KOALAS
A Marvelous Marsupial
a quick definition
Koalas are herbivores. They eat the leaves of a special tree in Australia called a eucalyptus (you-ka-lip-tus) tree. koalas are mammals. They belong to the animalia kingdom.They are also marsupials which means they have a pouch that holds their babies.
Koala eating eucalyptus leaves
eucalyptus tree
awesome koala meme!
life cycle
Usually a mother koala has one baby or joey at a time. The joey sleeps and lives in the mother's pouch. The joey feeds in a special substance called "pap" in addition to the milk. After about seven months, the joey gets out of the pouch and rides on its mother's back for another six months. Then, the joey stays by its mom until its early teenage years. Then it mates and eventually starts a family.
koala vs. bear
Some people refer koalas to "koala bears." But actually, they aren't bears at all. They are marsupials, which means they have a pouch that holds their babies or"joeys". Bears are carnivores which means they only eat meat, while koalas are herbivores which means they only eat plants. So the next time you hear someone say "koala bears," now you know that's not true.
endangered
about a century ago, other than natural causes, Koalas had very little to fear. But in 1788 when the first europeans settled in australia, and millions of koalas were roaming the forest, the people started to poach. after a long time, finally, some australians decided that there would not be any more Koalas if the poaching did not stop. So by the 1970s, ausrialia made sanctuaries where the Koalas could be safe.
only in australia
koalas never existed anywhere in the world but australia. But once they were discovered, attempts were made to bring them to zoos all over the world. But unfortunately, none of them survived for long. But the san diego zoo is known for its Koala collection, the last koala outside of australia. so luckily, california weather is just right for growing the food that they need.