https://youtu.be/uNrr-SNapG8 For those who want to see the action of this rare encounter. I love the expression on Frankie's face here, he tolerated it but Summer really was being very nosey! (hahaha pun intended)
Thank you for the awesome comments and questions on my photos.
Ha ! great title and an amazing video - Toleration being the operative word - especially as they went their separate ways afterwards ! I wonder if Summer was comparing notes here !!
@ludwigsdiana so glad you enjoyed :) the sounds are all a variety of birds around us - the koalas made no noise at all which is good as koala fighting is a very loud affair!
I guess Koalas learning to share space non-aggressively is an important factor in your conservation project - well done Summer, Frankie... and, of course, Katrina!
@vignouse really interesting thought and great comment! I must say I would never expect what I'm doing to change the nature of koala behaviour.
I do like how the deep comments here make me stop and really think - we know so little, and each moment I can record and analyse adds another little drop of knowledge to the puddle :)
These boys are babies, they are only 18 months old. Well not babies perhaps, and I was stunned to be honest to see the beginnings of the scent gland forming on Frankie's chest - so maybe he has some testosterone beginning to circulate. He is not yet a teenager however, he is a juvenile, but not a sub-adult.
Koala colony hierarchy is critical for survival, even if there is much about this we don't yet know. For males to have to fight to some degree, at times, is part of the strength of the hierarchy and so the strength of the colony.
Definitely koalas are not considered 'aggressive' animals, but the males do have to work for, and to maintain, their position.
I suspect there was actually some position established between these 2 fellas here, even though there was no fighting. But what will happen if they both try to continue to use the same area as they mature remains to be seen.
I am going to put forward something that may well turn out to be totally false, but I'll say it anyway.
I suspect that Frankie will leave the property in the next 12 months, because I suspect that he will attract attention from the adult males and will be pushed out. I think he will want a high placement in the colony and I'm not sure that place is vacant here.
I suspect Summer has a higher chance of staying around as I feel he may be willing to take a lower position in the hierarchy and so may (only may) find a place.
Now watch me proved totally wrong! :)
@olivetreeann you are totally right - a language of scents is indeed a new language and one we are never going to truly learn. but it's fascinating for sure!
@fbailey I just can't stop laughing at that one - and if you have ever smelled the musk odour of any animal whose males produce musk, you will know that the smell is well um .... and that tiny scent gland has it ;)
@beryl I bet Summer was jealous that Frankie has an oily sticky smelly bit hahahaha
I do like how the deep comments here make me stop and really think - we know so little, and each moment I can record and analyse adds another little drop of knowledge to the puddle :)
These boys are babies, they are only 18 months old. Well not babies perhaps, and I was stunned to be honest to see the beginnings of the scent gland forming on Frankie's chest - so maybe he has some testosterone beginning to circulate. He is not yet a teenager however, he is a juvenile, but not a sub-adult.
Koala colony hierarchy is critical for survival, even if there is much about this we don't yet know. For males to have to fight to some degree, at times, is part of the strength of the hierarchy and so the strength of the colony.
Definitely koalas are not considered 'aggressive' animals, but the males do have to work for, and to maintain, their position.
I suspect there was actually some position established between these 2 fellas here, even though there was no fighting. But what will happen if they both try to continue to use the same area as they mature remains to be seen.
I am going to put forward something that may well turn out to be totally false, but I'll say it anyway.
I suspect that Frankie will leave the property in the next 12 months, because I suspect that he will attract attention from the adult males and will be pushed out. I think he will want a high placement in the colony and I'm not sure that place is vacant here.
I suspect Summer has a higher chance of staying around as I feel he may be willing to take a lower position in the hierarchy and so may (only may) find a place.
Now watch me proved totally wrong! :)
@olivetreeann you are totally right - a language of scents is indeed a new language and one we are never going to truly learn. but it's fascinating for sure!
@fbailey I just can't stop laughing at that one - and if you have ever smelled the musk odour of any animal whose males produce musk, you will know that the smell is well um .... and that tiny scent gland has it ;)
@beryl I bet Summer was jealous that Frankie has an oily sticky smelly bit hahahaha