservation.