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Koala at Calgary Zoo Koala at the Calgary Zoo Koala sleeping at the Zoo

Zoo welcomes visitors from Down Under

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Tara Robinson reports on the new visitors at the Calgary Zoo
Two visitors from Down Under have arrived at the Calgary Zoo.

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Date: Thu. Feb. 12 2009 1:48 PM ET

The Calgary Zoo is now home to the only two koalas in Canada.

Eight-year old Mundooie and four-year old Budaru arrived last Friday from the San Diego Zoo but made their first public appearance on Wednesday.

"You're now the only zoo in Canada that has koalas. It's a great opportunity for people to learn and then also having them here raises money for the koala conservation of their habitat in Australia," says Jennifer Moll, a zoo keeper from the San Diego Zoo.

The two were chosen because of their age and good temperament.

"Mundooie is easy, but Budaru is not, and he's a feisty boy. He doesn't like to be touched and he doesn't want to be moved around," says Calgary Zookeeper Barb Campbell.

The pair even grabbed the attention of some other Australian imports.

The Australian bobsleigh team, in town training, stopped by the Zoo to check out the koalas.

"If they saw a black or brown bear in the zoo in Melbourne it would be the same sort of thing but in reverse, or a moose or something like that, so to see this is fun," says Heath Spence from the Australian bobsleigh team.

Since koalas are nocturnal and sleep around 20 hours a day, Calgary zookeepers recommend that you stop by early in the morning if you want to catch a glimpse of the newest additions.

The pair will remain with the Zoo until Labour Day.

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