Koala Facts

Whenever we look at this furry, fluffy animal, all we can think of is to hold it in our hands. The cute little koalas makes us smile to no end. However, they are not bears. Here are some facts about these cute little animals.

Let's find out the various facts about the koala which are quite interesting.

• Koalas are not bears, they belong to the marsupial family. Marsupials are those who carry their young ones in pouches like the kangaroos.

• Scientifically, the koala is known as Phascolarctos Cinereus and is one of the various Australian marsupials.
• The fur of a koala is soft like wool.

• Koala is gray in color with white patches on stomach, chest, and chin.
• Koalas are native to Australia with the largest population in eastern and southern Australia.
• Koalas are nocturnal animals. However, they sleep for some time in the night and they move around during the day too. They sleep for almost 18 hours during the day.

• Another koala fact, is that they eat food that is not only toxic but is also low in nutrition and very fibrous. Experts believe that their unique diet is the reason why koalas sleep a lot.
• Koalas who live in South Australia have thicker fur and are larger than those living in the northern part of Australia.

• Koalas living in the northern part of Australia are brown in color and are shorter than the ones staying in south Australia.

• They have two opposable thumbs and three fingers. The opposable thumbs assist them in climbing the trees easily and catching their foods in their paws.
• Koalas love the eucalyptus trees and they eat the leaves and bark of this tree. The eucalyptus leaves are poisonous to other animals.

• The koalas have a fiber digesting organ in their body. This organ is called a caecum and is 200 centimeters in length. It contains bacteria which helps them digest eucalyptus leaves.
• A full-grown koala eats about one kilogram of leaves in a night.

• They do not drink water unless they are ill. If they find the leaves of the tree to be dry, only then they make an exception and drink some water.

• Koalas were hunted for their fur till the 1920s after which the Government was forced to protect them. Unfortunately many koalas were killed by then, and the animal would have become extinct. Fortunately, they are breeding now and are protected. However, their habitat is still being destroyed making koalas endangered species.

• Koalas have a very large nose which has developed a high sense of smell in this animal.
• Koalas when born, are two centimeters long.
• The maximum height is 34 inches and the maximum weight of a male koala is about 14 kilograms.

• Koalas live for about 15 years.
• The males have a scent gland on their chest. This gland gives out a dark sticky substance which is rubbed on the trees, thus marking it as theirs.

• Whenever koalas communicate with each other, they use many kinds of noises. They roar and sometimes their noises sound as grunts.
• There is a lot of similarity between the fingerprints of a koala and of human beings.

• The joey is about 2 centimeters long at birth and is blind. It also does not have any fur on it.
• The baby drinks only milk from its mother till it becomes 7 months old.
• Till the baby becomes 7 months old, it stays in the mother's pouch.

• When the baby grows and stops drinking milk, it cannot eat the eucalyptus leaves as these leaves are difficult to digest. In order to be able to digest these leaves, they need the bacteria in their caecum. They get this bacteria from their mother's droppings. This makes the baby get the necessary bacteria needed to process its food.

You find these koala facts interesting and informative. Unfortunately, these animals are killed by dogs or they die in accidents as they are losing their habitat. It is necessary to make stricter laws and protect these lovely furry animals from becoming extinct.