Zoo gives joey a stuffed koala to ease weighing time

SAN DIEGO, July 13 (UPI) -- The San Diego Zoo shared video of a koala joey clinging to his stuffed toy koala for security while being weighed during a health check.

The zoo said the 9-month-old joey, which does not yet have a name, was given a plush koala to make him feel more comfortable while being separated from his mother, Cambee, for the short time that it took to weigh him during his weekly health examination.

The video was posted to the zoo's official YouTube account.

The koala seems to quickly lose interest in the stuffed toy and explores the surface of the scale for himself while giving a series of squeaky vocals.

"This little guy is healthy and right on track with his development," senior zookeeper Jennifer Roesler said in a blog post. "He has only been out of the pouch for about eight weeks, and we're learning he is very vocal with a little bit of attitude -- definitely a momma's boy, but also showing his independence by venturing off from mom from time to time and interacting with some of the other females in the habitat."