SOUTHWEST MIAMI-DADE, FLA. (WSVN) - Visitors to Zoo Miami are saying, “Aww,” to a cuddly, new addition.
A once empty exhibit at the zoo is now filled with Milo the Koala.
Koalas are animals native to Australia, but Milo was born at the San Diego Zoo in 2011. “Many people mistakenly call them koala bears,” said Zoo Miami’s wildlife expert Ron Magill. “They’re not bears. They’re actually marsupials found in Australia. This is a Queensland koala.”
After being quarantined for the last few weeks, Milo is ready for his big debut at Zoo Miami. “We’re looking forward to hopefully getting a girlfriend for him sometime in the near future,” said Magill. “and maybe get little baby koalas from him here at the zoo!”
Milo came to Zoo Miami following the deaths of two popular koalas, who were also the oldest in North America. “Generally speaking, koalas live 12 to 15 years,” said Magill. “So, to have a koala, both Dandelion and Cobber, both reach 20 years of age, is a great reflection of the zoo.”
Now, visitors to the zoo are invited to see Milo for themselves and learn more about the lives of koalas. “When you see koalas, and you look, they are these cute and cuddly little things,” explained Magill. “but when they bellow they sound like, ‘Ugh-ugh-ugh-ugh!’ It’s fantastic to listen to. It really is amazing to make that kind of call.”
Magill said they’re planning renovations to improve the exhibit for both the koala and zoo guests.
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