(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- If you've always wanted to see a koala up close but don't have the time or money to go to Australia, you're in luck.
For the first time in Brookfield Zoo Chicago's 90-year history, the institution will become home to koalas.
Brumby and Willum are two years old and will be at the zoo, thanks to a partnership with San Diego Zoo. The adorable marsupials will make their public debut May 24 at the Hamill Family Play Zoo.
The koala duo will be fed a specialized diet of eucalyptus leaves, a normally toxic vegetation that the animals are able to break down with specialized gut bacteria. The process takes energy, and that’s why koalas tend to sleep in trees for up to 18 to 22 hours a day.
Brookfield Zoo Chicago becomes one of only 11 accredited zoological facilities in North America with koalas, which are designated as a “vulnerable” species, the zoo said.
“We are so excited to introduce our guests to another charismatic species from the land ‘down under,’” Mark Wanner, associate vice president of animal care and conservation, said in news release. “Brookfield Zoo Chicago has a long successful history with Australian animals in its care as well as being involved in conservation efforts on the continent.”
Listen to our new podcast Looped In: Chicago
Listen to WBBM Newsradio now on Audacy!
Sign up and follow WBBM Newsradio
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | TikTok