Endangered koala joey and island named after Jess and Noemie Fox

Ever wondered what it must be like to be the toast of the town? Just ask recently returned Olympic stars, sisters Jess and Noemie Fox, who have claimed yet another headline-grabbing honour: having an endangered ten-month-old koala joey named after them.

“We’re delighted to welcome Jess and Noemie to meet ‘Fox’,” said Wild Life Sydney Zoo koala keeper Alie Selveraj. “Like so many Australians, we were inspired witnessing* their triumphant efforts in Paris and knew we needed to name our newest koala joey after them.

“Just like koalas, Jess and Noemie are a symbol of national pride and the spirit of Australia and we were honoured to welcome them today.”

Zookeepers hope that once Fox matures*, he will play an important part in supporting the future of the species. Ms Selveraj said he would paired with genetically diverse* females in hopes of producing the next generation* of joeys.

“Koalas were declared endangered* in February 2022, granting the species greater protection and increased initiatives by conservation* groups, including zoos like ours to support them,” she said.

Meeting Fox was the perfect way for the sisters to mark the start of September’s Save The Koala Month – an annual worldwide event dedicated to raising awareness about koalas and their habitat*.

“Meeting Fox, the adorable koala named in our honour, has been a highlight for us post* Paris,” they said in a statement. “We are so excited to have the opportunity to see him in person and hope our visit encourages more support for koala conservation.”

Sweet little Fox was not the only namesake honour* bestowed on the gold medallists this week.

An island at the stadium where Jess was inspired to start her canoeing career will be renamed in honour of the entire Fox family, in recognition of their incredible contribution to Australian paddling.

The island at the centre of Penrith Whitewater Stadium will be known as “Fox Island,” celebrating a family of four canoe slalom* Olympians, including super sisters Jess and Noemie, who, together, brought home three gold medals from the Paris Games.

It comes as the NSW and federal governments announced that Paddle Australia will get $3.2 million to host the International Canoe Slalom World Championships next year.

The funding will go towards the organisation, staging, marketing and programming of the event.

The event will be held at Penrith Whitewater Stadium, where Jess Fox was inspired to take up canoeing during the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Both Jess and her sister are scheduled to compete at the championships, alongside about 300 competitors from 50 nations and an estimated 20,000 spectators expected to attend next year.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said the state “couldn’t be more excited to help host” next year’s world championships.

“A large part of Australia’s most successful Olympics performance in history came down to two girls from Penrith, Jess and Noemie Fox, who honed* their skills through countless hours on the rapids here at Penrith Whitewater Stadium,” he said.

Mr Minns said NSW was proud to rename the island “to recognise the significant contribution of the Fox family to Australian sport – from Jess and Noemie to their parents Richard and Myriam”.

The Fox sisters said the renaming was “very special”, with Jess adding that it was a “lovely gesture”.

“It’s something that we see every day and that has been a huge part of our lives,” she said.

Government funding has also gone into upgrading the venue’s facilities in the lead up to the world championships.

Federal Sports Minister Annika Wells said the championships “will help inspire our next generation of canoe and kayak stars” ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympics.

“The Fox family are incredible ambassadors*, not just for their sport, but, for sport full stop, and we look forward to watching them take on the best the world has to offer – but this time, it’s in their backyard,” she said.

Paddle Australia CEO Phil Jones thanked the NSW and federal governments for providing millions in funding to help host the 2025 world championships.

POLL

GLOSSARY

1. witnessing: watching
2. matures: become as adult
3. genetically diverse: having different genes so that when they mate they have the best chance at survival and good health
4. next generation: the babies of the koalas alive now
5. endangered: a species at risk of extinction
6. habitat: where the animal lives
7. conservation: protecting native wildlife
8. post: after
9. namesake honour: having something named after you
10. canoe slalom: a canoe race against the clock where competitors navigate a course of hanging downstream or upstream gates on river rapids
11. honed: learned and perfected
12. ambassadors: people who represent or promote a sport or industry

EXTRA READING

Aussie Olympic heroes come home

Paris Olympics: first week highlights

Tree corridors to save koalas in the wild

QUICK QUIZ

1. Which sport have the Fox sisters become legends in?
2. Why will Fox the koala be paired with genetically diverse females?
3. What other thing has been named in honour of the Fox family?
4. Where will the International Canoe Slalom World Championships be held next year?
5. How many gold medals did Jess and Noemie Fox in at the 2024 Paris Olympics?

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CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Design a logo
Design a special logo for Save the Koala Month. Your logo should be inspired by Fox the koala as well as Jess and Noemie Fox. Include a slogan or catchphrase

Time: allow at least 30 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Visual Communication Design

2. Extension
Who do you know who you think should have something in your community named after them? Choose a person. Write an explanation of why they deserve this honour, what you think should be named after them and why.

Time: allow at least 25 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Civics and Citizenship, Personal and Social Capability

VCOP ACTIVITY
Imaginative dialogue
Imagine you were there during the event being discussed in the article, or for the interview.

Create a conversation between two characters from the article – you may need or want to include yourself as one of the characters. Don’t forget to try to use facts and details from the article to help make your dialogue as realistic as possible.

Go through your writing and highlight any punctuation you have used in green. Make sure you carefully check the punctuation used for the dialogue and ensure you have opened and closed the speaking in the correct places.