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Koalas
Native to Australia and exclusive to the eucalypt forests of Eastern and South-Eastern Australia, there are only three subspecies of Koala. Solitary animals, Koalas sleep as long as long as 18 hours a day and have a low-energy diet of eucalyptus leaves.
1,608 Questions
Why are there so many species of marsupial mammals in Australia?
The main theory for this seems to be that, when the continents shifted and separated thousands of years ago, the Australian continent was left without any large predators. Unlike other continents, which most likely had marsupials and monotremes as well, the Australian continent provided a safe haven for the many unique species to grow and proliferate without being wiped out by larger species.
How do koalas protect themselves when they are attacked?
Koalas are well equipped to protect themselves as they have strong, sharp claws, and their front incisors are very sharp as well. Their colouring also helps make them difficult to see in the tree tops. This is evident from the fact that it was eleven years after Europeans settled in Australia before they even saw their first koala in the area. The koala's fur helps to protect them from bad weather, as it is insulated against cold and wet weather.
Koalas can quickly climb tall, straight trees, away from danger, and none of their predators can climb directly upwards as koalas can.
they have very sharp claws and fast feet and flat sharp teeth
Koalas usually spend most of their time in trees. They are efficient climbers, but can also move quickly along the ground, walking or running on all fours.
Is a koala a carnivor herbivore or omivor?
The koala is a herbivore, eating eucalyptus leaves entirely.
Are chinchillas an endangered animal?
yes. chinchillas were highly endangered in the 1900's but now they arent so rare. wild chinchillas are endangered a little i think. but now they have chinchillas in some pet stores so they cant bt TOO endangered!
What language did koala come from?
Koala is a European mispronunciation of one of the many Aboriginal names for koala including, cullawine, karbor, koolah, colo, boorabee and burrenbong.
The koala gets its name from an ancient Aboriginal word meaning "no drink" because it receives over 90% of its hydration from the Eucalyptus leaves (also known as gum leaves) it eats, and only drinks when ill or times when there is not enough moisture in the leaves. ie during droughts etc.
Some behaviours that koalas have are:
- When a male is marking his territory, he rubs his chest, which has a scent gland, on the tree bark
- Males have loud mating calls, which attract female koalas
- They tend to sleep 18-20 hours a day
- They eat eucalyptus leaves almost exclusively, although they also eat eucalyptus blossoms, and sometimes bark: the leaves provide nutrients and moisture for the koala
- Koalas have a home range of up to a square kilometre, consisting of many eucalyptus trees; consequently, they do not spend all their time in one tree, but often walk along the ground to change trees
- While they are solitary animals, their home ranges overlap, so that several koalas might share the same tree
How long have koalas been in Australia?
Koalas (and other marsupials) are thought to have arrived on the continent of Australia about 50 million years ago. Prior to this, they were thought to have come from the continent of Antarctica.
How do koalas develop from a baby to an adult?
Baby koalas, which are called joeys, begin to develop in their mother's uterus. Koalas have a gestation period of around 35 days. After their birth, although completely blind, hairless and helpless, the tiny joey (which is about the size of a jellybean) crawls to the mother's pouch where it latches onto a teat. The teat swells in the joey's mouth, and this helps to secure it in place.
Koala joeys remain in the pouch for around six to seven months, where they feed on milk and develop fully. Between six and eight months, they gradually begin to feed on a substance produced by the mother, 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. This is the transition time when the koala begins to venture out of the mother's pouch.
After this age, the koala then is carried on its mother's back until the next joey is born in the following breeding season.
What laws protect endangered koalas?
They are protected in most places and at present they are not endangered. Currently, they are listed as "vulnerable" in southeast Queensland, and many things are being done or trialled to prevent this becoming an issue in other areas. Specialised koala hospitals are being built, and some new housing estates place greater restrictions on homeowners to ensure their dogs are not let loose at all, under any circumstances, as dogs are one of the koala's biggest threats. An unsuccessful trial in Redlands, Queensland, enforced restricted speed limits during the koala breeding season, but this made no difference and was subsequently scrapped.
