Australian sanctuary visited by Taylor Swift and Vladimir Putin BANS Koala cuddles

Ask anyone planning a trip to Australia – even Vladimir Putin – and cuddling a koala is probably high on their to-do list.

But now you'll have to steer clear of one popular zoo.

The Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Queensland was known for its 'holding' sessions, attended by famous faces such as Taylor Swift, Pope John Paul II and the Russian president.

But it has now banned the experience, which is said to stress the animals, and replaced cuddles with 'close-up' encounters. 

In a statement, Lone Pine said: 'The decision has been made in response to increasingly strong visitor feedback, wishing to spend longer with the sanctuary's koalas... without necessarily holding them.'

Koala holding had become a popular photo opportunity at Lone Pine, which opened in 1927, but it seems they were not always happy snaps for the marsupials.

Jen Basham, of the Queensland Conservation Council, said: 'Koalas are solitary, wild animals, and can be stressed in interactions with humans. We know Queenslanders and tourists alike are thrilled when they encounter koalas, but nothing beats seeing them in their natural habitat.

'We welcome the announcement from Lone Pine, and the direction they are heading in.'

Suzanne Milthorpe, from the charity World Animal Protection, said koalas would have found the cuddles 'stressful'.

Although she praised Lone Pine tourists for 'moving away from outdated, stressful selfie encounters', she called for wider bans on the practice.

Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia are the only states to allow koala holding in the country. 

While it is not illegal to touch the endangered animals, in most states people are not allowed to physically support their weight.

Lone Pine general manager Lyndon Discombe said: 'We love that there is a shift among both local and international guests to experience Australian wildlife up close, but not necessarily personal, just doing what they do best – eating, sleeping and relaxing.' 

He said he hoped the new experience would allow guests to 'love and respect' koalas more.