Koala class: marsupial gets cabin seat for flight to zoo
PLANE passengers flying to Edinburgh from Germany had a surprise Antipodean traveller in their cabin – a young koala heading for a new life at the city’s zoo.
The 19-month-old Queensland koala had his own seat on the flight as the sensitive animals cannot be placed in the hold.
Tanami travelled more than 700 miles from Duisburg Zoo in Germany to join Scotland’s only koalas in a conservation breeding programme.
He is switching places with Toorie, Edinburgh Zoo’s young male koala, who will be making the return flight to Dusseldorf next week.
Darren Mcgarry, head of living collections at RZSS Edinburgh Zoo, said: “Koalas are very sensitive animals, so special care needs to be taken when transporting them.
“They travel in the plane’s cabin and not in the hold so keepers can easily make sure everything’s okay during the flight.
“We are very excited to have Tanami join us here at the zoo. Koalas are a real favourite among our visitors and it’s great to see him settling in well and enjoying his new surroundings.”
Viewings of the new arrival will be restricted this weekend as he gets used to his new home. Mr Mcgarry added: “Toorie will be missed by everyone here at Edinburgh Zoo but we are proud to see him playing his part in the conservation of the species.”
Edinburgh Airport chief executive Gordon Dewar hailed the special passenger.
He said: “We welcome passengers from all over the world to Edinburgh Airport but not all of them are as special or as cute as a koala.
“It was quite exciting to have Tanami arriving here and he joins a list of famous animals who have touched down here to make Edinburgh Zoo their new home.”
Koala numbers are falling in the native habitat of eastern Australia as the eucalyptus forest they depend on are being cut down.
In May 2013, the first koala ever to be born in the UK arrived at Edinburgh Zoo.
Named from the indigenous Australian word meaning “loving”, Yooranah lived for three years.
In the wild the average life expectancy for a koala is about 10 years.
He had reportedly suffered a prolonged period of illness.
Yabbra, one of the Queensland koalas, who had been the zoo since 2007 and was nearly 13 years had to be put to sleep in April after becoming very ill.