I saw a wild koala!

[tōkai devotee]

Yesterday when driving through the suburbs of Adelaide, my kids and I spotted a koala in a tree by the side of the road. It was not very high up in the tree, maybe 1.5 metres (4.5 feet). We stopped and took some photos, it came down out of the tree and we patted it and tried to prevent it from walking onto the road.

I've put some more photos at my gallery here:
http://thejapanesepage.com/gallery?g2_itemId=55421

[becki_kanou]

Awesome! When I first saw the pics I didn't realize it was a wild koala. I thought you had gone to a koala park or something. That's really exciting.

[clay]

Very neat. As a child the koala was my favorite animal in the world.

[chikara]

Yesterday when driving through the suburbs of Adelaide, my kids and I spotted a koala in a tree by the side of the road.....

What suburb was it in? I used to see a few along Glen Osmond Road when I had an office up that way.

[tōkai devotee]

What suburb was it in? I used to see a few along Glen Osmond Road when I had an office up that way.

It was in Hawthorndene, just near the roundabout on Watahuna Ave, near the Apex Park. Do you know it? I reckon the little guy had probably lost his way to Belair National Park! I've seen quite a few koalas in the area lately, also in neighbouring subrbs too, all the way from Greenhill Road to Black Road. There seem to be more than ever. I can't remember seeing so many wild koalas in my life before. Perhaps it's because of the drought. They are coming further south in search of food and water.

Awesome! When I first saw the pics I didn't realize it was a wild koala. I thought you had gone to a koala park or something. That's really exciting.

Yes, it was wild. I tried to post that on FB, but for some reason it didn't take my comment
It was certainly acting like a tame koala. It didn't seem to mind kids surrounding it and patting it. It was a very placid creature ~ for a wild animal! But I had to stop the kids from getting too close, and reminded them a few times that it WAS wild. They can be dangerous. They can scratch and bite. Have a look at the claws!! Very long and dangerous.

[chikara]

It was in Hawthorndene, just near the roundabout on Watahuna Ave, near the Apex Park. Do you know it? ...

Only in very general terms. I'm not very familar with that part of town (Adelaide Hills).

... I've seen quite a few koalas in the area lately, also in neighbouring subrbs too, all the way from Greenhill Road to Black Road. There seem to be more than ever. I can't remember seeing so many wild koalas in my life before. Perhaps it's because of the drought. They are coming further south in search of food and water. ..

I think you're right. Last summer there were quite a few along Glen Osmond Road as far down as the Arkaba. There was even one sitting next to a fountain at the entrance to an office building just up from my old office.

[two_heads_talking]

I had always heard that, while a koala looks all cuddly, that you wouldn't want to pet them as they are rather aggressive, looks like this one bucks that sentiment.