(AU) Chinese pander to koalas

[Guest guest]

Chinese pander to koalas

The Courier Mail

Cindy Lord

July 26, 2006

 

AS one of two new koala keepers at China's largest private zoo, Qing Chen is

charged with tending to China's newest VIPs.

 

[G'DAY mate . . . zoo keeper Qing Chen with one of her Aussie charges.

Picture: Peter Wallis.]

 

Since six Queensland koalas arrived at the Xiangjiang Safari Park in

Guangzhou in April – the first koalas to be seen in China – the 33-year-old

has been responsible for monitoring the animals 24/7 to ensure the

Australian icons remain in good health.

 

" It's a pleasure to take care of them because I love them very much, " said

the zoo keeper, who sleeps in the koala facility.

 

" It is amazing that the koalas have adapted to the Chinese environment and

are mating so quickly and so often, " she said.

 

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary head mammal keeper Brett Smith, 35, who been

living in China since the animals arrived, said the koala was now the most

revered animal at the park, even topping the giant panda.

 

" The koala and the panda are the two most important species in the world due

to how hard they are to keep – the koala with its need for fresh eucalypt

leaves and panda with fresh bamboo, " he said.

 

The koalas have been the focus of intense media and public interest and

16,000 people viewed the animals over the weekend.

 

However, Mr Smith said, after the hype, some people had been a little

disappointed.

 

" They are surprised at how small the animal is and disappointed it is always

sleepy because they don't understand (the animal) yet, but it's still a huge

drawcard. "

 

The international koala transfer to China is part of a commercial deal

struck between the safari park, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary on the Gold

Coast and Environment Australia.

 

The koalas, which will be bred in China, remain the property of the

Queensland Government and will be housed in a $US3 million ($4 million)

state-of-the-art facility that opens on Friday.

 

Some 10,000 eucalypts of 14 different species have been planted.

 

http://www.couriermail.news.com.au/story/0,20797,19907698-3102,00.html