Koala joeys first days out of pouch

Life as a Koala joey is amazing. Wake up to morning cuddles, eat, get more cuddles, sleep whilst cuddling, and you guessed it, more cuddles from Mum. These are the first few days for little Ellie after she emerged from her mother's pouch and started to discover the world for the very first time. As with any child, the world is full of amazement, new smells, tastes and sights. Koala joeys are born the size of a jelly bean, and at birth, they have to wriggle into their mother's pouch, find a teat and will stay inside the pouch for around 7 months until big and strong enough to start emerging. Their mother will feed them excrement called 'Pap' during this time, which helps their body establish vital gut bacteria into his or her digestive tract. This unique bacterium is what allows koalas to digest eucalyptus leaf, which is very tough and fibrous.