10 cool facts about Koalas - Bonus quiz at the end

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KOALA FACTS FOR KIDS

  1. Koalas are often referred to as Koala Bears, but they’re marsupials, not bears. Koalas are well-known for their large round head, big furry ears, and big black nose. Their fur is usually grey-brown in color with white fur on the chest, inner arms, ears, and bottom.
  2. Koalas live in eucalypt forests and eat eucalyptus leaves which are usually toxic to other animals.
  3. Koalas don’t usually need to be drunk as they get moisture from eucalyptus leaves. They only need to drink water during a drought or on extremely hot days.
  4. koalas eat fewer than 50 of over 700 eucalypt species. And they choose their leaves wisely – those at the top of the tallest trees contain more liquid and nutrients.
  5. Most of a koala’s day is spent snoozing in the treetops. Koalas are nocturnal so are mainly active at night. Eucalyptus leaves are so low in nutrients and take a lot of time to digest, koalas need to sleep between 18 and 22 hours a day to conserve their energy.
  6. Despite their sweet appearance, koalas make one of the most unsettling sounds of the Australian bush! Male koalas use additional vocal folds to produce deep bellowing or grunting calls that can be heard several kilometers away during sunrise and sunset.
  7. An infant koala is called a joey, just like a baby kangaroo. When a koala joey is born, they are the size of a peanut, and even without any sight or hearing ability, it’s able to use its instincts to immediately climb up to its mother’s pouch. Once they reach the pouch, they will remain there for the next six months while they grow and develop.
  8. Just like us, koalas have fingerprints that are unique to each of them. They’re so similar to human fingerprints that it’s extremely difficult to distinguish between the two species, even under a microscope. Koalas also have thumbs, but they have two on each hand, unlike us.
  9. Their pouces open to the hind side. This is to keep dirt out of the pouch. Koalas have sharp claws for climbing. Koalas communicate with each other. They snore, grunt, screech, or even scream.
  10. Koalas, on average, live up to 10 to 12 years of age in the wild. When they are 12 months old, they start to migrate away from their mother's watch and by two or three years old, they start to reproduce. Females tend to live longer (up to 18 years old) than male koalas in the wild.
  11. Koalas spend most of their time sitting in eucalyptus trees, so it’s no surprise that some begin to take on the aroma. Typically, young koalas and female koalas give off a slight eucalyptus scent, which also doubles as a natural insect repellent. Meanwhile, adult male koalas have a stronger, muskier odor.
  12. koalas are a national symbol of Australia's unique wildlife; they can only be found in the wild. Unfortunately, due to deforestation, agricultural expansion, and climate change, koalas are increasingly under threat. Currently, no country in the world allows people to keep koalas as pets. Even veterinarians must return sick koalas to the wild once they’ve recovered. Abandoned joeys can only stay in human custody until they become adults. Afterward, they must also return to the wild.
  13. As you might imagine, spending all that time in trees would make for a pretty sore tush. Fortunately, they have strong cartilage at the end of their curved spine, which allows them to live comfortably in their arboreal homes.
  14. Koalas are also known to regurgitate their stomach contents to chew them a second time. Koalas also developed a very specialized digestive system which can take up to 100 or even 200 hours to process a koala’s food. This allows the koala to break down as much of the eucalyptus fibers as possible.
  15. Dingos and pythons are the predators that most commonly prey on koalas. Birds like eagles or even owls prey on koalas, but rarely on adults Koalas. Instead, they prefer joeys.

 

FOOD

VARIETY OF EUCALYPT LEAVES

GENDER NAMES

MASCULINE-BUCK, FEMININE-DOE

YOUNG ONES

JOEY

COLOUR

BROWN, GREY

SIZE

LENGTH:60-85CMS WEIGHT: 4-15KG

LIVES IN

AUSTRALIA

   

Fun Quiz to attempt

  1. Which animals are a threat to koalas?
  2. What helps them to live comfortably in their arboreal homes?
  3. Which koala lives longer? Male or Female
  4. Koalas are national symbols of which country?
  5. When do Koalas drink water?
  6. Koalas are active during which part of the day?
  7. How do mother koalas carry their young ones?
  8. How do Koalas communicate with each other?

      Answers to the quiz

  1. Dingos and pythons are the predators that most commonly prey on koalas.
  2. Strong Cartilage.
  3. Female Koalas live longer than males.
  4. Australia
  5. They drink water during a drought or on extremely hot days.
  6. Koalas are active during the night.
  7. Koalas have pouches that open toward the animal’s hind legs. They carry their young ones in these pouches.
  8. They grunt, screech, or even scream.

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