It was a busy day for bears – koala bears, specifically – at the San Diego Zoo Wednesday.
Zoo officials said three Queensland koalas that are new to the zoo were given their initial veterinary exams at the Jennings Center for Zoological Medicine.
The koalas, two males named Bradlee and Simba and a female named Beejay, received thorough check-ups that included overall body measurements, ear and eye exams, assessment of their teeth and radiographs of their hips and shoulders to check bone health.
Vets also took tissue swabs and blood to assess the bears' general health, zoo officials said.
Bradlee, Simba and Beejay arrived at the San Diego Zoo last month from Dreamworld in Australia.
The trio will soon join the zoo’s larger koala breeding colony.
Eventually, the zoo’s “Conrad Prebys Australian Outback” exhibit will become home to all of the zoo’s koalas.
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The exhibit opens on May 24 and will also feature other marsupials from Australia including wallabies and wombats. Australian Outback will boast aviaries of native Australian birds including the kookaburra and bowerbird, too.
The San Diego Zoo is known to have the largest breeding colony of Queensland koalas outside of Australia. Researchers are studying koala populations at both the zoo and in the wild to better understand the complex species and educate others on the threats facing native koala populations.
To learn more about the Australian Outback exhibit at the San Diego Zoo, visit this website.
