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What is a koala?

Updated: 10/8/2023
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13y ago

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The Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is a marsupial mammal and is indigenous to Australia. Its closest relative is the wombat.

Koalas are indigenous to Australia and live in tropical to temperate eucalypt forest and woodlands. They can be found along the eastern and south-eastern coastal regions.

They live in eucalyptus trees and eat only a few types of gum leaves from which they get all nutrients and water requirements. Eucalyptus leaves are tough, toxic and low in nutrition, but the koala has developed a stomach which is capable of removing the toxins from where they are filtered out by the liver. The caecum completes the process by changing the eucalyptus leaves into digestible nutrients. The caecum is similar to the human appendix.

The koala must eat over a kilogram of leaves per day to meet its energy requirements. Eucalyptus leaves contain approximately 50% water, 18% fibre, 13% tannins, 8% fat, 5% carbohydrates, 4% protein and 2% minerals. Koalas have been seen feeding in 120 kinds of eucalypt tree including Manna Gum, Swamp Gum, Blue Gum, Forest Red Gum and Grey Gum.

Koalas are marsupials, that is, pouched mammals, meaning that the young are born extremely undeveloped, and most of their development occurs in the mother's pouch. They breed from September to February, with females breeding from 2 years of age, and males from 3-4 years after they have established their own territory. Males are extremely aggressive during mating periods. Thirty-five days after mating, the female produces one joey weighing about 0.5 grams and about 2 cm long. The joey then makes its way to the mother's pouch where it attaches to a teat. The teat swells in its mouth, preventing the young koala from being accidentally dislodged as the mother moves about.

Koalas have a woolly light to dark grey fur with brown and white patches and a cream belly. They have a broad head with small eyes, large furry ears and a distinctive large black nose. Females have two teats and a rear opening pouch. Mature males have a brown stain on their chest, the result of a gland which produces an orange coloured discharge. This is used to mark the trees the male climbs by rubbing this gland against the base of the tree and the trunk. This is believed to be territorial behaviour, and to attract females ready for mating.

Northern koalas can grow to 740 mm and 9 kg for males and 720 mm and 7.25 kg for females. Southern koalas can grow to 820 mm and 15 kg for males and 730 mm and 11 kg for females.

They can live for up to 18 years for females and a bit less for males.

Koalas can leap up to 2 metres and can swim. They curl up into a ball to keep warm and spread out to keep cool.

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10y ago

The Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is a marsupial mammal and is indigenous to Australia. Their closest relative is the wombat. They live in eucalyptus trees and eat only a few types of gum leaves from which they get all nutrients and water requirements. Eucalyptus leaves are tough, toxic and low in nutrition, but the koala has developed a stomach which is capable of removing the toxins from where they are filtered out by the liver. The caecum completes the process by changing the eucalyptus leaves into digestible nutrients. The caecum is similar to the human appendix. The koala must eat over a kilogram of leaves per day to meet its energy requirements. Eucalyptus leaves contain approximately 50% water, 18% fibre, 13% tannins, 8% fat, 5% carbohydrates, 4% protein and 2% minerals. Koalas have been seen feeding in 120 kinds of eucalypt tree including Manna Gum, Swamp Gum, Blue Gum, Forest Red Gum and Grey Gum.

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15y ago

Koalas live in tropical to temperate eucalypt forest and woodlands and can be found along the eastern and south-eastern coastal regions. They live in eucalyptus trees and are mostly nocturnal and eat certain types of eucalypt leaves exclusively. They breed from September to February. Females breed from 2 years of age, and males from 3-4 years after they have established their own territory. Males are extremely aggressive during mating periods. Thirty-five days after mating, the female produces one joey weighing about 0.5 grams and about 2 cm long. Koalas have a woolly light to dark grey fur with brown and white patches and a cream belly. They have a broad head with small eyes, large furry ears and a distinctive large black nose. Females has two teats and a rear opening pouch. Northern koalas can grow to 740 mm and 9 kg for males and 720 mm and 7.25 kg for females.

Southern koalas can grow to 820 mm and 15 kg for males and 730 mm and 11 kg for females. They can live for up to 18 years for females and a bit less for males. They spend up to 20 hours per day sleeping and the rest eating. Koalas can leap up to 2 metres and can swim. They curl up into a ball to keep warm and spread out to keep cool.

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