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UK-born koala ‘all ears’

Despite being thought to be the first koala born in the UK, Edinburgh Zoo’s recent arrival has been a decidedly Down Under name.

The joey was born at the zoo last May but keepers waited until he had fully emerged from mother Alinga’s pouch before they started to handle him.

After being found to be male, the joey was named Yooranah — the Aboriginal word meaning “loving”.

Senior keeper Donald Gow said it was exciting to see the joey grow.

“This is the first time that a koala joey has been born in the UK so it is amazing to see him develop from being pink and hairless into a fully-formed, if tiny, koala,” he said.

“At the moment he seems to be all ears! He is also starting to develop his own personality — he can be quite feisty like his mother Alinga and father Goonaroo.”

Yooranah is an indigenous Australian word meaning “loving”.

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