Every year for Wild Koala Day, we compile our favourite wild koala images of the year, taken by our Wildlife Guides and Koala Researchers. This is the best of the best for 2018 – 2019.
Please comment to let us know which is your favourite!
#1. The featured image above is of female Ngardang with tiny joey Bunyip just out of the pouch for the first time. This delightful wild koala image was taken by Wildlife Guide Kirby Leary.
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#2. Female KiKi takes a leap from tree to tree. Amazing photograph by Koala Researcher Tracey Hinton.
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#3. Wild koala joey Bunyip, 1 year old son of Clancy and Ngardang, is a real character. Here he peeks out from the thick green foliage of a melaleuca shrub. Pic by Koala Researcher & Wildlife Guide Janine Duffy.
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#4. An unusual, compelling shot – the big hands of dominant male Winberry. These big hands have been moving around the You Yangs since at least 2006! Beautiful wild koala image by Wildlife Guide Michael Williams. In memoriam.
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#5. Bunyip, the charismatic, again! In this gorgeous picture by Koala Researcher Caitlin Orr, he peeks out from a Cherry Ballart.
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#6. Clancy’s other joey of the season, little female LuLu, looks shyly over her shoulder. LuLu is KiKi’s second daughter. Pic by Koala Researcher & Wildlife Guide Janine Duffy.
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#7. Hahaha! Mature female koala Wemba having a private joke, in this amazing wild koala image by Wildlife Guide Amy McLean.
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#8. Mature female Ruth is a real beauty. Lovely wild koala portrait by Koala Researcher Hannah Black.
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#9. Wild koalas get into some funny positions sometimes! This is one year old joey Pickle, all spread out on a hot day. Fantastic wild koala pic by Wildlife Guide & Koala Researcher Janine Duffy
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#10. These two provided some wonderful opportunities for the koala paparazzi! Mother Ngardang with her adorable joey Bunyip, in separate branches but the same tree. Charming photo by Wildlife Guide & Koala Researcher Janine Duffy.
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#11. Mara, oh Mara – you sure knew how to relax! This beautiful female sadly passed away in early 2019 due to the record-breaking heat, but her lovely joey Pickle survived. You will be remembered, beautiful girl. Great picture by Wildlife Guide Hayley Forster.
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#12. Mature male Mabo couldn’t look happier about being wild and free! Fantastic photo in the wild by Wildlife Guide Martin Maderthaner.
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#13. Speaking of happy koalas, male Lluvia can’t keep the smile off his face! He always looks pretty cheerful, but this magnificent image by Wildlife Guide Kirby Leary is one of the best we’ve seen.
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#14. KiKi’s first daughter, Kozo, has grown into a very pretty young female. She has tonnes of character, as this lovely photograph by Wildlife Guide Martin Maderthaner shows!
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#15. This beautiful adult female koala is not from the You Yangs – she was seen on a Maximum Wildlife tour in Mallacoota, far East Gippsland. She was sitting in a Cherry Ballart – not a food tree, but an important shelter tree for wild koalas in Victoria. Image by Wildlife Guide & Koala Researcher Janine Duffy.
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Wild Koala Day, May 3 2019 was a great success on many fronts:
Koalas were talked about in the media, by politicians, by local communities in Australia, and overseas.
Thousands of koala trees were planted, and many more are scheduled for planting in Byron Bay / Lismore area, northern NSW; Cambelltown (Sydney) NSW, and near the You Yangs, Little River, VIC.
Educational events were held in Whiteside (Brisbane) QLD, Caboolture (Brisbane) QLD, Mornington Peninsula (SE Melbourne) VIC, and Toondah Harbour (Brisbane) QLD.
Learn more at wildkoaladay.com.au
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Read all about our long-running Wild Koala Research Project here.