Maru Koala & Animal Park

After a wander through the park, this is your spot to slow down, sit back, and refuel properly.

We’ve got house-made meals and snacks, all freshly put together by our new Head Chef, plus plenty of easy options for the kids so no one’s negotiating lunch on a big day out 🐨

☕ Coffee and cold drinks for the in-between moments
🍴 Proper, hearty food that feels like a break (not just a pit stop)
🍦 An ice cream bar for the “we’re definitely getting one” moment
🍷 And yes — we’re fully licensed if you’re staying a little longer

It’s relaxed, family-friendly, and right in the middle of everything you need for a good day out at Maru 🌳

Odin the Quokka curbing his midday munchies with some succulent Swamp Gum 😋🌿

🌳 Happy National Tree Day 🌳

If you’ve ever wondered who’s living in Australia’s gum trees… it’s less “quiet woodland sanctuary” and more “multi-storey wildlife chaos with strong opinions.”

From penthouse koalas silently judging the world, to cockatoos treating hollows like demolition sites, to snakes working the ground-floor security shift — every branch, trunk, and hollow plays a role.

But beyond the humour, these trees are life-support systems. They provide food, shelter, breeding sites, and safe corridors for countless native species. Without them, our wildlife doesn’t just lose a home — it loses connection.

At Maru, we see every day how deeply animals depend on habitat like this. Conservation starts with protecting what they already rely on: old trees, intact landscapes, and the spaces in between.

So today is a reminder — plant them, protect them, and value the ones already standing 🌿

While we don't get snowy winters here on the Bass Coast, our keepers wanted to give Hobart the Tasmanian Devil a taste of Tassie winter!! ❄️

To replicate a true Tasmanian winter, keepers surprised Hobart with a snow day! He was quite curious, sniffing, digging in and tasting his icy treat ☃️

It seems Hobart 'snows' the best way to spend a winter day! 😉

Winter at Maru highlights two very different wildlife survival strategies: Torpor vs. Brumation ❄️

While both mechanisms serve the exact same goal—saving energy during the coldest months—the systems running the show are completely different.

💤 Strategy 1: Torpor (Internal & Flexible)
Echidnas and sugar gliders rely on torpor to get through winter.

How it works: It is a short-term, actively regulated drop in metabolism.
The effect: Their body temperature and energy use decrease drastically to conserve fuel when conditions get harsh or food is scarce.
The benefit: It is highly flexible. They can switch in and out of it daily depending on their immediate needs.

🌡️ Strategy 2: Brumation (Environment-Driven)
Mo the lace monitor is our strongest example of brumation. Because he lives in an outdoor habitat, we turn off his heat lamps over winter so he can follow natural seasonal cues.

How it works: As an ectotherm (cold-blooded animal), his system responds entirely to the weather.
The effect: Reduced environmental temperatures naturally slow his metabolism, digestion, and movement.
The result: He goes into a deep seasonal slowdown and may not eat for up to 4 months until warmer weather returns!
(Note: Reptiles in our warm indoor habitats don’t fully brumate, but you might still notice they have a reduced appetite and slower activity right now).

💤 Torpor = internal, switchable energy-saving mode
🌡️ Brumation = environment-driven seasonal slowdown

Same goal: save energy… just different systems running the show 🐾

It's time to announce our staff of the month for June.

Congratulations to Debbie, for being a consistent and reliable member of the team;
and to Mat for taking on new responsibilities and being keen to develop skills.

Thank you both for your efforts. Your contributions make Maru run smoothly! 😀

If you see our staff doing a great job make sure to let them know!

Just announced: AI-assisted animal detection cameras and signage (PAWS - Protective Animal Warning System) will be trialled on the Monaro Highway between Canberra and the Snowy Mountains. The system is designed to give drivers early warning when wildlife is detected near the road, helping reduce wildlife strikes.

Wildlife vehicle strikes are a major threat to native animals, particularly where roads intersect with important habitat. While technology like this offers hope, it is just one part of the solution — there is still much more we can do to protect Australia’s wildlife through better wildlife crossings, habitat protection, conservation programs and community awareness.

Drivers can also make a difference:

🐾 Slow down, especially at dawn, dusk and at night
🐾 Stay alert in areas with wildlife warning signs
🐾 Check pouches of deceased marsupials where safe to do so — a joey may still be alive

At the Maru Wildlife Shelter, we see first-hand how a simple moment of care — stopping to check a pouch or reporting injured wildlife — can make a life-changing difference. Every action helps protect the incredible wildlife we share this country with. 💛