Gumnut the Koala

Animal Name: Gumnut

Animal Species: Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)

Name of Zoo/Wildlife Attraction: Healesville Sanctuary, VIC

About: Gumnut is representing one of Australia's most iconic native animal species - the koala. Little Gumnut was just 1.2kg when she was found in Hamilton late last year, clinging to the back of her dead mother who had been hit by a car. She was brought into care at the Australian Wildlife Health Centre at Victoria's Healesville Sanctuary where the veterinary team provided expert 24-hour intensive care; the tiny orphan required around-the-clock care from her surrogate mum, Keeper Amie Hindson who bottle fed her for a number of months following the accident. Amie took Gumnut home with her every night, providing the orphan baby comfort in a teddy bear for cuddles. Although Gumnut is recovering well, she can still be found cuddling the teddy bear much like a young koala would cling onto and cuddle its mum.

Gumnut is one of multiple animals being raised and cared for at Healesville Sanctuary located in north-east Victoria. This is now Gumnut's home - she was hand-raised and as a result, cannot be re-released back into the wild. Gumnut was fortunate to receive treatment from the Vet team at the Australian Wildlife Health Centre located at Healesville Sanctuary. The vets are industrious and dedicated workers, and the facility treats around 1,500 native and endangered wildlife every year. Around 90% of these animal patients have received human-induced injuries – either from being hit by a car, habitat loss or dog or cat attacks. Simply by making a donation to Zoos Victoria’s Winter Appeal, you can help ensure the team can continue treating and caring for injured animals like the adorable Gumnut; donations can be made by visiting the website here.

Koalas hold a special place in many Australians - and those viewing Australia from abroad's - hearts, and it isn't hard to see why; their furry, cuddly and unthreatening appearance coupled with their laid-back and dozy nature makes for a sort of "living teddybear". One of the most obvious characteristics of koalas is the degree to which they sleep - these marsupials spend the majority of days sleeping, and it's not uncommon for them to sleep for as long as 22 hours per day! Their food source is a major reason for this, as their near-wholly eucalypt diet is limited in both calories and overall nutrition, forcing them to conserve their energy and causing their tired-looking facade that only serves to add to their cuteness.

AUSTRALIAN KOALA

Distribution Map

Koalas' large heads and stubby-to-non-existent tails are a large reason they've been nicknamed "koala bears" due to their resemblance to ground-bound bears, however they are in no way related; the closest thing the koala has to a relative in the animal kingdom is the Aussie wombat. Koalas are fairly widely distributed around the eastern and southern sections of Australia in tree-heavy woodlands from Magnetic Island in the north to Kangaroo Island in the south. They're also relatively anti-social animals and don't exhibit the group-oriented behaviour that many of the other species on this list tend towards; outside of mothers with their joeys, koalas spend the majority of their time alone.

Koala's populations have largely remained stable due to their lack of true predators, and as a result they can be encountered in the wild even in semi-built-up suburban areas where eucalypt trees are found.

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