The AKF is proud to introduce you to our first German celebrity supporter: Actress Valea Scalabrino who plays Sina Uhland in the daily soap “Unter Uns.”

We were looking for a young, fresh face to tell the story of the threatened koalas to everyone in Germany and we are delighted that Valea immediately offered her support.

“Of course I think of koalas first when someone talks about Australia. They are a national icon, but I have never really considered that they are in danger”, said Valea. “In the last couple of weeks I have learned a lot and I am shocked to see that the koala numbers are declining. This is a great opportunity for me to tell people in Germany their story.”

Her work has already begun: Valea adopted her own koala Crumble which proved a difficult decision for her: “I went on the website and had a look for my favourite koala. They are all so gorgeous that it took my ages to decide on one. In the end Crumble took my heart and I couldn’t be any happier.”

At the end of April, Valea also had the pleasure of meeting a real koala. She visited the Zoo Duisburg for an exclusive koala photoshoot and had an amazing time. “Meeting a koala face-to-face was a unique experience and I feel so honoured that I’ve met one of these creatures.”

Valea hopes that she can motivate her fans to follow her example and adopt a koala. “One alone can’t save the world, but all together we can save lives-the lives of the koalas. By adopting one of these great animals you can assist us to save a threatened species from extinction. Please help us so that koalas can survive in the wild.”

The AKF’s CEO Deborah Tabart OAM is looking forward to making a trip to Germany. “I have always known that the koala holds special meaning for people from all over the world. Valea’s support will go a long way in raising awareness of AKF and I can’t wait to meet her personally.”

Valea will promote the Adopt a Koala program in the German speaking area and has some exciting ideas in mind. Keep an eye on our website and Valea´s Facebook fanpage to keep up to date.                                                                          

                                                                     © Kiera Bahl 2012©