Australian koalas to settle down in east China

NANJING, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- Three koalas will arrive soon in Nanjing Hongshan Forest Zoo in east China's Jiangsu Province, the second zoo on the Chinese mainland to host koalas.

The three koalas, two males and one female, are aged between two and three. Koalas typically live for 10 - 12 years.

According to Zhang Jianrong, deputy head of the zoo, Hongshan has to undergo strict assessments involving habitat design, eucalyptus leaf supply and keeper training before being allowed to import the koalas.

Each koala consumes 10 kg - 15 kg of fresh eucalyptus leaves each day. The zoo has set up eucalyptus plantations in Nanjing and Guangzhou, according to Zhang.

Keepers have been trained in many skills ranging from how to cut and store eucalyptus leaves to how to hold the koalas.

The koalas will arrive in Nanjing in late January and will undergo one month of quarantine before meeting the public. Enditem