Overview
Being a sports fan involves taking every opportunity you can get to show your love for your chosen team. Attending matches, nabbing all the merchandise, decking yourself out in the appropriate hues: they're some of the easy ways to go about it. If you're particularly dedicated, so is naming a pet after your favourite player or squad. We can't all call a koala joey Matilda, however, like the folks at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary have to celebrate the 2023 Women's World Cup.
Over the past few weeks, the fortunes of Australia's national women's soccer team have been the best conversation topic there is. How is Sam Kerr's calf? How many goals can Hayley Raso kick? How stunning was that game against Canada? Here's the latest question: how cute is this Gold Coast koala that now shares the Matildas' name? The answer: very.
Matilda the koala is now 12 months old, about 25 centimetres in size and has been given her moniker to honour the Aussie squad.
"The real Matildas are achieving great things, and many of the staff and volunteers at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary have been following their journey closely," said Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary Koala Specialist Sarah Eccleston.
"When discussing a name for the newest addition to our Koala nursery, Matilda was a clear favourite and seemed very fitting."
"Matilda is very sweet but also a bit cheeky. She is already making herself known in the nursery, just like the Matildas in the FIFA Women's World Cup tournament," Eccleston continued.
At Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Matilda was born from the breeding and conservation program, and will soon join it to help the endangered species' future.
The wildlife haven is home to more than 50 of its own fluffy-eared marsupials, which visitors can see on a trip to the park or via a daily behind-the-scenes tour, breakfast with koalas sessions five days a week and regular grazing experiences in its koala habitat.
Shiftchange via Wikimedia Commons
Find Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary at 28 Tomewin Street, Currumbin — head to the venue's website for further information.
The FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 runs until Sunday, August 20 across Australia and New Zealand, with tickets available from the FIFA website.