Don’t just look at the panda cub — three koala joeys have left their mothers’ pouches and are now making their public debut.

▲ A koala joey rests against its mother’s back, one eye open and the other slightly closed, as if giving a “wink” — its cuteness level is off the charts. (Photo courtesy of Taipei Zoo)

Tourism Center / Comprehensive Report

While the adorable giant panda “Yuan Zai” continues to draw large crowds daily, Taipei Zoo has recently welcomed three koala joeys that have emerged from their mothers’ pouches and started appearing for visitors. The Koala House No. 1 now houses a total of six koalas, both big and small, making it a veritable “koala family park.”

“Can you spot where the little koala is?” the zoo said. The three koala joeys, which have gradually emerged from their mothers’ pouches over the past year, are now at the perfect age for observation. Empress, Tiwi, and Coral — the three koalas that came to the zoo from Australia — have since given birth to two offspring each. In Koala House No. 1, the right exhibition area is home to Empress, her eldest daughter Emily, and her second daughter (who has not yet been named), as well as Tiwi’s eldest daughter Nicole. On the left side live Tiwi and her second daughter Joey.

▲ The koala joeys have made their debut. (Photo courtesy of Taipei Zoo)

Koala House No. 2 currently serves as the “boys’ dorm,” housing Patrick, Flyenn, Q Bi, and Q Di. Since Koala House No. 1 is now a family-friendly zone, Pearl the grandma koala has temporarily moved to House No. 2.

The zoo explained that during their growth, koala joeys must develop their gripping skills to live an arboreal life just like their parents. As such, when the young koalas first peek out of the pouch, they often cling to their mother’s chest, then climb onto her back, and eventually start moving around beside her — gradually building muscle strength and learning how to live like koalas.