We are occasionally asked by our guests or their travel advisors to facilitate a “koala hold” or “koala cuddle.” We actively discourage this practice as it conflicts with our business and staff values. We believe that there are many reasons why you should avoid holding a koala:
- Stress on the Koala: Koalas are sensitive animals that are easily stressed by human interaction. Being held can cause them significant distress, adversely affecting their health and well-being.
- Wild Animal Behavior: Despite their cute appearance, koalas are wild animals with sharp claws and teeth. They can become agitated and scratch or bite if they feel threatened or uncomfortable.
- Disease Transmission: Koalas can carry diseases like Chlamydia and Koala Retrovirus, which can potentially be transmitted to humans. Conversely, humans can also transmit illnesses to koalas, further endangering their health.
- Conservation Concerns: Many wildlife organisations advocate against holding koalas because it can contribute to commercialising and exploiting wildlife. Instead, they promote observing these animals in their natural habitats or sanctuaries where they can live with minimal human interference.
- Legal Restrictions: In some parts of Australia, it is illegal to hold a koala. Laws protect the animals and ensure their well-being, limiting handling to trained professionals in specific circumstances. This tension is not a good look for Australia and shows a lack of maturity as a Nation in consistently addressing important animal conservation and welfare issues.
- Impact on Natural Behaviour: Frequent human interaction can disrupt a koala’s natural behaviour, affecting its feeding, sleeping, and breeding patterns, which are crucial for its survival. Given that they spend almost 20 hours per day sleeping, constant interruptions impact both their feeding and rest times.
In February 2022, the combined koala populations in Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory were uplisted from ‘vulnerable’ to ‘endangered’ under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). Some identified threats include:
- Climate change increases the frequency and intensity of drought and high temperatures and the prevalence of weather conditions promoting bushfires.
- A shrinking, climatically suitable area.
- Diseases, specifically koala retrovirus (KoRV) and Chlamydia (Chlamydia pecorum).
- Habitat loss resulting from urban expansion, land clearance and mining.
- Long-term farmland grazing prevents aging trees from being replaced by the natural recruitment of new trees. Where landowners do not take action to allow this regeneration, koala habitat continues to decline.
- Mortality due to encounters with vehicles and dogs.
- Koala populations in Victoria and South Australia are considered stable and not listed under the EPBC Act.
There is nothing natural about holding a wild animal such as a koala – it is as much a “normal” activity as someone in North America picking up a raccoon or a European wanting to cuddle a badger! Venues that do offer this experience in Australian states that have not banned the practice operate under strict regulation. However, it is clear exploitation of the animals as it does nothing positive for their well-being. This “production line” process is when you pay your money, sign a waiver removing any responsibility of the venue regarding visitor injury, scratches, disease or soiling, and then get in a queue.
Here at Exceptional Kangaroo Island, our values, shared by all of our fellow Australian Wildlife Journeys members, are that we avoid captive, handling, and feeding wildlife experiences unless they involve an actual rescue, rehabilitation, and release situation.
Our public liability cover is based on a declaration that we do not have direct contact with wildlife, so paying for this experience introduces a contingent liability for which we are exposed without cover.
Internationally, values are trending away from animal exploitation in tourism and broader entertainment. Some specific examples of media coverage around koala exploitation are:
- Stop cruel koala encounters – World Animal Protection
- An iconic wildlife park has banned koala cuddles. Will others follow? – BBC News
Watch: Live from Kangaroo Island – Koalas
The Pacific Asia Travel Association have analysed wildlife tourism and found that koala encounters are undoubtedly high on the list of “must-do” experiences when visiting Australia, with 44% of visitors surveyed wanting to see koalas. 75% of visitors got to see koalas, but the setting of these observations was explored; 85% took place in captivity.
Here on Kangaroo Island, we can give guests encounters with koalas and a wealth of other species on a sustainable basis. We seek out koalas in the wild, often accompanied by bird song and the tranquillity of nature. Sometimes koalas are high in the tree tops, sometimes in a low fork, and occasionally, we are lucky to see them on the ground, moving to a new tree. This becomes part of the storytelling – explaining their ecology, conservation, behaviour and natural history.
Our friends at the Koala Clancy Foundation, who do great work on koala conservation and habitat restoration, have developed some sensitive koala-watching guidelines. Take a look!