Animal Diaries Archive

Koala Gymnastics

25 November 2005

Summer is approaching and the weather is starting to heat up. And as it does, we koala keepers start to see our cute little bowling balls of fluff uncurling and turning themselves into monkeys! That's right, legs start to appear from nowhere to have a stretch, and big white bellies start to pop out in an attempt to try and catch some of the cool breeze. This prompts many comments from our visitors like, "How can they possible be comfortable like that?"

We simply explain that the koalas are just practicing their gymnastics routines! Firstly there is the 'recliner': back up against the tree branch with belly and legs up in the air - a classic cooling down position. Then there is the 'superman leap' position; where the belly hangs over the branch with arms and legs left dangling in the air below. And finally there is 'sitting duck position'; where the back is sitting nice and tall, belly resting on the tree trunk, with arm and legs hanging straight below. This position can also be made harder by a slight tilt of the head (just to stretch those neck muscles of course).

With all this exercise going on all summer, who could possible argue that these guys are lazy?!