Klassic Koalas: Mr. Douglas' Koalas and the Stars of Qantas
People have attributed human traits to koalas throughout history. When one thinks of a creature as being a "wild animal," teeth, claws, and danger often come to mind. Yet in the case of this mostly peaceful animal, "wild" applies more to its unique needs that must be respected, rendering it unsuitable as a pet, yet admirably suited to its native environment.
Koalas like quiet and solitude most of the time; they are nocturnal and only eat eucalyptus. They can experience stress easily, due to lack of a pronounced flight-or-fight response. In recent times, laws have been enacted to protect the koala from being held by individuals without professional supervision.
The images featured in this book come from the home of retired animal expert and caretaker Peter Douglas, who has looked after koalas over four decades. His love for these animals is apparent in all of the photographs. Special care was given to keep koalas safe during all photo shoots and not to cause them any stress. Formerly a lecturer at Queensland University, Mr. Douglas currently serves as Senior Vice President of The University of Queensland's Gatton's Past Students' Management Committee.
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Qantas Airlines is perhaps the most recognizable business in Australia; the koala is the country's most popular icon. The popular I hate Qantas commercials originally featured a talking koala who sat in a eucalyptus tree while complaining about tourists disturbing its tranquil environment.
These advertisements were first created by the Cunningham & Walsh agency of San Francisco and aimed at an exclusively American audience. Running from 1967 until 1992 (and briefly reinstated around the time of the Australian Olympics in 1999), they became the longest television ad campaign in United States history. The skits became more inventive over time--even featuring a sunglass-wearing koala sitting in a director's chair while expounding on the luxuries of first-class flying.
Displayed in this book are some of the best specimens of unusual Qantas koala advertisements from the 1960s through the 1980s. The original ads in addition to other examples, can now be enjoyed in person by visiting the Q.A.N.T.A.S. Founders Museum in Longreach, Queensland (www.qfm.com.au).
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All photo arrangements were carefully supervised to avoid any stress to the animals. All photos featured in this book were taken on rare occasions, over the course of four decades, and I was assured that no animals were harmed in the making. Many people ponder the possibilities of owning a pet koala, but it needs to remain just that--a fantasy. This majestic creature is at home high up in the treetops, where it loves to revel in eucalyptus leaves and observe the world from a safe distance.
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Excerpted from Klassic Koalas: Mr. Douglas' Koalas and the Stars of Qantas by Copyright © 2007 by Koala Jo Publishing. Excerpted by permission.
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