7 months after birth, Riverbanks Zoo guests see baby koala

COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - After seven months in his mother's pouch, the newest baby at the Riverbanks Zoo and Botanical Garden has come out to play.

A koala joey born in May has now made his appearance to the outside world. When the koala was born to Jimmy and Lottie, he was about the size of a jelly bean. Now he's covered in fur and on view for zoo guests.

It takes about six or seven months for the joey to fully develop, occasionally sticking a head or paw outside of mom's pouch before crawling out entirely. Now that he's out, the little guy will stay close to Lottie until he's about a year old.

This is Lottie's 9th joey and the 7th born to Lottie and Jimmie.

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