Can you see him? I'm standing under his favourite gum tree, a crinkly old tree that holds no beauty to anyone but him. He is my quietest friend, except at breeding season when his grunts distrub my sleep as he sings to his lady friends in loud rythmic grunts. This tree is his supermarket and water supply, so he doesn't need me much. In a long summer drought I leave a climbing board against my back fence to allow him to enter my back yard to drink from a bucket. Of course, my two small dogs are inside the house at night when he moves around. Koalas are very shy and they could have a heart attack if even little dogs start barking at them close up.
Koalas are a feature of the Redlands region and we proudly acknowledge their presence. Sadly their numbers have dwindled with population growth but the local council is very focused on assisting their welfare. And ours. We need their peaceful presence. Wild-life should be left to thrive without humans running them over, chopping down their food supplies and allowing pets to roam. One does not pat koalas nor disturb them - they like to sleep during the day and can get a fright and fight back with sharp nails that are designed to climb the rough bark of gum trees.
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