The Koala
Copyright © 2011 by Allison Creutzmann | ISH | • All Rights reserved • E-Mail: allison13@ish.co.cu
Koalas are an enchanted species of marsupial. These small mammals are tree- dwelling creatures that hardly ever come
down to the ground. Commonly found in Australia, these furry animals live north, east, and west of Australia in eucalyptus forests. The south of Australia used to be known for having the largest population of koalas, but due to deforestation caused by European settlers building houses, they all migrated to other areas.
Name:
The scientific name of the koala is Phascolarctos, and is derived from the Greek words phaskolos which means "pouch" and arktos "bear". The name of its species cinereus, is Latin and means "ash-colored".
Appearance:
Koalas are thought to resemble miniature bears or bear cubs. Koala babies are called joeys just like the young of kangaroos. At birth a koala weighs only 6 grams and has absolutely no fur, no hearing, and their eyes are closed. Their hind legs look like stubs but their front legs tend to be more developed.
An adult koala has a large head and tiny tail and long muscular limbs. Their thick woolly fur covers their whole bodies. Koalas range in size from 69 to 79 cm in length and can weigh 5 to 12 kg. They have two opposable thumbs. Koalas use their feet to grip and climb trees as well as to hang on to branches when they jump from branch to branch. Koalas have very limited eyesight; they have to use both eyes to be able to focus on an object. This is known as binocular vision. Koalas have a very strong sense of smell. This is necessary for them to be able to identify the different leaves that they eat and distinguish when something is poisonous.
Diet:
Koalas are herbivores, which means that they only eat plants; in this case, mainly eucalyptus trees. Out of the 800 species of
down to the ground. Commonly found in Australia, these furry animals live north, east, and west of Australia in eucalyptus forests. The south of Australia used to be known for having the largest population of koalas, but due to deforestation caused by European settlers building houses, they all migrated to other areas.
Name:
The scientific name of the koala is Phascolarctos, and is derived from the Greek words phaskolos which means "pouch" and arktos "bear". The name of its species cinereus, is Latin and means "ash-colored".
Appearance:
Koalas are thought to resemble miniature bears or bear cubs. Koala babies are called joeys just like the young of kangaroos. At birth a koala weighs only 6 grams and has absolutely no fur, no hearing, and their eyes are closed. Their hind legs look like stubs but their front legs tend to be more developed.
An adult koala has a large head and tiny tail and long muscular limbs. Their thick woolly fur covers their whole bodies. Koalas range in size from 69 to 79 cm in length and can weigh 5 to 12 kg. They have two opposable thumbs. Koalas use their feet to grip and climb trees as well as to hang on to branches when they jump from branch to branch. Koalas have very limited eyesight; they have to use both eyes to be able to focus on an object. This is known as binocular vision. Koalas have a very strong sense of smell. This is necessary for them to be able to identify the different leaves that they eat and distinguish when something is poisonous.
Diet:
Koalas are herbivores, which means that they only eat plants; in this case, mainly eucalyptus trees. Out of the 800 species of
March 2011
eucalyptus trees, koalas prefer only to eat from 35. They are known to be very picky
eaters as they refuse to eat from trees with damaged soil, low rainfall, or that are in cold temperatures. An average koala eats about 200 to 500g of eucalyptus leaves every day. They have very low-energy diets, and because of this koalas tend to have very slow metabolic systems. To obtain maxim nutrition the food particles stay in the koala's stomach for 100 hours. Koalas eat 3 hours a day.
Behaviour:
Koalas are one of the world's laziest animals. Koalas tend to sleep 20 hours a day
and only wake up every few hours to eat. Their natural home and sleeping areas tend to be the trees that they are eating from that week. For the four hours they are awake, koalas spend their time grooming each other and moving to new trees with more food. Koalas tend to live in pairs of two, a mother and her child. Male koalas generally tend to live alone. Koalas don't like to roam very far and generally live in one area. When a koala moves it is usually only to find more food; the average speed of a koala is 8 km in 6 weeks!
Interesting fact:
Koala bears are not related to bears at all but are called bears because of their similar appearance. They actually have more in common with the kangaroo!
By: Mother Nature
eaters as they refuse to eat from trees with damaged soil, low rainfall, or that are in cold temperatures. An average koala eats about 200 to 500g of eucalyptus leaves every day. They have very low-energy diets, and because of this koalas tend to have very slow metabolic systems. To obtain maxim nutrition the food particles stay in the koala's stomach for 100 hours. Koalas eat 3 hours a day.
Behaviour:
Koalas are one of the world's laziest animals. Koalas tend to sleep 20 hours a day
and only wake up every few hours to eat. Their natural home and sleeping areas tend to be the trees that they are eating from that week. For the four hours they are awake, koalas spend their time grooming each other and moving to new trees with more food. Koalas tend to live in pairs of two, a mother and her child. Male koalas generally tend to live alone. Koalas don't like to roam very far and generally live in one area. When a koala moves it is usually only to find more food; the average speed of a koala is 8 km in 6 weeks!
Interesting fact:
Koala bears are not related to bears at all but are called bears because of their similar appearance. They actually have more in common with the kangaroo!
By: Mother Nature
October 2011
NATURE
