The Marsupial Hut
KOALA
Phascolarctos cinereus
This
is a Koala! Koalas are marsupial animals. That means that they have
pouches on their tummies that they carry their babies in. Koalas live in eastern
Australia in Eucalyptus forests. Eucalyptus is a tree that Koalas love to
eat. They also like to eat mistletoe and box plant leaves. Koalas look a bit
like teddy bears and have very soft fur. People used to hunt them for their
fur, but they are protected from hunters by law now, so that they will not
become extinct. Koalas are about 30 inches long and can live up to 20 years.
They spend their days taking it easy in Eucalyptus trees. They slowly munch
the leaves until they decide to find another tree to hang out in. Male Koalas
eat during the day and sleep at night. Females eat at night and sleep
all day! Koalas do not need to drink much water because they get most of the
moisture they need from the leaves they eat. Koalas also love to sleep. They
can spend up to 19 hours a day sleeping or resting.
Koalas
are peaceful animals but can be dangerous if bothered. They have very long,
sharp claws that help them hang onto trees. They grip the branches so firmly
that it is almost impossible to pull them off. Koalas spend most of their
day up in trees but when they are on the ground they can run fast. When it
gets cold, Koalas will curl or roll up to stay warm.
Female Koalas have one baby at a time. The baby Koala is very small, about the size of a bean. The baby stays in its mother's pouch where it nurses for about six months before it starts to come out. At a year old the baby is old enough to be on his own.
Photo courtesy of Rich's
Bro's Pics
Here are some cool facts about Koalas:
