A Canberra family had an unexpected wildlife encounter after spotting a wild koala near Theodore in Tuggeranong while driving home from dinner.Brooke Trotter noticed what she first believed were the glowing eyes of an owl before realising it was a koala sitting in a tree beside the Monaro Highway.

She, her husband Brad, and their sons Ryan and Beau turned around to confirm the sighting and spent only a few minutes observing the animal to avoid disturbing it.The experience was especially memorable for the family, as they had never seen a wild koala in the ACT outside the captive population at Tidbinbilla.

Experts say sightings of wild koalas in the ACT remain extremely uncommon because the species is listed as endangered in the territory following extensive habitat loss.

Although surveys in 2018 found no evidence of a resident wild population, isolated sightings have been recorded in recent years near Canberra Airport, Oaks Estate, Jacka and now Tuggeranong.

Australian National University researcher Dr Kara Youngentob said recent sightings may indicate koalas from the stable Southern Tablelands population in New South Wales are expanding into the ACT.

She stressed the importance of protecting remaining native habitat and planting suitable eucalyptus trees in developing suburbs to support wildlife movement.

James Fitzgerald, who manages the Two Thumbs Wildlife Trust near Cooma, described the Tuggeranong sighting as exceptionally rare but encouraging, suggesting it could indicate a growing koala population gradually moving north.Conservation experts believe preserving habitat will be essential if koalas are to become a more regular presence in the ACT.