Countless famous faces have been snapped snuggling up to koalas in Australia. But it’s a practice animal activists hope will become extinct

From Taylor Swift to King Charles, cuddling a koala in Australia has long been a bucket-list item for celebrities, politicians and tourists alike.

But the activity may be going the way of the dinosaur, as animal activists label it “outdated” while calling for a ban, and a growing number of zoos jettison the practice in favour of more hands-off experiences.

Scores of famous faces have been snapped holding koalas in Australia over the years but the practice is falling out of favour

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Celebrities, politicians and untold thousands of tourists have done it for years but cuddling koalas at a Brisbane wildlife sanctuary is coming to an end after feedback from visitors.

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary opened in the Queensland capital in 1927, and describes itself as the world’s first koala sanctuary.

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