Koala Conservation Center - Phillip Island, VIC Australia

What's Australia without those clenching Koalas? If people were to describe Australia into 2 different animals, It would surely be Koalas and Kangaroos!

The Koala Conservation Center in Phillip Island was originally established in 1991, the Centre is dedicated to koala research and conservation and has played a vital role in ensuring there is a protected koala population on Phillip Island.The Koala Conservation Centre is also home to a host of Australian wildlife – swamp wallabies, nocturnal brushtail and ringtail possums, echidnas and over 80 species of birds.

This is the first time I saw a Koala up close in their natural habitat. If you're expecting to hold a Koala for a photo op here, you can't. This centre dedicated to koala conservation and there are some rules to follow.

You can't touch, shout or call their attention. You can't also shake the branches (duh!) and smoke or eat while inside the protected area. If you plan to hold a Koala for a photo op, there are several other places that allow you to cuddle a Koala like Dreamworld (Gold Coast), Maru Koala and Animal Park (Melbourne) and Kuranda Koala Gardens (Cairns) among many others.

The photo above shows you the map around the Koala Conservation Center. It's pretty small and you can finish the entire thing in around 30 minutes if you don't do the woodland walk. We only did the Koala Boardwalk and the woodland boardwalk.

Koala Proof Fence - It's there to protect them from going out of their habitat as road mortality and dog attack decreases their population.

We spotted around 5 Koalas, 3 of them were sleeping high up in a tree and another 2 was eating.

When first adopted by English speakers, the name Koala bear became popular, as this roughly evoked the species’ similarity in appearance to the Teddy bear, to people unfamiliar with it. Although taxonomically incorrect, the name Koala bear is still in use today outside Australia

The photo above is just a touch away from us. We could actually touch them if we wanted to. Koalas are asleep almost 20 hours a day and feed only 4 hours a day. Disrupting their eating time might affect them.



Here are some facts about these cute and cuddly creatures:
> Koala is the only mammal, other than the Greater Glider and Ringtail Possum, which can survive on a diet of eucalyptus leaves.
> Koala seldom drinks water obtaining it from the eucalyptus leaves, which are 50% consisting of water. Although, they can drink water if due to drought the leaves water content is reduced.
> Koalas consume eucalyptus leaves and bark from 12 different eucalyptus tree species. They also consume mistletoe and box leaves.
> Each koala eats approximately 200 to 500 grams of leaves per day.
> Koalas have a slow metabolic rate due to their high-fiber, low nutrient diet. Because they store little or no fat, koalas must adopt strategies that conserve energy. Sleeping is one of them.

The exhibit area inside the Koala Conservation Center

The Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is a thickset arboreal marsupial herbivore native to Australia, and the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae.

More about Koalas:
http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/koala/
http://www.allkoalas.com/koala-facts

Adults (16yrs+) $10.60
Children (4-15yrs) $5.30
Online ticket bookings: http://tickets.penguins.org.au

1810 Phillip Island Tourist Road Cowes, Phillip Island 3922
Australia

61 3 59 512 820

Fax: 61 3 59 568 394

Cheftonio