At Ouwehands Zoo, work is underway on the new Australian area of the park where, among other things, three koalas will reside. The opening is imminent and is expected to be in the spring of 2024.
Qualia, a piece of Australia
At Koalia you can take a journey from the Australian outback to a green oasis. The demo area will feature three koalas in indoor and outdoor enclosures. These are two males and one female from the San Diego Zoo. In addition to these special marsupials, visitors will soon also see Parma wallabies. Butterflies are housed in the approximately 170 square meter decorative courtyard.
Disassembly and installation
Determining the shape of the rocks in the area has begun. The work is special because the rocks are built in stages, from welding to shotcrete, sculpting and painting. Only four men in Europe know the tricks of the trade. It will now be worked on for another seven weeks.
Koalas in the Netherlands
Ouwehands Zoo is proud to add koalas to the park. Koalas are listed on the IUCN Red List as “Vulnerable.” Australia itself has listed the species as “threatened” after its numbers declined rapidly due to bushfires and floods. Koalas are kept in zoos around the world so that the management program can contribute to maintaining genetically healthy populations and preserving the species. Ouwehands Zoo is the only zoo in the Netherlands that will have koalas in the park next year.
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