George the koala joey found his “big boy” singing voice and started practicing his mating calls in August, just two months after he was found alone and distressed beside a road in the Adelaide suburb of Auldana.

George’s carer Dee Hearne-Hellon told Storyful the little man was only 2.3 kg when he was taken into care by Fauna Rescue South Australia, and was very quiet and shy.

“Koala mating season has started so George has started to sing, practicing the calls he will make when he is more mature to entice the lady koalas,” she said, adding that George had grown to 3.5 kg since being in her care. She planned to release the koala back into the wild when he reaches 4 kg.

Hearne-Hellon said South Australians should call 1300 KOALAS for assistance if they come across koalas that appear distressed, are drinking a lot of water or are young without their mothers. Credit: Dee Hearne-Hellon / Fauna Rescue SA via Storyful