The decision to swoop in for a spontaneous cuddle has, traditionally, been fraught with unpredictability. The recipient may welcome the advances, or they could be sulky, sleepy or simply having trouble digesting breakfast. If they’re not in the mood, they might well scratch you. These are all possibilities to keep in mind when approaching a koala.
Many people, ever since they received their first koala-shaped stuffed toy as a child, have yearned to cradle the real thing in their arms. But the wisdom of letting human fans pick up these shy beasts without so much as a “G’day mate” has long divided the Australian conservation world. Some studies have found that such contact stresses the animals; another, done during the pandemic, suggested they became even more depressed when there were no visitors at all.
Now a Brisbane animal sanctuary will henceforth deny visitors a quick koala-cuddle and photo-op in favour of longer, more “immersive” visits in which they can observe koalas in their natural setting, feed them, and perhaps engage in some reverential patting.
A more thoughtful style of encounter may be overdue, not least because koalas have had a particularly rough time of it lately. Nature has conferred many blessings upon them, including a unique digestive system which allows them to process their eucalyptus diet and the gift of not one but two opposable thumbs on each front paw, making tree-hugging a breeze. Yet not only do they suffer the indignity of being called “bears”, when in fact they are arboreal herbivorous marsupials, but recently they have had to cope with habitat erosion, bushfires and the spread of a sexually transmitted disease, chlamydia. Koalas are now on the endangered list, and in need of protection.
If we want these charmingly grouchy, complicated creatures to go forth and multiply, it might be time for their admirers to think beyond the meet-cute.
