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The six-month-old female - the first born to Australian mother Coco - died on July 28 from being underweight. It was only 240 grams compared to the average weight of 500g for that age, Sopon Damnui said.

Caretaker Sommitra Khanthawong said the young koala cub or "joey" came out of her mother's pouch on July 28 at about 6am and stayed out for more than an hour.

Coco did not try to put the young one back in the pouch, but instead licked it and circled around it for a while before going to sleep on a tree branch, he said.

Zoo caretakers put the baby back into Coco's pouch and contacted Dusit Zoo veterinarian Dr Somchai Choti-apisitkul.

The veterinarian checked on Coco and her baby at 8pm that day only to discover the young one was dead. Coco was then sent to the Animal Hospital to have the carcass taken out of the pouch, which was then cleaned and injected with antibiotics to prevent infection.

Somchai said Coco, who had recovered and could eat by herself, was taken back to the display area.

Zoo officials, not discouraged by the loss, are preparing for the mating season from September to March.

Koalas, who are usually referred to as "bears", don't come from the bear family but are actually marsupials like kangaroos and wombats.

Female koalas take two to three years to reach reproductive age, while males take three to four years. A healthy female koala can have one offspring a year for 12 years. The young live inside their mother's pouch for about six months.

The Nation

CHIANG MAI