Residents in Guangzhou, capital of south China's Guangdong Province, will soon be treated to the sight of koalas when several settle down in the city before the end of April.
A source close to the Guangzhou-based Xiangjiang Safari Park said Australia's environmental protection authorities have signed the permit for koala exports and the six selected koalas are undergoing quarantine procedures. "The six koalas are expected to arrive in Guangzhou by the end of April," the source said.
The six koalas will be donated by a wildlife park in the State of Queensland, Australia, according to Nanfang Daily.
Xiangjiang safari park boasts various species of animals imported from around the world, such as giraffes from Africa, anteaters from South America, polar bears from Russia and white tigers from Sweden.
Workers at the Xiangjiang safari park are skillful in conducting artificial breeding of animals. They have successfully bred a black rhinoceros, lions and a hippopotamus.
(Xinhua News Agency April 5, 2006)