There's only one country on Earth where you can cuddle a koala – Australia! This unforgettable wildlife experience is only available in select sanctuaries and wildlife parks, and visits are carefully monitored to protect the health and safety of the koalas.
Despite their cute and cuddling appearance, koalas are wild creatures and are quite shy animals that do not naturally see humans as their friends. Hugging a koala maybe your highlight in Australia, but it is a stressful situation for the animals, and as low-energy animals, any increased stress levels can be damaging.
Only trained accredited rangers are allowed to hold a koala. This is a sensible law as it protects koalas from being stressed because a human wants to give it a hug. Koalas are wild animals and have a natural fear of humans, especially humans who they don't know.
Can I hold a koala? In New South Wales, it is illegal for any zoo or sanctuary to allow a visitor to hold a koala. Only trained accredited park staff are allowed to hold a koala.
Gorge Wildlife Park, Cudlee Creek
Creek, Gorge Wildlife Park is not only a great wildlife attraction and one of the few in South Australia where koala holding is permitted, but it's also the only place in Australia where you can hold and take a photo with a koala at no extra charge to the admission fee.
Can I cuddle or pat a Koala in Sydney? Unfortunately, the answer is no. Since a change in the rules a few years ago, it's now against the regulations for members of the public to cuddle koalas in Sydney and the rest of NSW. No zoo or wildlife park in NSW is permitted to allow guests to cuddle koalas.
Koalas have strong, razor-sharp claws that can cause severe injuries. They can also bite tremendously hard. Although they may appear docile, they are capable of lashing out very quickly when threatened. Even very sick koalas can react aggressively when handled.
Koalas are the size of a small child and they like to hug. They'll cling to you as though you are a tree. Even a short koala hugging encounter will be an experience you'll never forget.
Can You Hold A Koala in Cairns? There are a number of different places where you can hold a koala in Cairns including Cairns Zoom and Wildlife Park, Rainforestation, Hartley's Crocodile Adventure Park, Koala Gardens and the Wildlife Habitat in Port Douglas.
As one of only two Australian states where koala cuddling is permitted, there are plenty of places you can interact with, or safely and ethically cuddle a koala in Queensland. From the Gold Coast to Cairns, our wildlife sanctuaries offer unforgettable moments with our most famous marsupials.
If you have been advised to take an injured koala to a wildlife carer or vet, calmly approach the koala from behind to put a thick towel or blanket over it, including its head. It should only be picked up from behind, under its front forearms, with the towel still over its head and the claws clinging to the towel.
Queensland is the only state in Australia where you are allowed to hold a koala. You can also feed kangaroos and Wallabys and get up close opportunities with wombats.
Maru Koala and Animal Park in Gippsland lets you get up close to koalas, and you can actually cuddle a koala at certain times at Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park on the Mornington Peninsula. The Melbourne Zoo's koala viewing area is also a highlight.
No, it is not permitted anywhere in the world. It is illegal to have a Koala as a pet anywhere, even in Australia.
Cohunu Koala Park is Western Australia's only wildlife park that allows you to pick up and cuddle one of their loveable, furry friends. For just $30 you can have a cuddle and a photo taken with the star of the park, the perfect souvenir to remember the perfect day.
For the safety and comfort of our furry friends, guests are not permitted to touch or hold the koalas. You'll be able to get up close to these amazing animals with our trained keepers on hand to ensure the koalas still get their 20 hours of sleep a day.
Report koala sightings
All information in the database is made publicly available through the NSW Government's Sharing and Enabling Environmental Data (SEED) portal. We encourage you to continue to report any injured and sick koalas directly to your local licensed wildlife rehabilitation group.
Yes, there are a few recorded instances of koalas attacking people, but it is extremely rare. One woman in Willaston, Australia was bitten on the leg while she tried to protect her dogs on a walk.
Studies have shown that koalas become stressed even in close proximity to humans, so forcing them into stressful interactions where they are hugged and used as photo props is completely unacceptable from an animal welfare perspective.
So, koala bites are a rare occurrence, other than, really, wildlife workers or those that handle koalas. Koalas will only bite if they felt threatened or scared. So, and this is usually from, with biting and scratching.
The Koala Sanctuary where they live here at Symbio is also regarded as the 'best place in Sydney to cuddle up to koala' and have your photo with them due to being so open planned and surrounded by lush gardens.
KOALA HOLDING
An experience you don't want to miss - and our park is one of the few places in South Australia where you can actually hold a koala. Our cuddly koalas come out for holding every day at 11:30am, and 2:30pm whilst visitors are present.
In Victoria, cuddles with koalas aren't permitted due to state laws, but Ballarat Wildlife Park allows you to get up close with a koala as it rests on a branch. You can also spot koalas in their native habitats in Gippsland.