3 December 2024
The Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) is excited to announce the return of Koala of the Month – an initiative that puts a spotlight on a Koala from their Adoption Program.
The novelty award is a light-hearted way to acknowledge the program and celebrate the chosen Koala’s unique personality traits and habits.
To re-introduce the fun monthly segment, the Australian Koala Foundation could look no further than Big Al to assign the November honours to. Big Al is a happy, healthy wild Koala who looks after two different females and their babies. His personality is particularly unique because he is both an authoritative leader and a gentle, family-oriented Koala which has historically made him popular with adoption parents.
Chair of the Australian Koala Foundation Deborah Tabart OAM (aka The Koala Woman) recalls the first time she observed Big Al in his natural habitat nestled deep in the Australian bush.
“It was clear the first time I laid eyes on Big Al that he was the ‘King Koala’ of his home range. We watched him traverse quite a large amount of territory, picking out all of the juiciest eucalyptus leaves at his own leisure, and without challenge from other males nearby. We also observed that he was devoted to not just one but two females in the area, and their bubs. It was fascinating to watch the family dynamic, and one of the more interesting days on the job I’ve had!”
While Big Al is healthy and currently living safely in his natural habitat, he represents all Koalas living free today, whose homes might fall in an area earmarked for logging or are exposed to other threats such as fire or human interference.
“The devastating reality is that we lose over 4,000 Koalas every year for a whole variety of reasons, and those numbers aren’t regenerating,” says Tabart OAM. “Big Al serves as a reminder of how precious every Koalas life is, and also what could be achieved for all wild Koalas if a Koala Protection Act was enacted. Imagine being able to read about the dynamics of every free Koala family in the Australian bush? The long-term survival of the Koala is paramount to myself and everyone at the AKF.”
For more information about the Adopt a Koala program, please visit https://www.savethekoala.com/adopt-a-koala/
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About the Australian Koala Foundation
The Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) is the principal non-profit, non-government organisation dedicated to the effective management and conservation of the Koala and its habitat. Our main goals are to refine and update the Koala Habitat Atlas mapping of all wild Koala habitat and to get the Koala Protection Act enacted to ensure Koalas and their habitat are protected.
Contact details:
[email protected]
Office: (07) 3229 7233
Mobile: 0459 451 916