Hi, Pojo,

 

While you all are hardcore playing the TCG over at Pojo.com, I’m Shuffling every day, usually reading Reddit for tips. Anyhow, just in time for Wild Koala Day in Australia, Pokémon has released Komala into the Pokémon Shuffle game this week as a Daily Pokémon and do I really need to say SPOILER ALERT before indicating its attack is *Snape voice*obviously “Nap Time.” My favorite Shuffle YouTuber posted a video of the capture, behold:

 

 

Anyhoo, Unofficial Team Komala is all on top of that gum tree in celebration of Wild Koala Day, which is May 3, 2017. What is Wild Koala Day? Via social media, The Echidna Walkabout Tour pointed me toward The Koala Clancy Foundation, where you can read all about what Australians are doing to protect their iconic, recently red-listed as vulnerable koala:

 

https://www.koalaclancyfoundation.org.au/research/wild-koala-day

 

Even though we’re across the pond in the US, we can still help protect koalas by lending our voices, donating to various organizations that protect wildlife or just planting a tree. Sadly, there will be another koala to remember later this year when I do my tree-planting donation again with The Australian Koala Foundation www.savethekoala.com , Columbus Zoo recently reported the passing of another of their AZA Species Survival Plan koalas, Barnaby, about two weeks ago—right after I’d renewed my membership, which helps support conservation. Barnaby’s passing was noted in local media:

 

http://nbc4i.com/2017/04/14/koala-dies-at-columbus-zoo/

 

Columbus Zoo hosted a Pokémon Go event last summer; it’s great to see people connecting Pokémon to conservation and hopefully there will be a lot more events that will raise awareness about our vulnerable and endangered species before it’s too late for our wildlife. I’m looking forward to the new TCG expansions this spring and I hope to see the promo Komala card come to the US—players should stop and think about the animals that inspired their favorites and get out there and engage with conservation so that none of those real-life creatures will end up as “Fossils” anytime soon!

 

On the toy news front, imported Japanese Furuta chocolate eggs+toy appeared at my local Japanese import grocery after Easter, Sun-Moon Pokémon and Mario versions. GameStop has been receiving Tomy Sun-Moon starter plush in small restock batches (their Sun-Moon starters last fall were the Pokémon Center versions; while Wal-Mart and Target have been receiving the new spring Tomy plush, I’ve yet to actually see the Sun-Moon starters there yet, so GameStop’s the best bet at the moment).

 

zzzzZZZZ (Komala?!)

 

Loretta