Leipzig’s cuddly koala: he enchants his fans with those big, round eyes

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It’s THE crowd favourite at Leipzig Zoo! The baby of female koala Erlinga. Born initially the size of a gummy bear, in October it would occasionally peek out of the pouch on its mum’s belly, where it’s growing up. And it’s already starting to look quite koala-like…

At the end of the month, it climbed out for the first time and explored its mum’s face (as we reported). Since then, it has been captivating more and more visitors. But visitors will need to be patient, as the mini-koala’s outings in Erlinga’s arms are still rare. And brief. Yet when it does make an appearance and looks around with its button eyes, the delight is immense.

As soon as the gate opens, it’s mainly season ticket holders who gather at the Koala House, to the right behind the ‘Gründergarten’. They know a few secrets that can make the wait seem shorter… The koalas’ only food is eucalyptus. And that’s hard to digest. Once Erlinga has eaten, it takes a few more minutes before her tummy starts to rumble. Just as we know it does after a hearty sauerkraut casserole, for example.

It then becomes uncomfortable for the baby, so close to Mum’s stomach. It stretches and stretches and climbs out of the pouch. Whether this is really the reason is not proven. Observations by koala fans suggest it might be.

The most beautiful pictures of Leipzig’s currently most famous baby animal

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Dream job: ‘Koala carer’

Alongside the countless exclamations of delight – “Soooooo-cute!” – and the children’s reminders to their parents to make sure they allow time for the zoo shop on the way home, one thought in particular dominates the minds of the young visitors: “I want to be an animal keeper!” No wonder….

But the path to training
as a state-certified koala carer is less fluffy.

The application deadline for the next training year, 2026, has already passed. The next opportunity won’t arise until 1 June next year. The training would then begin on 1 August 2027.

Entry requirements include a good secondary school leaving certificate or A-levels, with top marks in biology, maths and English. Furthermore, proof of having successfully completed an internship of at least two weeks at a zoo or wildlife park is a prerequisite for applying for an apprenticeship.

Work placements at animal shelters, pet shops or veterinary practices are not recognised. Important: The theoretical training at the vocational college takes place in Berlin. It consists of two-week blocks of lessons. Fortunately, there is a boarding school; otherwise, you’d have the added hassle of searching for accommodation, which is unlikely to be successful.

Hard work rather than cuddles

And the job isn’t quite as romantic as it looks from behind the glass of the koala enclosure. Zoo spokeswoman Melanie Ginzel estimates that direct contact with the animals accounts for just 20 per cent of working hours. The bulk of the job consists of preparing food, cleaning and maintaining the enclosures.

Koala keeper Philipp Hünemeyer also finds that this 20 per cent of the working day is a tight squeeze. He has, admittedly, been able to catch a glimpse of Erlinga’s baby’s face from time to time when it peeks out of the pouch. And so the hard-working animal keepers still don’t know whether it’s a boy or a girl.

He hasn’t yet had the chance to see the tiny koala clambering all over its mum. Visitors have the advantage there, as they wait from 9.00 am in front of the clean enclosure, stocked with fresh eucalyptus, to catch a glimpse of Leipzig’s favourite.

The zoo is open from 09:00 to 17:00. Exceptions are 24 December (Christmas Eve, 09:00–15:00) and 31 December (New Year’s Eve, 09:00–15:00). Online tickets are available

HERE. The Zoological Garden can be reached by tram line 12. The zoo is fully accessible. Visitors with disabilities can collect their tickets without waiting at the group ticket office in the Safari Office, immediately to the left after the historic entrance archway.