KOALA
Did You Know?
Koalas are the only bears that look like and act like stuffed animals.
The koala never drinks because it gets all the liquid it needs from eucalyptus leaves.
Koala is the aborigine word forno water
The koala is an excellent swimmer, crossing rivers in order to survive heavy floods.
Ironically, many koalas are killed by being run over by cars belonging to visitors.
A newborn koala is only the size of a lima bean. Its hind legs are barely formed, but its forelimbs and claws are relatively well developed. It drags itself to the pouch following a trail of saliva laid down by its mother.
Pad prints are very similar to human fingerprints. Each of them have its own identifiable pattern.
Habits
The koala lives on top of branches of eucalyptus trees. Its strong legs and sharp claws help it grip the trunks.
Breeding
Koalas mate between December and March. A single baby is born 35 days later. It is blind, hairless, and 3/4 inch long. By instinct, it drags itself into its mother's pouch, which opens to the rear rather than to the front as with most other marsupials.
Six months later, the young koala leaves the pouch and clings to its mother's back, remaining with her until the fallowing mating season. It then moves to another tree and lives independently for two or four years until it is sexually mature.
Distribution
Coastal regions of Queensland, New South Wales, Victorie, and parts of South Australia, with the largest concentrations in New South Wales and Victoria.
Conservation
Now a protected species. Sanctuaries flourish in Victoria and Queensland, Re-introduced into South Australia, where it had become locally extinct.
Animals