Charming and Unique By Lesley Licea Koala Bears Charming and Unique By Lesley Licea

A koala bear is a marsupial, meaning that females give birth to extremely underdeveloped young, which must complete their development in a pouch. The koala's fur is soft and pleasant to the touch. Ears have long white hairs on the tips They range from 27 to 36 inches long and weigh 9 to 20 lbs. Males are larger than females and southern koalas, which have short gray fur, are 30% larger than Northern Koalas, which have long brown fur.

Adaptation As Europeans took over the land for agriculture and grazing, koalas had to make a drastic change in their diet.

Living relatives The Koala is broadly similar in appearance to the wombat (their closest living relatives, but has a thicker coat, much larger ears and longer limbs.

Where do they live? Koalas live in the eucalyptus forests of Eastern and Southern Australia.

Food chain Koalas eat eucalypts. Nothing in known to eat koalas.

Humans impact European identified the koala as a source of fur to trade, and millions of koalas were shot for their pelts. By 1924 koalas were extinct in South Australia. Public forced governments in all states to declare the koala a 'Protected Species' by the late 1930's.

Koalas life cycle Females reach maturity at 2 to 3 years of age, males at 3 to 4 years. If healthy, a female Koala can produce one young each year for about 12 years. Gestation is 35 days. Twins are very rare.

Behavior the Koala has a very low metabolic rate for a mammal and rests motionless for about 16 to 18 hours a day, sleeping most of that time. Koalas that are disturbed are known to be violent, their teeth and claws capable of causing considerable injury to humans.

Victoria and South Australia State Estimated population                                                                 Queensland 50'000 Victoria and South Australia 15'000 New South Wales