Endangered Species
Koalas
Why is this endangered?
- Habitat Loss - continual habitat loss caused by progressive human settlement
- Hunting - Hunting up until the early 20th century reduced koala population from over 3,000,000 to less than 100,000
- Fires - bush fires, that are often lighted deliberately,
- Accidents - dogs and road kill, which caused over 4,000 deaths of koalas.(K.S)
Diet
~Herbivores. Not a predator. (NG) ~Eats mostly Eucalyptus tree leaves. Often store leaves in cheeks. May only eat one type of Eucalyptus for life. (NGK) ~Sometimes eat soil, or gravel. Koalas have slow metabolism. Spend about 5 active hours eating. (Wiki)
Habitat
~Need to live with other koalas, and live in Eucalyptus trees. Live in different countries. (K.O)
Life
~Lifespan of koala is about 17 years. (K.P) ~Koalas usually produce a single young at a time, and breed once a year. (K.C) ~Baby koalas live in their mother's pouch for 7 months. Gestation is for 35 days. (K.O)
Physical Features
~Koalas' fur in southern region is thick and woolly, and longer on the back then on the belly. Northern region koalas have a shorter coat, gives naked appearance.(K.O)
Communication
~Deep grunting and bellowing by males. ~Females do not bellow as much as males. Mothers and babies communicate by making soft clicking, squeaking or murmuring sounds to each other, and hum to each other, as well as gentle grunts. All koalas have common cry similar to a baby crying.(T.K)
Predators
~Common predators include dingoes, owls, lizards, dogs, and humans.(S.T)
CRITICAL INFORMATION
- Organizations such as www.savethekoala.com and the Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) make donations, and memberships available, as wells as giving people opportunities to become a foster parent for a koala. (K.S)