About Koala Kallama

by | Jun 14, 2021 | Koala News, Our Koalas

Kallama

Origin of name:

Kallama is taken from the word “everywhere” in the Wathaurong/Wadawurrung language around the You Yangs. That’s where we want koalas: everywhere they can be.

Kallama joey koala with mother

Joey Kallama with Ngardang in November 2020

Known since:

He emerged on 17 June 2020, which makes his birthday around mid December 2019.

How often seen:

He was seen 27 times in 2020, which is a lot for his first year. In 2021 he has been seen most recently in March.

14 month old koala

Koala Kallama at 14 months old in March 2021

Family:

Kallama is Ngardang’s fifth joey. His father is probably Gulkurguli. He has two brothers, Wurdi and Bunyip, and two sisters, Lakorra and Winjku. Nearly every koala around his birth area is a relative: his grandmother Babarrang and her youngest Karrborr live to the south, his aunt Djadja lives to the east, his half-sisters Lara and Lakorra still live close.

Interesting notes:

Always curious, by October, Kallama was already climbing about by himself. By November he was partly independent, in a different tree to his mother.

Survived extreme heat/drought catastrophes:

Kallama has survived the following extreme heat waves and droughts.

2019: 20 December max temp: 46C (still in pouch, but very vulnerable at this stage)
2019: 30 December max temp: 44C
..

Media Appearances:

https://www.koalaclancyfoundation.org.au/good-koala-news-four-new-koala-joeys-in-2020/

How do we know all this about Koala Kallama?

Echidna Walkabout’s Wild Koala Research Project has been monitoring the koalas of the You Yangs and Brisbane Ranges for 21 years. In 1998 we discovered a non-intrusive method of identifying koalas by their natural nose markings (nose patterns). Since then we have been collecting koala research data during tours, and using it to advocate for koalas, plant trees where they are most needed, and remove weeds to improve koala habitat.

Koala Researchers employed by Echidna Walkabout are paid to find koalas and collect information +/- 310 days every year.

All our tour guests play an important part in this research, by making it possible through funding, and by looking out for koalas on our tours.

Learn more: https://echidnawalkabout.com.au/about/conservation/

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