This Spring you may be closer to two adorable koalas than you've ever been before.

Starting May 13,  Moki and Burra will be ready to meet you at the Great Plains Zoo. These two gentlemen are arriving on loan from the San Diego Zoo and will be temporary visitors to Sioux Falls through Labor Day.

The Koala Wilds exhibit is part of the regular admission to the Great Plains Zoo according to Elizabeth A. Whealy, President and CEO.

"We are excited to welcome Koalas to this part of the country. It will give our visitors the rare opportunity to learn about these unique animals and to see them up-close, according to Whealy. "The koalas won’t be here for long, so they will be a must-see exhibit for families this summer."

What an honor to have these two male Koalas in Sioux Falls, as there are only 10 zoos in the nation that have a koala.  In their natural habitat you'd find koalas in eucalyptus forests of Australia.

Chris Hamlin-Andrus, Koala Education & Program Manager at the San Diego Zoo says this is a very unique opportunity to see a Koala in South Dakota:

"San Diego Zoo’s Koala Loan Program allows thousands of people to observe and enjoy these unique animals."  says Hamlin-Andrus.  "It’s rare for koalas to be on exhibit at a zoo the size of the Great Plains Zoo, and I’m so glad the children and families of Sioux Falls and the surrounding area will have this unique opportunity all summer."

The Great Plains Zoo & Delbridge Museum of Natural History is open Monday through Saturday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM and Sundays from 11:00 AM to  5:00 PM.

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