0
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
Where do koalas go when it rains?
Koalas stay in their eucalyptus trees. Their thick fur is partially waterproof, although it does not protect them in a particularly heavy downpour.
Are humans predators to koalas?
Humans cannot be considered predators of the koala, as koalas are protected by law. Also, although the indigenous people of Australia once hunted them for food, they no longer do so.
Humans cause other threats to koalas, from habitat loss to the introduction of other species which then prey on koalas.
How many koalas are left in the world?
Accurate figures are difficult to determine. The Australia Koala Foundation estimates that koala numbers in the wild have dropped to below 80 000. Research suggests the figure may be as low as 43 000.
As a species, the koala is not endangered in Australia, but some local populations have been reduced considerably.
The conservation status of koalas varies from region to region in Australia. For example, due to farming, land clearing and habitat loss, 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 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.
Why do all koalas have white bellies?
The lighter colouring on a koala's belly enables it to be camouflaged against the sky and the grey-green leaves of the gum trees in which it rests. People on the ground cannot easily see the koala from that angle: this is proven by the fact that koalas were not even known by the first European settlers for the first ten years.
Does the koala adapt to its environment?
All animals have adaptations which enable them to live within a specific environment, and which aid their survival.
Koalas 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 been seen in 120 kinds of eucalypt tree including Manna Gum, Swamp Gum, Blue Gum, Forest Red Gum and Grey Gum. However, they are only able to eat from some 60 species of gum trees, and within these sixty, there are just a dozen that they actually prefer above others. Koalas adapt to their environment by adapting to the different types of trees in their environment. For example, koalas in southeast Queensland will have different tree preferences to those located in the Dandenongs in Victoria.
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 are not solitary animals, but actually live in communities where the social structure is quite complex. Koalas are territorial, but each koala within the social group has its own specific range for feeding, which may or may not overlap the range of its neighbour. There is always one dominant male in each social group, but he is by no means the only male. Koalas feed alone and travel alone, but they understand their own social structure. When one of their community dies, another does not immediately move in and take its place. It takes about a year for the scent of the previous occupant to fade, and only then will another koala move in to its range.
Because koalas have a specific home range of trees, when roads are built through their area, they will continue to visit their trees on the other side of the road. Unfortunately, many koala death are caused by cars.
Koalas are endemic to Australia, meaning they are not found in the wild anywhere else in the world. There may be a few US zoos which have permission to have koalas, but regulations controlling the movement of koalas outside of Australia are very strict.
They strictly eat eucalyptus leaves. They won't eat any other food. They get most of their water from eucalyptus leaves, as well.
Do you have to go to the hospital if a koala pees on you?
No, you wash it off, same as you would when anything pees on you.
Are koalas' habitat small or big?
The koalas' habitat is large. A single koala's home range may extend for one square kilometre.
What are kangaroos related to?
The kangaroo family encompasses other marsupials such as the wallaby, potoroo, bettong, pademelon, rat-kangaroo and wallaroo.
Why are koala bear safe from predators?
They spend most of their lives high in the trees where not much can get to them.
Are there different types of koalas?
No. There is only one species of koala (Phascolarctus Cinereus), and some disagreement about whether there are two or three sub-species, or indeed, whether there are any sub-species at all.
According to the Australian Koala Foundation, the generally accepted sub-species are:
- Phascolarctos Cinereus adustus - Northern Australia/Queensland
- Phascolarctos Cinereus cinereus - Intermediate/New South Wales
- Phascolarctos Cinereus victor - Southern/Victorian
Do koalas engage in symbiotic relationships with organisms?
Koalas don't interact with other animals. Their closest relative is the ground based wombat, another Australian native species.
How many babies do koalas have each year?
Koalas have a single joey each year. Twins have been recorded, but they are very rare.
Koalas neither speak nor understand English, nor any other human language.
A koala is more sleepy than friendly. They are generally nervous around people unless they have been trained.
What is something that isn't in Australia?
Gridiron.
Also, swine flu.
Actually, there happens to be BOTH Gridiron/American football and swine flu in Australia. The definite answers depend on what exactly your question is referring to. For e.g, Australia does not have the "kiwi" bird. That is a native of New Zealand.
Do koalas cause car accidents?
The only time koalas cause accidents is if they venture onto the road and an unwary driver swerves to avoid the animal, instead of driving carefully to the conditions in known koala habitat. A far greater danger is that caused by kangaroos on country roads, as they are bigger and more likely to cause major damage.
To be precise there are 23 hours, 57 minutes, and 4.1 seconds in a day hence every 4 years we get a Leap Year. This is the time it takes the Earth to rotate once on its axis.
