Cuddle a Koala in Far North Queensland
Of all the top travel “bucket list” experiences available, some of the most incredible involve wildlife. Why? Because it’s not everyday you can go on safari or cuddle a wild animal. Sure, you may have a dog or cat at home, but if you’re a genuine animal lover then seeing koalas in Far North Queensland (Cairns), Australia is more than a dream come true. Here’s everything you need to know about how to make this experience happen.
Where the magic happens
The Wildlife Habitat at Port Douglas is where you can not only see but also cuddle koalas right here in Far North Queensland. Any day that you’re visiting the region you can receive a guided tour or presentation. During that time, you’ll interact with koalas, pythons or crocodiles and then get your very own photo with them after! But don’t worry, the koalas themselves enjoy a nice life at Wildlife Habitat.
In fact, they don’t work for more than 30 minutes a day (bet you’re wondering where you can sign up for that gig, huh?). The other 23.5 hours are dedicated to the other joys of their life such as eating, digesting, and sleeping. Truly — they’re achieving some serious life goals.
Cuddling a Koala at Wildlife Habitat Port Douglas
Are koalas friendly?
Anytime you hold a wild animal in your arms, you might be wondering what the experience will be. Koalas look like one of the friendliest creatures on Earth hanging from trees, but they’re still wild animals. How will this translate to your experience holding them? Will they cuddle right up to you? Will it be relaxing?
Feel reassured that any experience at Wildlife Habitat will be a positive one. You’ll have a Wildlife Keeper overseeing your time with the koala in its enclosure, and you can always opt for the private tour to make it especially safe if you’re a little nervous or just want some extra security.
What’s it like to hold a koala?
When you see a koala in a photo, you may automatically assume that they’re soft and cuddly, but this isn’t the case. The koala’s soft, woolly fur is incredibly thick and helps serve a variety of purposes. It protects them from both the excessive heat found in Australia’s climate as well as the desert cold. The fur also repels water when needed. Thus, it may be less like cuddling a cozy stuffed animal and more like hugging a fuzzy yet wooly jumper. Soft but not quite as soft as you may think.
You may also be aware of their sharp claws. These are entirely practical, and koalas use the to climb up trees. Oh and be prepared to smell the scent of eucalyptus — that’s what makes up the koala’s diet after all!
How have the Australian bushfires impacted the koala population?
A notion that koalas are “functionally extinct” recently went viral with the bushfires that scorched Australia. As this burning extended to parts of Queensland, you may be wondering how drastic the impact was. How are the koalas? Would you still be able to cuddle one if you visited?
While hundreds of koalas died in the recent fires and much of their habitat was destroyed, Wildlife Habitat is a sanctuary that has protected koalas despite Australia’s ever changing environment. Australia is now estimated to have roughly 300,000 koalas, which is much lower than it once was. This makes you that much luckier to hold one on your next visit to Far North Queensland, Australia.
Final thoughts
Seeing koalas in Far North Queensland (Cairns), Australia is a true treat that you can’t miss on your next holiday. You’ll get up close and personal with animals that are becoming rarer and rare, which makes it that much more extraordinary. Visit Wildlife Habitat to see all the options for your potential experience here.
