Koalas, Cute and Cuddly?
Daly Rosenbloom☻
Introduction
Many people think a koala is a cuddly adorable bear. They are wrong! A koala is not a bear, and anything but cute, cuddly and huggable. They can be seriously dangerous and could really hurt someone! Trust me you don't want a koala as a house pet! Read on to learn more about koalas!
Koalaholics?
People see a picture of a koala and you hear “Aww I want a koala they are sooooo cute!” Well trust me, you don’t. Koalas may look adorable but unless you’re a professional you shouldn’t handle them. Koalas have terribly long, sharp claws for climbing that could really hurt someone! They are also VERY protective for their young.
Cute Right?
Awww
Not So Cute Now
Koalas can be very vicious!
Koala CUTEY!
But some can be!
NOT A Bear!
A koala is not bear. They are marsupials. A marsupial is an animal with a pouch. Marsupials Have babies before they are formed so they live in their mother’s pouch. They also almost always live in Australia. In fact koalas are not even closely related to bears. Koalas are also nocturnal, which means they sleep during the day and are active at night. A koala’s hand has two thumbs! Their foot only has one. A koala is nothing like a bear!
Eucalyptus Anyone?
Koalas eat leaves from the Eucalyptus tree. Koalas are herbivores. A herbivore is an animal that doesn’t eat meat. Only plants! Yet they rarely ever drink water! Eucalyptus leaves contain water inside the leaves. A Eucalyptus leave is the only thing koalas eat!
Say Whaattt? For Real?
How It All Started
A koala has a pouch. In that pouch is where the mother raises her child. A baby koala is called a Joey. When a Joey is first born it is the size of a jellybean, pink and unable to do much. The baby stays in the pouch for two months. So it takes time for it to form. While it’s still in the pouch it can’t see or hear. So the helpless koala relies on its mother for everything. According to Zoo Books magazine, “A koala may be 3 feet long, but most adults are about 2 feet long. Koalas weigh between 10 and 30 pounds. Nobody is really sure how long they live in the wild. But they may live 14 to 18 years.”
A New Born
This is showing how they are pink and the size of a jellybean! As well as being blind and not being able to hear.
A Koala On Its Mothers Back
Koalas with always rely on its mother for everything.
Koala Baby
Don't you want one for Christmas? No.
Endangered?
Koalas are becoming more and more endangered every day. “Now there may be as few as 44,000.” According to an article titled ‘Tough Times for Koalas’. This is because more Eucalyptus trees are being cut down! Now remember that is the only thing koalas eat! They used to be hunted for their think fur. But today there has been a law passed protecting koalas. But many people strive to help koalas, there is still hope!
Conclusion
So in conclusion, a koala is no where near a bear. They are definitely NOT something you want as a pet because it is very dangerous! The last thing we want is someone getting hurt! So remember, next time you want a koala for Christmas, just ask for a stuffed animal! ☺