Koalas (not bears, but marsupials) are protected by law in Australia. They may not be hunted or killed.
Apart from being protected by government legislation, the Australian Koala (as well as other conservation groups) undertake research to track and monitor koala movements, as well as human impact on them through urbanisation and agricultural activities that may involve tree-clearing. Some regional councils disallow tree-clearing without a permit, to help safeguard koala habitats. Other councils enforce no-dog or no-cat policies on some new housing developments, to help sfaeguard native wildlife. Dogs are one of the biggest threats to koalas.
For more information on how the koala is protected, see the related link.
Is a koala a specialist species?
Yes. The koala is a specialist because it can only survive within a very specialised environment, specifically where there are certain species of eucalyptus trees. The koala has a limited diet, feeding on the leaves of those trees alone.
It doesn't need one. The koala has extra padding on its backside to enable it to sit comfortably in the forks of trees. A tail would only get in its way.
Do koalas live in trees or on the ground?
Yes. Koalas mostly live in Eucalyptus trees, as they feed almost exclusively on eucalyptus leaves. However, they can also be found in certain species of melaleuca and wattle (acacia) trees, though they do not feed on these.
Koalas are indigenous to Australia and live in tropical to temperate eucalyptus 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 eucalyptus 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 meters and can swim. They curl up into a ball to keep warm and spread out to keep cool. Koalas are not bears.
Koalas have woolly light to dark grey fur, tending to brownish tinges in southern koalas, with brown and white patches and a cream belly. They have a broad head with small eyes, large furry ears and a distinctive large oval-shaped black nose. The female has two teats and a rear opening pouch. Southern koalas are darker in colour than their northern counterparts. Koalas have very strong, sharp claws for tree climbing.
Koalas in northern parts are smaller, with males growing to 740 mm and weighing 9 kg, and females growing to 720 mm and weighing 7.25 kg.
Southern koalas have longer fur, particularly noticeable in the longer ear-tufts, and are larger. The males can grow to 820 mm and 15 kg whilst females can grow to 730 mm and 11 kg.
The fur of a koala is usually either grey (phascolarctos cinereus adustus and phascolarctos cinereus victor) or greyish brown (phascolarctos cinereus cinereus). Mature males can have a brownish stain on their chest, the result of their scent gland.
For pictures and more information, see 'Related links' below.
Do koalas and humans have unique fingerprints?
Not really. While koalas are the only known animal to have distinctive fingerprints, they can be distinguished from the fingerprints of a human. Like humans, their fingerprints comprise ridges in a variety of patterns.
What is the average temperature the koala lives in?
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.
How do koalas stay in their tree while they sleep?
Koalas have very strong claws suitable for gripping trees and climbing. The shape and design of their fingers enables them to act like opposable thumbs. 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.
A koala is not a bear. It is a marsupial. It is not even remotely related to the bear family, all of which are placental mammals. The term "koala bear" is a misnomer that is not used in Australia, the koala's native country.
Are koalas close to extinction?
Koalas are not in danger of extinction, nor are they officially endangered. There are, however, numerous threats to the koala.
During the late 1800s, koalas became an export commodity for their fur, mostly for export to the USA. Due to koala numbers dwindling and public outrage, laws were enacted protecting the koala and imports were banned by the USA in the late 1920s. By this stage, the koala had been driven to extinction in South Australia.
New colonies have been introduced in South Australia and Western Australia, and within these protected environments, the koala is thriving. Man is their biggest threat, causing loss of food source and habitat loss. Increasing urbanisation results in more koalas being killed by cars, unsupervised dogs, bushfires and even directly by cruel and irresponsible people. In particular, koalas have a range of home trees, and their territory is often split by roads through new urban developments. As a result, when koalas try to wander from one of their home range trees to another, they are hit by cars. Domestic dogs pose another major threat to koalas in suburban fringes.
