What are some fun Koala Bear facts?

Answer 1

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.

• Although Koalas can sometimes be referred to "Koala Bears", they are NOT bears. They are Marsupials.
• Koalas are fully grown by their third or fourth year.
• When Koalas are born, they are about as big as a Jellybean
• Koalas also communicate with each other by making a noise like a snore and then a belch, known as a "bellow"
• Koalas are nocturnal (Sleep during the day, come out at night)
• Koalas are the only animal, other than a Possum, which can survive on a diet of eucalyptus leaves.
• Dogs and cars kill many Koalas per year.
• Koalas are protected by the law

Answer 2

Koalas are unique because 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.

Koalas have very strong claws suitable for gripping trees and climbing. Between their first and second "fingers" is a large gap, which enables them to also grip tree branches comfortably, whilst their hind legs have one toe set at a wide angle. Like humans, they also have unique fingerprints, and are one of very few mammals to do so.

Answer 3

Koalas are marsupials, not bears. As with most marsupials, the koala has a pouch, where the joey stays after birth for up to ten months. When they are born they are no bigger than a jellybean. When the joey leaves the pouch, it stays for several more months on the back of their mother. The pouch opens backwards. After about 30 weeks, the mother produces a substance called pap. This substance is actually a specialised form of the mother's droppings which, having passed through her digestive system, give the joey the enzymes it needs to be able to start digesting the tough gum leaves, making an easier transition for the baby koala to start eating eucalyptus leaves.

Koalas have very strong claws suitable for gripping trees and climbing. Between their first and second "fingers" is a large gap, which enables them to also grip tree branches comfortably, whilst their hind legs have one toe set at a wide angle. They also have toes with thick pads which enable them to sit comfortably in a tree all day.

Koalas have woolly light to dark grey fur with brown and white patches and a cream belly. 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 (and attract females) by rubbing this gland against the base of the tree and the trunk. Albino koalas have been recorded, but are extremely rare. Southern koalas tend to have fur that is darker and tending more towards brown than that of koalas found in the northern parts of Australia. Koalas in southern regions have thick, wool-like waterproof fur to keep them warm in cold weather and dry in rain. Koalas in northern regions are smaller, with less dense fur.

Answer 4

Koalas have some very unique and unusual characteristics.

They have an unusual digestive system. 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, which is extra long in koalas, changes the eucalyptus leaves into digestible nutrients.

Koalas are among the few animals that have unique fingerprints, making them readily identifiable. Their hands and feet have other unique characteristics. They have very sharp claws for climbing Rees that have tall, straight, smooth trunks. Between their first and second "fingers" is a large gap, which enables them to also grip tree branches. In addition, the second and third toe of the koala's hind feet are fused together, to enable them to sit comfortably in trees all day.

Answer 5

Koalas have sharp teeth and sharp claws.

The mother koala has a pouch.

A baby koala cub stays in the mother's pouch for 5 months.

Koalas live around 20 years.

Koalas sleep for up to 19 hours a day.

Answer 6

Koalas are unique because 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.

Koalas are marsupials, and they are unique for having a backward-facing pouch. They are also unique because, once the young joeys are about 30 weeks old, the mother produces a substance called pap. This substance is actually a specialised form of the mother's droppings which, having passed through her digestive system, give the joey the enzymes it needs to be able to start digesting the tough gum leaves, making an easier transition for the baby koala to start eating eucalyptus leaves.

Koalas have very strong claws suitable for gripping trees and climbing. Between their first and second "fingers" is a large gap, which enables them to also grip tree branches comfortably, whilst their hind legs have one toe set at a wide angle. Like humans, they also have unique fingerprints, and are one of very few mammals to do so.

Answer 7

There are numerous unusual char armistice of koalas.

• Koalas do not eat all types of eucalyptus, but feed on just 14 species as their primary food source, specifically, the subgenus Symphyomyrphus. Preferred eucalyptus species vary depending on their locality, so that the species eaten by Victoria koalas will be different to those eaten by north Queensland koalas.
• Baby koalas, called joeys, drink mother's milk during their first 6-7 months of life. After 30 weeks, the mother produces a substance called pap. This substance is actually a specialised form of the mother's droppings which, having passed through her digestive system, give the joey the enzymes it needs to be able to start digesting the tough gum leaves, making an easier transition for the baby koala to start eating eucalyptus leaves. The joey will eat the pap by sticking its head out of the mother's backward-facing pouch.
• The koala's caecum, which changes eucalyptus leaves into digestible nutrients, is about 2 metres in length.