Although people often call koalas as "koala bears", koala bears are not bears, and koala bears and bears do not belong to the same species.
Koala Bear
Genus: Phascolarctos
Species: cinereus
This fuzzy marsupial is very muscular, quite lean, and is about 33 inches long. It has a fuzzy coat of fur, big floppy ears, and almost no tail! It's got a stubby little nose, small yellow, beady eyes, and strong bones to support its heavy body while climbing trees. Now you may wonder; how much do those strong bones have to support? Well, the females weigh between 13.2 and 24.2 lbs., while the male weigh between 17.6 and 30.8 lbs.
The koala has rough paws that act as traction so they don't slip and fall off the trees while hurrying away from predators that lurk beneath the trees. Each paw has 5 digits. The back paw consists of two "fingers" that are joined together to form a "grooming paw". These
help it get rid of off twigs or tics that may have gotten tangled in its thick fur. There are 3 other "fingers". Two of them are very sharp and those are used for climbing. The last "finger" which takes the place of a human thumb is stubbed; there are no claw on it. Meanwhile, the front paw has 2 tiny "fingers" that are substituted for 1 large thumb. It also has 3 normal "fingers" that are very sharp. Just like their back paws, these are used for climbing.
The koala has thick fur that is used to help keep it cool and at the same time warm. Their fur also acts like a rain slicker, repelling moisture. The color of their fur changes from gray to brown depending on the season. They have patches of white on their neck, chest, and inside the ears, legs, and arms.
The koala usually mates during September-March. The female koalas start to mate with the male koalas when they're around 3 or 4 years old! They sometimes only produce one offspring per year. It takes about 35 days after the female koala conceives to birth a Joey (a baby koala bear). When the Joey's born, it looks like a pink, hairless, jellybean, with beady little eyes just like its parents. Get this; Joey's can't see or hear when they're born. That's probably because they don't even have ears when they're born! The babies are usually only 2 centimeters long and weigh only 1 gram. During the first few months, the Joey stays in its mother's pouch and sucks on something in its mother's nipple called "pap". "Pap" is very mushy, just like baby food. The Joey eats "pap" until it's 1 years old. Then the mother starts to feed it eucalyptus leaves.
Using its brown and gray fur, the koala can camouflage itself so they can hide from predators. Don't you think that the koalas might get hurt sitting on the sharp twigs, well they don't! Their bottoms are padded with so much fur, that they can sit on pointy branches and not get hurt! The koalas thick, fuzzy fur keeps them warm, but not too warm. Their sharp claws dig into the trees so that they don't fall off.
Even with their tiny noses, koalas have an excellent sense of smell. They can detect the poisonous leaves, just by sniffing them!
The koala doesn't have that diverse of a diet. The only thing they eat are eucalyptus leaves. The eucalyptus leaf is quite poisonous to other animals, but the koala's digestive system is immune to it. The only thing is, if they eat more than 3 lbs. of leaves a day, they'll get indigestion.
The koala is killed by foxes, dogs, dingoes, and most of all, humans and forest fires.
The koala bear used to be endangered, but there are now laws in Australia that forbid you to hunt koalas, especially just for their fur, which is what most people kill them for. Hundreds of koalas die because they have life threatening diseases. Their biggest threat now are slow moving forest fires. There are many organizations around the worldjust for saving the koalas.
Nina B. 2001.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
bibliography:
"Koala", The Encyclopedia Britannica 1980 ed. (October 2000).
"Australian Koala Foundation", http://www.akfkoala.gil.com.au/physic.html (October 2000).
"Koalas Koala" http://aaa.com.au/koala.shtml (October 2000).
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Saving the Koala Bear
The koala bear, one of Australia's most recognizable animals, is rapidly disappearing throughout much of its range because of the destruction of the woodlands and forests in which it lives. Found in the scattered dry eucalyptus forests of Eastern Australia, the koala eats only a small variety of the hundreds of eucalyptus species, and needs large areas of woodland to forage in.
