A typical exchange at the beautiful Taronga Zoo in Sydney:AMERICAN: Those cuddly Koala Bears sure are so cute!
AUSSIE: KOALAS ARE NOT BEARS, DAMMIT!
Yes, Australians get a little touchy on this topic, and rightly so. Of course, this American would never make that mistake, as I'm keenly aware that koalas are actually "thickset arboreal marsupial herbivore" or, in Latin, Phascolarctos cinereus.
But, by whatever name, the little guys are as cute as just about anything on the planet. And endangered, of course. Their numbers are dwindling in Australia, due to habitat loss, cats and dogs, and many end up as roadkill. There are some great groups who rescue injured ones and work to keep them a central part of the Aussie landscape. In fact, our friends Katina & Will just visited Australia and saw a awesome koala and, of course, it was a highlight of their trip (other than seeing us)!
So, as a special Xmas offer, if you make a small contribution to the Australian Koala Foundation, I'll then show you some hot koala action.
Australian Koala Foundation
OK, now don't you feel better? Now enjoy this guilt-free koala porn!!
