Christmas comes early for baby animals at Australian Reptile Park

A baby koala celebrating its first Christmas at the Australian Reptile Park in Somersby, Australia, on Dec 15, 2020. PHOTO: THE AUSTRALIAN REPTILE PARK/REUTERS
A baby wombat celebrating its first Christmas at the Australian Reptile Park in Somersby, Australia on Dec 15, 2020. PHOTO: THE AUSTRALIAN REPTILE PARK/REUTERS
A baby Tasmanian devil celebrating its first Christmas at the Australian Reptile Park in Somersby, Australia on Dec 15, 2020. PHOTO: THE AUSTRALIAN REPTILE PARK/REUTERS

SYDNEY (REUTERS) - Christmas has come early for some animals celebrating their first Yuletide holiday at the Australian Reptile Park.

In footage released on Wednesday (Dec 23), some of the park's youngest residents, including a koala joey named Pipsqueak, were seen being given treats, surrounded by Christmas decorations.

"We wanted to bring smiles to people's faces all over by showing off our beautiful little joeys that are born this year," said Mr Brandon Gifford, a keeper at the park.

"We needed to make sure these little guys had the perfect first Christmas and I think we pulled it off."

Two Tasmanian devil joeys, Wolf and Alula, were seen in the footage biting at the bobble of a Santa hat, while Boobook owl chick Mango perched in a Christmas wreath.

The park, which is about an hour's drive out of Sydney, will be closed to the public on Christmas Day, though Mr Gifford said some keepers will come in to feed the animals.

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