Lone Pine sanctuary in Brisbane bans koala cuddles
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Brisbane has ended koala cuddling at the tourist attraction, citing “increasingly strong” visitor feedback.
General manager Lyndon Discombe said a “Koala Close-Up” experience would be introduced instead, which would give visitors more time in the koalas’ presence.
“We love that there is a shift among both local and international guests to experience Australian wildlife up close, but not necessarily personal, just doing what they do best – eating, sleeping and relaxing within their own space,” he said.
Tennis star Naomi Osaka holding a koala at Lone Pine in 2019.Credit: Chris Hyde/Getty Images
“We have absolutely seen an increase in demand for educational programs and guided experiences, focusing on the ability to witness the natural behaviours of koalas. Once you see them up close and in their wonderful natural state, we hope our guests love and respect them even more.”
Lone Pine has long been a go-to destination for celebrity visitors and sports stars, who often make the pilgrimage to Fig Tree Pocket, in the city’s south-west, to pose with koalas as part of their publicity tours.
Holding and cuddling koalas was already illegal in most Australian states and territories, excluding Queensland. Visitors to Australia Zoo on the Sunshine Coast, for example, are able to pose with the animals for a $124 fee. It is also available at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary ($59) and Dreamworld ($29.95) on the Gold Coast.
Comment was sought from all three attractions.
Tony Abbott, Barack Obama and a furry friend from Lone Pine at the Brisbane G20 in 2014.Credit: AP
In 2016, then-Brisbane lord mayor Graham Quirk spoke of a koala-led economic recovery for Brisbane, saying the koala could be for Brisbane what the panda was for the Chinese city of Chengdu.
“Brisbane is the only place where you can hold a koala, and that’s a redeeming feature we have,” he told this masthead in 2016.
“In terms of tourism, it is an advantage and an opportunity we ought not miss.”
His successor, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, declined to comment, but the news was welcomed by wildlife activists.
World Animal Protection Australia head of campaigns Suzanne Milthorpe said koala cuddling was a stressful experience for the marsupials.
“It’s great to see such a major tourism venue in Queensland move away from cruel koala cuddles,” she said.
“Lone Pine is responding to feedback from their local and international visitors, which underlines that public sentiment is continuing to shift away from direct interactions with wildlife.”
Milthorpe said Queensland should follow other states’ leads in making the practice illegal.
“The future of wildlife tourism is seeing wild animals in the wild where they belong,” she said.
Comment was sought from Environment Minister Leanne Linard.
In 2014, Lone Pine famously supplied the koalas that were cuddled by world leaders, including Barack Obama and Vladimir Putin, at the G20 leaders’ summit held in Brisbane.