European settlers arriving in the early 1800s, cleared the forests to build homes, farms, and towns. As the koala was pushed out of its habitat, its populations became scattered or died out. Only 20% of the original koala habitat remains today.
They were also extensively hunted for their soft, gray fur. As late as the 1920s more than 2 million koala skins were exported to Europe and the U.S. a year. The koala had to be reintroduced to South Australia from Victoria after the fur trade wiped out the local population.
Today habitat destruction poses the greatest threat to the koala bear. Legislation has been passed to protect the koala, but local governments are often unable to enforce the laws successfully. Also, as settlements spread, the danger of forest fires increases. Fires can wipe out 70% of the koalas in an affected area, from which their population seldom recovers.
Roads fragment their habitats and many koalas are killed by cars as they search for new territories. Introduced animals such as foxes, and domestic dogs also account for many deaths. Isolated populations of koalas become succeptable to inbreeding and disease. Fewer than 50,000 koalas are left in the wild
Today the koala bear's survival depends on the government of Australia to work with conservationists, communities and businesses. There are several organizations which are already providing a lot of information on koalas. The Australian Koala Foundation is educating Australians about the plight of the koala, and the Koala Habitat Atlas, a part of the Australian Koala Foundation, is identifying and assesing remaining koala habitat. Nature reserves are now including larger koala habitats. Public awareness of the plight of the koala is very important to its survival. International recognition of the problem by the IUCN is also helping put pressure on the government and developers. Tourists coming to see the koala are bringing over a billion dollars into Australia.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
bibliography:
"Koala Foundation", http://www.savethekoala.com/, (May 2001).
"Australian Koala Foundation", http://www.savethekoala.com/khamed.html, (May 2001).
"Saving the Koala". Wildlife Explorer. USA: Intermational Masters Publishers. 1998.
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Showing posts with label Although people often call koalas as "koala bears". Show all posts
Showing posts with label Although people often call koalas as "koala bears". Show all posts
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Although people often call koalas as "koala bears", koala bears are actually not related to bears, and koala bears and bears do not belong to the same
Although people often call koalas as "koala bears", koala bears are actually not related to bears, and koala bears and bears do not belong to the same species.
Koalas aren't bears as many people are led to believe. They aren't even related to bears. The koala is related to the kangaroo and the wombat. The koala is a mammal. The reason the koala is called a koala bear is because the koala looks like a teddy bear. The koala's scientific name is Phasclarctos cinereus.
Watch Sam the koala being rescued by firefighters from the devestating Australian Bushfires.
A video showing Sam the koala being given a drink by firefighter David Tree among the devastation of the bush fires has become a global hit. Pictures of Sam, who turned out to be female, traveled around the globe and featured in major newspapers including The New York Times, London's The Sun, with the video appearing on CNN.
The image provided a much-needed picture of hope in a week filled with news of despair.
Yesterday, Sam was recovering in Mountain Ash Wildlife Shelter.
Carer Jenny Shaw said she suffered burns on her paws and was in a lot of pain, but was on the road to recovery.
She was put on an IV drop and is on antibiotics and pain relief treatment.
"She is lovely - very docile - and she has already got an admirer. A male koala keeps putting his arms around her," Ms Shaw said. "She will need regular attention and it will be a long road to recovery, but she should be able to be released back into the wild in about five months."
Now there are only 2,000 to 8,000 koalas in the wild! Although not officially classified as endangered, the population of Australian koalas has dropped by 90% in less than a decade!
This is due to the destruction of the koala's natural habitat, a narrow crescent on the eastern coast of Australia. Logging, agriculture and urban development have not only reduced the area available to them, but added other dangers. The koala's habitat has been criss-crossed by roads, resulting in many road kills and attacks by neighboring pet dogs are frequent. Disease, too, has taken its toll on the koala...
Read more about Sam the Koala and her new found boyfriend who's now looking after her
By purchasing one of our cute and cuddly Australian made gifts you are helping preserve the natural habitat of the Australian Koala. We make regular donations to the preservation of the Australian Koala.
