Jen Fawkes, EPSA, SPSA
January 2025 - Medicine Time
About the Image(s)
Medicine Time
I went to our zoo this week for a chance to practice some animal photography and caught this moment where the koala keeper was giving medicine to the koalas. It’s rare to see them awake and active since koala’s sleep between 18-22 hours per day. They are not the most animated of animals!
Camera: Olympus EM1 mk2 with Olympus 100-400mm lens @ 100mm
Settings: f5.6, SS 1/1000th sec, ISO 3200
Processing: very little – slight crop and a run through Topaz denoise.
7 comments posted
Hi Jen. A feel good photo about caring for our 2nd most famous animal icon, kangaroo 1st. These types of photos go well with tourists in advertising Australia, many people flock to the country to see these creatures. I have been told by Wildlife Victoria that 3 exist in the zone between Westerfolds Park and Heidelberg. In 30 years I have seen 2, even have photos of the two. Not a Wildlife photo though as too much human interaction. But in terms of HI a strong photo, "we humans really care about our wildlife", ironically we destroy their habitats at the same time and at Westerfolds Park I have seen dead wombats lying on the side of the road struck by cars. Posted: 01/11/2025 03:41:58
Thanks Ron, definitely iconic animals, but strangely they don't do well in nature competition (minus the humans of course). I agree this is just a feel good image, and I spent quite some time watching the worker with these animals. We really are very lucky to have so many 'unusual' animals. Posted: 01/12/2025 18:24:20
When I was 10 my family drove to California from the Midwest. We stopped at the San Diego zoo so I could see my favorite animal...the koala. Only zoo that had one! It was sleeping at the very top of a tall tree so all I could see was the butt. Bah!
Fortunately, I visited Australia several times as an adult and got to see many in the wild. Good thing too, as I understand they are threatened now. Posted: 01/12/2025 18:05:37
Fortunately, I visited Australia several times as an adult and got to see many in the wild. Good thing too, as I understand they are threatened now. Posted: 01/12/2025 18:05:37
Thanks Leslie, I'm glad you also got to see them in the wild, but yes, they sleep a lot so you rarely see them active. I guess a diet of gum leaves doesn't make you active and enthusiastic. It is true that there are areas where this animal is threatened, with so much forest clearing and bushfires taking their toll on the numbers. Posted: 01/12/2025 18:26:02
They also suffer from a dreadful Chlamydia virus.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjdnkdg1l8do
Who knows it maybe in other countries of the world the koala is only able to exist. Australia has one of the largest camel herds in the world, many people come from the middle east to import Australian camels. Posted: 01/12/2025 18:41:09
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cjdnkdg1l8do
Who knows it maybe in other countries of the world the koala is only able to exist. Australia has one of the largest camel herds in the world, many people come from the middle east to import Australian camels. Posted: 01/12/2025 18:41:09
It's a cute image - I've never seen a koala and would love to one day. He/she is so accepting of taking their medication! Posted: 01/13/2025 00:22:00
this was taken at our zoo, most of the animals are trained to have some human presence. It is amazing to see them in the wild. We did a road trip to Adelaide recently and they were in a tree above our tent. They make the most awful sound at night. Posted: 01/14/2025 15:03:34