Koalas

The pretty face of one of Australia's icons is very well used in any possible way. Yet the population has been nominated as national threatened, although populations vary according to areas. Dog attacks, car accidents, chlamydia and even illegal shooting... not to mention all the natural tricks and worries caused naturally by the Australian environment, make their lives hard. The Brisbane Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, http://www.koala.net/index.php , the oldest and largest (over 130 koalas) sanctuary in Australia, collaborates with Universities and the Government to research and protect koalas and to educate people to behave properly. Their motto is 'The Earth is not only for humans'.

I see koalas as beautiful even when not directly whatching us, which is pretty much most of the time.

http://matteogrilli.blogspot.com

Magpie and Koala - Alissa Duke

It has been pouring rain over the past week in Sydney, so my Nature sketching has been indoors. The first drawing is of a magpie and was drawn from a photograph.















Yesterday I met Liz (Borromini Bear) and Wendy (Quirkyartist) at the Australian Museum for a day of sketching. There are taxidermied animals and birds in the Search and Discover Room that you can pick up and take to a table.


The subject I chose was a koala. The koala is an Australian icon. I have rarely seen them in the bush as they are always high up in a eucalptus tree and don't move much at all. The Museum was very busy (due to the rain) and the three of us drawing the animals attracted a bit on attention from the museum visitors.