Now you can send yourself or someone you love a genuine Australian gift that will really surprise them.
Express delivery is FREE anywhere in the world and you can even attach your own personal message.
Choosing is the hard part... which one is the cutest? and which friend deserves to be sent one?
Once you have made your choice, simply click for more information (you can return here at anytime)
Free Express Delivery Worldwide - Free Wrapping - 100% Australian Made - Secure Ordering
Koala Express has now been operating for 4 years with 100% customer satisfaction.
Koalas fur is different in different parts of Australia.
In the southern parts of Australia it is longer and shaggier than in the north in order to keep them warm in the cold southern winters.
The closest relative of the koala is the wombat they both have pouches which open towards the rear.
This is fine for the wombat, but koalas need strong muscles ringing the pouch to keep the young one from falling out.
The koala's nickname is a Native Bear. The koala is a mammal. They are warm-blooded. The koala's young is called a cub. The koala's young are born alive. Koalas drink milk from the mother. The koala breaths oxygen from air. The koala might look cuddly but the koala has very sharp teeth and very sharp claws. The koalas have white on the underside and gray on the rest of its body.
The koala has big ears and a big nose. The mother has a pouch. The koala has very thick fur. The adult koala gets 25 to 30 inches long. The koala is very small when it's just born. After a month the cub is 1 cm. long. The koala weighs 15 to 30 pounds. One cub is born at a time.
The koala cub stays in the mother's pouch for 5 months. The koala cub is blind when it's born. Koalas breed in the summer. Koalas live for 20 or more years. The koala can run as fast as a rabbit. The koalas sleep for up to 19 hours. The koala lives on the East coast of Australia. They live and sleep in the eucalyptus trees. It's hot, light, and dry here.
The koala's territory is getting smaller because people are cutting down trees and making farms on them. Koalas can only live in one place in the world. The koala only eats Eucalyptus leaves and it eats so many leaves, it smells like the leaves.
The koala hops from tree to tree and climbs the trees to get the leaves. The koala will eat 2.5 pounds of food a day. It uses its claws to get the branches and get the leaves. The koala used to be endangered because people would kill the koala for its fur.
Over 2 million koalas were killed between1908 and 1927.
Occasionally koalas are taken by Goannas, Eagles, and Owls. Humans are koala's worst enemies. Dingoes will kill the koala. The koala does not have very many enemies.
Koala young are hunted by large birds of prey. Their Behavior is Clumsy but they are strong swimmers. They live in loose-knit groups if enough suitable trees are present, but only one animal per tree. Males express territoriality during the breeding season, bellowing and grasping the base of a tree while rubbing their chest against it, thus leaving a scent marking with their chest gland. Females bellow as well during this time but are not territorial.
NOTE: The koala's closest living relative is the wombat, which is a stationary burrower rather than a nomadic arboreal like the koala. One clue to this relationship is the common design of the pouch, which opens to the rear in both animals.
Life History... Mating occurs Nov-Feb in the south, Sep-Jan further north. Gestation about 35 days; single young weigh about 1/5 oz and are about 3/4 in long. Newborn crawls from cloaca to pouch and attaches to a nipple to complete its development.
The koala Leaves the pouch first at about 5.5 months, permanently at about 8 months. The young joey then clings to it's mother's back or stomach, sticking it's head into the pouch to feed. During weaning the joey eats partially-digested eucalyptus that merges from mother's cloaca, thus receiving bacteria needed for digestion as well as food. Life span 12+ yrs (wild) 16+ yrs (captivity).
The largest koalas weigh over 10 kg and are found in Victoria while the smallest live in North Queensland and weigh only 5.5 kg. Koalas are found between these two areas, but only where enough suitable trees have been left.
Koalas also communicate with each other by making a noise like a snore and then a belch, known as a "bellow"
Koalas usually only have one cub per year. Older females will usually have one every two years.
