Oz the koala has enjoyed a quiet life as a bachelor at the Palm Beach Zoo, but now his calm nights of munching eucalyptus leaves are about to end.
Oz is getting a mate.
Abby is a one-year-old female koala from the Los Angeles Zoo, and she will join Oz with the hopes of doing what koala couples do best - make little koalas.
The match-making is part of the Koala Species Survival Plan put together by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Koalas are native to Australia but they are rare and very few are available for exhibit in American zoos. They are also very picky eaters. They only eat eucalyptus leaves, which are quite expensive. The folks at the Palm Beach Zoo say it costs about $35,000 a year just get Oz his leaves.
With that kind of bill, we guess roses and chocolates for his new mate's arrival are out of the question.
