Jess McCray Breakfast with the Koalas Interview

Jess McCray Breakfast with the Koalas Interview

As the warmer weather finally sets in, WILD LIFE Sydney has launched a truly unique dining experience, Breakfast with the Koalas. Guests can enjoy a delicious hot buffet breakfast within the Koala Rooftop's quintessentially Australian garden setting, surrounded by WILD LIFE Sydney's iconic koalas.

With exclusive access to the attraction before the crowds arrive, Breakfast with the Koalas will take place every Saturday and Sunday at 7:30am, granting breakfast guests an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at the animals when they are at their most active.

The limited capacity Breakfast with the Koalas will commence with an exclusive highlights tour of the recently re-launched attraction, guided by WILD LIFE Sydney's experienced keepers. On the tour, guests will gain access to some of WILD LIFE Sydney's newest residents including juvenile emus, baby quolls, a range of tropical butterflies and some of Australia's most unique creepy crawlies in the newest creature feature, Bugs Garden.

Following the highlights tour, guests will receive an informative koala talk, a delicious hot buffet breakfast and an interactive experience with WILD LIFE Sydney's resident koalas.

Visitors will also be able to take home special memories of their intimate koala encounter in the form of a 6 x 9 photograph, taken by a WILD LIFE Sydney photographer who will be on-hand to capture the experience as visitors cuddle up to the cute koalas.

Breakfast with the Koalas:
Where: WILD LIFE Sydney, Aquarium Wharf, Darling Harbour (next door to Sydney Aquarium)
When: 7:15am for a 7:30am start
Cost: $55 for an adult and $45 for a child
Bookings recommended:02 9333 9288 or www.wild-life.com.au

Interview with Jess McCray

Jess McCray is the Mammals Keeper at WILD LIFE Sydney.

Question: What inspired WILD LIFE to organise Breakfast with the Koalas?

Jess McCray: Koalas are an iconic Australian species and Breakfast with the Koalas allows members of the public to get up close and personal with these wonderful animals. They sleep for up to 20 hours a day, and are most active at dawn and dusk, so it is a unique opportunity for customers to see our koalas awake, before all the other guests arrive.


Question: Can you talk about the nature of the koalas at WILD LIFE?

Jess McCray: Koalas are notoriously considered lazy animals. However when they are awake, they are busy looking for fresh eucalypt leaves. At times they will even jump about a meter and a half to another branch for fresh leaves.


Question: Why are koalas most active in the morning?

Jess McCray: Being active in the mornings and in the late afternoon helps koalas to conserve energy. A koala's diet consists almost entirely of eucalyptus leaves, which are toxic and low in nutrients. Most of the energy obtained from their diet is used to digest the tough eucalyptus leaves; therefore being awake in the cooler parts of the day allows the koalas to save energy for digestion.


Question: Can you share with us a fact about koalas, that most people won't know?

Jess McCray: The first solid meal a baby koala (known as a joey) eats is its mother's poo. As mentioned, eucalypt leaves can be quite difficult to digest, for this reason the joey needs this specialised faeces which contains the necessary gut flora that will enable them to digest their food.


Question: What can attendees of WILD LIFE Breakfast with the Koalas, expect from the morning?

Jess McCray: You will be treated to an exclusive out-of-hours tour of the facility; focusing on our world class exhibits, highlighting the vast array of species on display ranging from the tiny bull ants, bright green tree frogs to our giant male Red Kangaroos. The tour will conclude at the Koala Encounters area where a hot buffet breakfast awaits. While guests are dining there will be an informative koala talk. This will be followed by an interactive koala experience where guests are invited to enter the exhibit to have a photo cuddling up next to a koala. Once breakfast is concluded you have the opportunity to explore WILDLIFE further at your leisure and participate in a number of presentations throughout the day.


Question: What is a typical day like, for you as the Mammals Keeper at WILD LIFE Sydney?

Jess McCray: We start work early in the morning to prepare that animal's exhibits before the public arrive. This involves cleaning exhibits, feeding koalas and/or preparing ponds. After the exhibits are ready we then prepare food for the animals, clean and maintain the off display enclosures and carry out our daily training sessions. After midday we do a number of informative presentations and more feeds, the kangaroos and koalas need to be fed again before keepers leave in the afternoon.


Question: What inspired you to become a Mammals Keeper and what qualifications do you need?

Jess McCray: I've always had an interest and passion for animals. I think this is definitely the common theme with most zoo keepers. I know that I'm very lucky to be in a job that I enjoy and be in a position to make a difference.


Interview by Brooke Hunter