29 Sep 2020 10:28:13

WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo welcomes final koala joey of 2020 with an intimate Naming Party!

It was a special occasion for a special gem at WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo this week where the emergence of the newest koala joey was celebrated with an intimate Naming Party.

A small group of guests were invited to the exclusive event hosted by excited Zoo Keepers who unveiled the eight-month-old koala joey’s name using a koala-decorated blackboard surrounded by pink decorations and native flowers.

And her name is… Sapphire!

Renee Howell, WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo Head Keeper said Sapphire was carefully and unanimously selected by the team because it represents her importance to koalas and the zoo. 

“Sapphires are precious gemstones and we consider our koalas to be particularly precious, especially given the threat to their population,” she said.

“As the newest addition, she will make a fantastic ambassador for her species and help educate guests on how they can better protect Australia’s iconic koalas in the wild.”

Sapphire joins 11-month-old Jasper and 12-month-old Ilani as the last of WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo’s koala joeys for 2020. She will spend the next four months cuddling up to mum Scarlet before finding her independence and roaming around freely on her own.

Guests can choose to get up close and meet Sapphire in WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo’s Koala Photo experience, available daily for just $25 for 2 people with photos included (not included in admissions entry).