Koala Bears

1. Koala Bears Charming and Unique By Lesley Licea

2. 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.

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

4. 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.

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

6. Foodchain • Koalas eat eucalypts. • Nothing in known to eat koalas.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. 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.