Koala babies are known by several names - "pouch young","back young","joeys" and "cubs".
When koalas are born they are only 2 centimeters long, which is about the same as a jellybean!
Koalas in the forest live a solitary life, with their population well spread out.
Breeding occurs in summer, most mature females produce only one young each year.
This may weigh less than half a kilogram at birth and will remain in the pouch for seven months.
After leaving the pouch, the koalas feed on a mixed diet of milk and leaves, grow fast and travel clinging to their mother's back.
They are not fully weaned until they are 12 months old. There is little reliable information about the
lifespan of koalas. However, in captivity they have been observed to reach the age of 15 years.
The koala weighs 15 to 30 pounds. One cub is born at a time. The koala cub stays in the mother's pouch for 5 months.
The koala cub is blind when it's just born. Koalas breed in the summer. Koalas live for 20 or more years.
The koala can run as fast as a rabbit. The koalas sleep for up to 19 hours.
The koala joey rides in its mothers backward-facing pouch for about 5 to 6 months, and drinks milk from its mother's nipple.
After that it rides on its mother's back until it leaves home to take care of itself at about 1 year old.
An adult koala eats about 1/2 to 1 kilogram of leaves each night, but the nutrition they get from these leaves is poor.
This leaves them with little energy, so they spend most of their lives sleeping.
Special Adaptations
Extra thick fur, especially on the neck and shoulders, helps protect the koala from even the worst weather (koalas do not build nests).
Pear-shaped body provides stability while the koala sits in trees.
Opposable thumbs and toes allow for a tight grip when climbing.
Rough pads on undersurface of hands and feet increase traction while the koala is climbing.
Large nose with sensitive hairs enables the koala to detect differences in smell between different eucalyptus leaves, ensuring that its diet consists of only the best of the bunch. Cheek pouches allow animal to store food not yet chewed while moving to a safer or more protected location.
The Koala cools itself by licking its arms and stretching out as it rests in the trees (koalas have no sweat glands). Koalas don't normally need to drink as they get all the moisture they need from the gumleaves. However they can drink if necessary, such as in times of drought.
The biggest problem for koalas is that their bushland (or "habitat") is being cut down to make way for houses. Koalas are protected by law but their homes and food aren't.
That's it for the koala facts, so how about reading about Sydney Australia or Darwin.
Now you can send yourself or someone you love a genuine Australian gift that will really surprise them.
Express delivery is FREE anywhere in the world and you can even attach your own personal message.
By purchasing one of our cuddly Australian made gifts you are helping preserve the natural habitat of the Australian Koala. We make regular donations to the preservation of the Australian Koala.
Choosing is the hard part... which one is the cutest? and which friend deserves to be sent one?
Once you have made your choice, simply click for more information (you can return here at anytime)
Free Express Delivery Worldwide - Free Wrapping - 100% Australian Made - Secure Ordering
For more information... simply click on the Australian toy above you think is the cutest.
Home - Products - Information - Animal & Australian Facts - Order Form - Contact Us - Australian Links
Koala Facts - Kangaroo Facts - Wombat Facts - Turtle Facts
Koalas aren't bears as many people are led to believe. They aren't even related to bears. The koala is related to the kangaroo and the wombat. The koala is a mammal. The reason the koala is called a koala bear is because the koala looks like a teddy bear. The koala's scientific name is Phasclarctos cinereus.
Watch Sam the koala being rescued by firefighters from the devestating Australian Bushfires.
A video showing Sam the koala being given a drink by firefighter David Tree among the devastation of the bush fires has become a global hit. Pictures of Sam, who turned out to be female, traveled around the globe and featured in major newspapers including The New York Times, London's The Sun, with the video appearing on CNN.
The image provided a much-needed picture of hope in a week filled with news of despair.
Yesterday, Sam was recovering in Mountain Ash Wildlife Shelter.
Carer Jenny Shaw said she suffered burns on her paws and was in a lot of pain, but was on the road to recovery.
