Monday, December 19, 2005
Breaking the koala 'duck'
Finally, we have broken our koala 'duck'. The great irony is that despite endless tramping through their prime habitat of open eucalypt forest, head in the air, searching, searching, one eventually turned up, asleep in a tree above a suburban street.

The locals to Lawnton (Pine Rivers Shire) probably have to contend with a whole bunch of koalas in their front yard each morning, but needless to say, it was exhilarating to see one in the wild (not ‘wilds’) for the first time; rather than in an enclosure or being cuddled by a Steve Irwin look-a-like at Australia Zoo.

Fortunately, I didn’t have my own camera at the time, so you are not subject to any amateurish attempts at photography from me. In the event, Andy was there with vastly more talent and exciting camera gear; and koalas – which hardly scatter like rabbits the middle of the day – are easy to snap.

As you see, it was a male.

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