First koala offspring in southern Germany

19.1.2025 – Source: Wilhelma, Photos by Petra Ballon and Wilhelma

Wilhelma in Stuttgart has once again achieved a sensational breeding success. Visitors to the zoological and botanical garden, Terra Australis, which only opened in July 2023, have been able to make astonishing observations for a few days now: Something is wriggling in the pouch of the two female koalas Scar and Auburn. With a bit of luck, you might even see a tiny leg or even a head sticking out. So it’s definite: two koalas have been born at Wilhelma this year.

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Wilhelma Director Dr Thomas Kölpin is delighted: ‘We are overjoyed that our koalas have given birth in the very first year after moving into Wilhelma – the best proof that we offer the best conditions for this sensitive species.’

Back in May, the animal keepers at Terra Australis realised that the six-year-old male koala Aero was showing interest in three-year-old Auburn and five-year-old Scar. Mating took place several times. The three-year-old male Navy, on the other hand, was not yet able to convince the two females to mate with him.

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Volker Grün, Deputy Director of Wilhelma and also Curator of Terra Australis, explains: ‘The two cubs were born in mid-June after a gestation period of just 35 days. The joeys – as marsupials call their offspring – were naked, blind and the size of a jelly baby. Immediately after birth, they had to crawl into their mothers’ pouches, where they grew up invisible to us all. Immediately after birth, they had to crawl into their mums’ pouches, where they grew up invisible to us all – a very sensitive phase. So we are all the more pleased that two little koalas will soon be peeking out of the pouches.’

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Keeping and breeding these likeable Australians is considered highly demanding. After all, koalas are food specialists that eat nothing but eucalyptus leaves and bark. However, there are numerous species of eucalyptus that are not suitable as food in all growth phases. Koalas are also gourmets, favouring some types of eucalyptus and ignoring others.

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In the first few weeks after birth, baby koalas feed exclusively on their mother’s milk. From the 22nd week of life, the so-called ‘pap’ is added: this is a very soft faeces formed in the mother’s appendix. In addition to important proteins, it also contains microorganisms that are vital for the development of the young animals’ digestive system – only with their help can the actually poisonous eucalyptus leaves be digested from the age of six to seven months.

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In order to provide the koalas with an optimum supply, Wilhelma receives 90 bunches of fresh eucalyptus twice a week from a specialised nursery. In addition, Wilhelma has its own greenhouse with around 100 eucalyptus trees as an ‘iron reserve’ in case a delivery is cancelled. The high level of care required is one of the reasons why koalas are a rarity in Germany and Europe. They are only kept in three other zoos in Germany.

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Volker Grün, who is also co-coordinator of the European studbook for koalas, explains: ‘Our animals come directly from the Dreamworld Wildlife Foundation in Australia. They are therefore not closely related to the other zoo koalas in Europe. Our offspring are therefore an important building block in the further development of a genetically diverse reserve population of koalas in human care.’

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Dr Thomas Kölpin adds: ‘In view of the fact that koalas are considered endangered due to habitat destruction and bushfires, this is an important task – also for zoos outside Australia. What’s more, these popular animals from Down Under are ambassadors who help us to raise awareness among our visitors about the effects of climate change and the biodiversity crisis.’

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8 Comments

  1. Liebe Petra!
    Danke für die niedlichen Koala Babybilder! Schon die erwachsenen Koalas sind bezaubernd, werden aber von ihren Kindern noch getoppt und Mutter und Baby zusammen lösen sicher bei vielen Besuchern Begeisterung und Entzücken aus.
    Ich gratuliere und wünsche Mutter und Kind alles Gute, Gesundheit und ein langes Leben!

    Herzliche Grüße
    Anke

  2. Liebe Petra,

    da kann die Wilhelma stolz drauf sein, denn die Nachzucht ist nicht so häufig, weil das “Liebesspiel der männlichen Koals etwas ruppig ist.

    Danke für die ausführlichen Informationen und liebe Grüße!
    Britta-Gudrun

  3. Vielen Dank für den informativen Bericht und die Fotos von dem niedlichen Nachwuchs,der sich bei den Koalas in der Stuttgarter Wilhelma eingestellt hat.
    Alles GUTE wünsche ich den Babys und ihren Müttern weiterhin…💝

  4. Liebe Petra!
    Danke für die schönen Bilder von dem Baby. Die Koalas sind sehr hübsche Tiere. Nur wenige Zoos in Deutschland haben Koalas.
    Hugs
    Ludmila

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