She was put on an IV drop and is on antibiotics and pain relief treatment.
"She is lovely - very docile - and she has already got an admirer. A male koala keeps putting his arms around her," Ms Shaw said. "She will need regular attention and it will be a long road to recovery, but she should be able to be released back into the wild in about five months."
Now there are only 2,000 to 8,000 koalas in the wild! Although not officially classified as endangered, the population of Australian koalas has dropped by 90% in less than a decade!
This is due to the destruction of the koala's natural habitat, a narrow crescent on the eastern coast of Australia. Logging, agriculture and urban development have not only reduced the area available to them, but added other dangers. The koala's habitat has been criss-crossed by roads, resulting in many road kills and attacks by neighboring pet dogs are frequent. Disease, too, has taken its toll on the koala...
Read more about Sam the Koala and her new found boyfriend who's now looking after her
By purchasing one of our cute and cuddly Australian made gifts you are helping preserve the natural habitat of the Australian Koala. We make regular donations to the preservation of the Australian Koala.
Now you can send yourself or someone you love a genuine Australian gift that will really surprise them.
Express delivery is FREE anywhere in the world and you can even attach your own personal message.
Choosing is the hard part... which one is the cutest? and which friend deserves to be sent one?
Once you have made your choice, simply click for more information (you can return here at anytime)
Free Express Delivery Worldwide - Free Wrapping - 100% Australian Made - Secure Ordering
Koala Express has now been operating for 4 years with 100% customer satisfaction.
Koalas fur is different in different parts of Australia.
In the southern parts of Australia it is longer and shaggier than in the north in order to keep them warm in the cold southern winters.
The closest relative of the koala is the wombat they both have pouches which open towards the rear.
This is fine for the wombat, but koalas need strong muscles ringing the pouch to keep the young one from falling out.
The koala's nickname is a Native Bear. The koala is a mammal. They are warm-blooded. The koala's young is called a cub. The koala's young are born alive. Koalas drink milk from the mother. The koala breaths oxygen from air. The koala might look cuddly but the koala has very sharp teeth and very sharp claws. The koalas have white on the underside and gray on the rest of its body.
The koala has big ears and a big nose. The mother has a pouch. The koala has very thick fur. The adult koala gets 25 to 30 inches long. The koala is very small when it's just born. After a month the cub is 1 cm. long. The koala weighs 15 to 30 pounds. One cub is born at a time.
The koala cub stays in the mother's pouch for 5 months. The koala cub is blind when it's born. Koalas breed in the summer. Koalas live for 20 or more years. The koala can run as fast as a rabbit. The koalas sleep for up to 19 hours. The koala lives on the East coast of Australia. They live and sleep in the eucalyptus trees. It's hot, light, and dry here.
The koala's territory is getting smaller because people are cutting down trees and making farms on them. Koalas can only live in one place in the world. The koala only eats Eucalyptus leaves and it eats so many leaves, it smells like the leaves.
The koala hops from tree to tree and climbs the trees to get the leaves. The koala will eat 2.5 pounds of food a day. It uses its claws to get the branches and get the leaves. The koala used to be endangered because people would kill the koala for its fur.
Over 2 million koalas were killed between1908 and 1927.
Occasionally koalas are taken by Goannas, Eagles, and Owls. Humans are koala's worst enemies. Dingoes will kill the koala. The koala does not have very many enemies.
Koala young are hunted by large birds of prey. Their Behavior is Clumsy but they are strong swimmers. They live in loose-knit groups if enough suitable trees are present, but only one animal per tree. Males express territoriality during the breeding season, bellowing and grasping the base of a tree while rubbing their chest against it, thus leaving a scent marking with their chest gland. Females bellow as well during this time but are not territorial.
NOTE: The koala's closest living relative is the wombat, which is a stationary burrower rather than a nomadic arboreal like the koala. One clue to this relationship is the common design of the pouch, which opens to the rear in both animals.
