Monty the koala celebrated his first birthday at Longleat in Wiltshire at the end of June. He is the first male southern koala born at Longleat and also the only one to have been born anywhere in Europe. Delighted keepers held a special party for him to celebrate his big day.
Monty is the second koala to have been born at Longleat following the birth of his half-sister Hazel in 2021. Baby koalas, known as joeys, spend the first three months of life living inside their mothers’ pouches and, even at a year old, Monty still remains largely dependent on mum Maisie.
At Longleat, the koalas’ purpose-built enclosure includes a natural stream, eucalyptus trees, climbing poles, a mix of indoor and outdoor habitats, viewing areas and a medical care unit.
A plantation of eucalyptus trees has also been established on the estate to help provide the koalas with a fresh supply of leaves, the only thing the marsupials will eat.
Longleat is the only zoological collection in Europe to look after southern koalas and is part of a long-term partnership with the South Australia Government, Koala Life and Cleland Wildlife Park, in the Adelaide Hills, to support research and conservation programmes for wild koalas.
In the aftermath of the devastating bushfires in 2019, keepers from Koala Creek travelled out to South Australia to help with the recovery programme and earlier this year they returned to see how the recovery programme is progressing and to visit some of the conservation projects Longleat is supporting.
To date Longleat, with the help of generous visitors, has donated nearly £120,000 to help fund work being undertaken by a number of wildlife rescue groups including Koala Life, SAVEM (South Australian Veterinary Emergency Management) and Minton Farm Rescue.
Visit www.longleat.co.uk for more information.
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