The conservation status of koalas varies from region to region in Australia, but in no state are they legislated as "endangered". For example, due to farming and land clearing, native koalas were eradicated from Western Australia and South Australia in the last century, but moves have been made to reestablish new colonies in both states. Currently, koalas are thriving on Kangaroo Island in SA, and in other isolated colonies.
Koalas are still listed as "common" in most parts of Queensland, but there are calls to list them as vulnerable in southeast Queensland, where koala numbers have dropped by about 60% in the last decade.
The NSW Government listed the koala as "rare and vulnerable" in 1992, and following protective measures which have seen koala populations regenerate, this has been changed to "vulnerable". The koala is, however, all but gone from the NSW central coast.
In Victoria, the koala is not on the threatened species list at all, and in some protected and remote regions, there is actually an overpopulation problem. They are considered to be "secure" in Victoria.
Despite urging by conservation groups since around 1992, Australia's federal government has refused to list the koala as vulnerable. Even international conservation groups cannot agree. Meanwhile, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists the koala as "potentially vulnerable", while the US Endangered Species Act lists the koala as "threatened".
Having said that, however, just because the species is not officially threatened does not mean that they are free from threats to their future existence.
The chief threat to the koala is habitat loss. Koalas inhabit prime land which man has decided is better used for housing developments. Not only do the koalas lose their sources of shelter and food, they are subject to dog attacks and being hit by cars as suburbia extends further outwards. A prime example of this is southeast Queensland, where koala numbers have dropped to 60% less than what they were a decade ago, entirely due to increased development - and where they now face extinction by 2020.
Koalas are territorial, and they live in complex social communities where each member has a certain number of trees within its territory. When access to these trees is cut off by new roads, the koalas will still try to cross the road, and risk being hit. Relocation of koalas is rarely successful because their territorial and social habits are largely misunderstood.
Another significant factor is predation by introduced species such as dogs and foxes.
Koalas are also subject to the disease chlamydia, which affects the koalas' fertility, and eventually leads to their death. Currently, there is no cure for this disease.
Is a koala bigger than a sloth?
- Pandas are bears, and placental mammals, and koalas are not. Koalas are marsupials, and are not related to bears in any way. They are not "koala bears" - just "koalas".
- Panda young are called cubs and koalas young are called joeys.
- Pandas' cubs are born far more developed than koala joeys. Koala joeys are about the size of a bean when born, and must complete their development in the mother's pouch.
- Koalas live almost exclusively on gum (eucalyptus) leaves and, occasionally, flowers. Pandas live on bamboo shoots and other vegetation.
- Koalas are much smaller than pandas.
- Koalas are essentially grey in colour; pandas are distinctively black and white.
- Koalas are endemic to Australia alone, meaning they are found only on the Australian continent. Pandas are endemic to parts of Asia.
Koalas are considered to be arboreal because they spend almost all of their time in eucalyptus trees.
How many koalas are left in their natural environment?
Many experts say as few as 80,000 Koalas left in the wild, while the Australian Koala Foundation estimates figures are possibly as low as 43,000, and certainly no more than 80,000.
Koalas are still listed as "common" in most parts of Queensland, but in the southeast region of Queensland, their status will soon be changed to "vulnerable", following a drop of over 60% in koala numbers in the past decade. The NSW Government listed the koala as "rare and vulnerable" in 1992, and following protective measures, this has been changed to "vulnerable"; as a result, koala numbers are improving. In Victoria, the koala is not on the threatened species list at all, and in some protected and remote regions, there is actually an overpopulation problem. Where new colonies have been established on Kangaroo island, off the coast of South Australia, there is also beginning to be some concern regarding overpopulation.
Do koalas only eat gum leaves?
Mostly. Koalas are quite finicky eaters, feeding on leaves (and sometimes flowers) from just 60 or so of the hundreds of species of eucalyptus trees in Australia. Of these, koalas prefer the leaves of only about a dozen. Koalas have been seen feeding in eucalypt trees including the Manna Gum, Swamp Gum, Blue Gum, Forest Red Gum and Grey Gum.
What ecosystem is the koala found in?
Koalas are indigenous to Australia and 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.