Life History... Mating occurs Nov-Feb in the south, Sep-Jan further north. Gestation about 35 days; single young weigh about 1/5 oz and are about 3/4 in long. Newborn crawls from cloaca to pouch and attaches to a nipple to complete its development.
The koala Leaves the pouch first at about 5.5 months, permanently at about 8 months. The young joey then clings to it's mother's back or stomach, sticking it's head into the pouch to feed. During weaning the joey eats partially-digested eucalyptus that merges from mother's cloaca, thus receiving bacteria needed for digestion as well as food. Life span 12+ yrs (wild) 16+ yrs (captivity).
The largest koalas weigh over 10 kg and are found in Victoria while the smallest live in North Queensland and weigh only 5.5 kg. Koalas are found between these two areas, but only where enough suitable trees have been left.
Koalas also communicate with each other by making a noise like a snore and then a belch, known as a "bellow"
Koalas usually only have one cub per year. Older females will usually have one every two years.
Koala babies are known by several names - "pouch young","back young","joeys" and "cubs".
When koalas are born they are only 2 centimeters long, which is about the same as a jellybean!
Koalas in the forest live a solitary life, with their population well spread out.
Breeding occurs in summer, most mature females produce only one young each year.
This may weigh less than half a kilogram at birth and will remain in the pouch for seven months.
After leaving the pouch, the koalas feed on a mixed diet of milk and leaves, grow fast and travel clinging to their mother's back.
They are not fully weaned until they are 12 months old. There is little reliable information about the
lifespan of koalas. However, in captivity they have been observed to reach the age of 15 years.
The koala weighs 15 to 30 pounds. One cub is born at a time. The koala cub stays in the mother's pouch for 5 months.
The koala cub is blind when it's just born. Koalas breed in the summer. Koalas live for 20 or more years.
The koala can run as fast as a rabbit. The koalas sleep for up to 19 hours.
The koala joey rides in its mothers backward-facing pouch for about 5 to 6 months, and drinks milk from its mother's nipple.
After that it rides on its mother's back until it leaves home to take care of itself at about 1 year old.
An adult koala eats about 1/2 to 1 kilogram of leaves each night, but the nutrition they get from these leaves is poor.
This leaves them with little energy, so they spend most of their lives sleeping.
Special Adaptations
Extra thick fur, especially on the neck and shoulders, helps protect the koala from even the worst weather (koalas do not build nests).
Pear-shaped body provides stability while the koala sits in trees.
Opposable thumbs and toes allow for a tight grip when climbing.
Rough pads on undersurface of hands and feet increase traction while the koala is climbing.
Large nose with sensitive hairs enables the koala to detect differences in smell between different eucalyptus leaves, ensuring that its diet consists of only the best of the bunch. Cheek pouches allow animal to store food not yet chewed while moving to a safer or more protected location.
The Koala cools itself by licking its arms and stretching out as it rests in the trees (koalas have no sweat glands). Koalas don't normally need to drink as they get all the moisture they need from the gumleaves. However they can drink if necessary, such as in times of drought.
The biggest problem for koalas is that their bushland (or "habitat") is being cut down to make way for houses. Koalas are protected by law but their homes and food aren't.
That's it for the koala facts, so how about reading about Sydney Australia or Darwin.
Now you can send yourself or someone you love a genuine Australian gift that will really surprise them.
Express delivery is FREE anywhere in the world and you can even attach your own personal message.
By purchasing one of our cuddly Australian made gifts you are helping preserve the natural habitat of the Australian Koala. We make regular donations to the preservation of the Australian Koala.
Choosing is the hard part... which one is the cutest? and which friend deserves to be sent one?
Once you have made your choice, simply click for more information (you can return here at anytime)
Free Express Delivery Worldwide - Free Wrapping - 100% Australian Made - Secure Ordering
For more information... simply click on the Australian toy above you think is the cutest.
Home - Products - Information - Animal & Australian Facts - Order Form - Contact Us - Australian Links
Koala Facts - Kangaroo Facts - Wombat Facts - Turtle Facts
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