Aspirall’s Encounter with Australia’s Precious Marsupial

We had an extraordinary and most special encounter with the koalas at Taronga Zoo in Sydney. An overwhelming sense of stillness and peace settled over us as the gentle somnambulant koalas presented themselves. Well, more like, carried on as if nothing had occurred and as if we were not there! We, not there! Yes, we had nothing to do with anything. They were sleeping, being and getting on with eating the most succulent leaves of eucalypt. A most humbling experience; who are we, when they are there.

An exquisite little face, hidden at first, appeared. Sweetest baby koala, snuggled deeply in his mother’s fur and held between fur and bark, as the tree held strong to support their sleep. A strident companion discovered her leaves were gone and so off she went to find more. Unperturbed by our presence, in her own world, aware of herself, the other, the tree and the leaves.

Heralding the call! The call, that is essentially a silent one from the animals. For their call is not aware of the impending doom to their species. Their knowing is different. Our knowing is all encompassing and at the same time ignorant. How do we comprehend the enormity and magnificence of nature. The miraculous connections that hold everything together: speeding dolphins, soaring eagles and still, quiet koalas. Each of us conservationists. All of us part of nature, an intricate essence that is nature. All one.