Koala animal (lat. Phascolarctos cinereus). All about koalas Koala in Australia

The arboreal animal koala is considered the personification of an entire continent - Australia, is found only on this continent and is closely associated with it. It has extremely interesting features of appearance and behavior. This is a medium-sized, dense creature, about 70 cm tall, resembling a small bear in appearance.

The weight of even impressive males usually does not exceed 14 kg, but some females are much smaller and weigh only 5 kg. Like many endemics of their continent, koalas are marsupial mammals, that is, they have a special skin sac on their belly in which mothers carry their cubs to term.

The body of such animals is covered with soft, thick fur, the length of a hair being about 2 cm or a little more. Its shade can be very diverse and depends on the habitat. On the back it is always darker: red, red or smoky gray. But the tummy is usually lighter in color.

Koalas are distinguished by a flat muzzle, a large head, small eyes and mobile, furry, rounded ears. In addition, they have a tail that is hardly noticeable due to its small size.

A very important element of the appearance that these arboreal animals inherited from nature is their mobile paws with powerful, durable claws, which allow them to expertly climb trees. Koalas have developed tenacious limbs from a very early age, when the cubs, grabbing onto the mother’s back, do not get lost, thus following the route of movement as a single whole with her.

The structure of the fingers of both limbs is extremely remarkable. The front ones are equipped with a pair of grasping fingers, located separately from the others.

Only four toes on the hind legs are equipped with claws, unlike the thumb, which does not have such a sharp tip. Interestingly, like humans, all koala fingers are marked with individual pad patterns - fingerprints.

Nowadays the koala in Australia is considered pride and one of its symbols. But we also remember other times when European settlers were just settling in this continent. They were then extremely attracted by the rare beauty of the fur of such creatures. And for this reason, the population of animals, which were mercilessly hunted, suffered significant extermination and were pushed out of their usual habitats.

Today, such animals are found mainly in the southern and eastern regions of the continent. In addition, according to scientists, modern descendants of these representatives of the fauna of the continent have significantly degraded in comparison with their ancestors.

The volume of their brains also decreased, which had a very negative impact on their intelligence, moreover, even on their natural self-preservation skills. For example, modern koalas, accustomed to seek salvation from any trouble in the trees, during the hours of spontaneous fires, do not even realize that it is wiser under these circumstances to get off them and go on the run. Seeing the fire, they only tremble and huddle close to the trunks of eucalyptus trees, among which koalas live, for some reason looking for salvation in them.

Although the koala is called a marsupial bear, or an Australian bear, due to some external similarity, it has nothing to do with real bears; the koala and the bear are not even distant relatives. The koala belongs to the family of marsupials, which is represented by three species: koalas themselves, wombats and kangaroos. The wombat is the closest relative of the koala.

The appearance of the koala is very unusual. Its fur is short and thick, usually gray, smoky in color, but there are koalas with brown shades. But her belly is always white.

The koala's body length is 60-85 cm, with a weight of up to 14 kg.

The koala's eyes are small and blind, vision is not its greatest advantage, but the koala's weak vision is fully compensated by its excellent hearing and sense of smell. The koala's large ears are located at the edges of its head and are also covered with fur. The koala also has a large flattened black nose.

Koala teeth are ideal for eating plants; however, all marsupials, including wombats, these closest relatives of koalas, have a similar tooth structure.

And since koalas live mainly in trees, nature gave them tenacious front paws with long claws (promoting tenacity). Each koala's front paw has two double-phalangeal thumbs and three standard three-phalangeal toes. The hind legs are arranged differently - on the koala’s foot there is only one big toe, which is devoid of nails, and four ordinary toes. Thanks to their tenacious front paws, koalas easily cling to tree branches and in this position they dine, rest and even sleep.

Does a koala have a tail? Yes, there is, but only the koala’s tail is so short that it is practically invisible under the fur.

Few people can boast of having observed a marsupial bear in person, but many have followed it via video or photographs. After all, the koala really resembles in its appearance a small and clumsy bear cub. For example, its tail is presented in the same form as that of a bear - just as small, it is almost invisible on the body of the animal. Despite this, the koala simply cannot be confused with any other species of animal. The appearance of this animal is quite unusual and memorable.
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The koala is a small animal. The weight of this animal can vary from seven to twelve kilograms. Thus, the animal’s fur looks thick and short, and the color is grayish. In the abdominal area the animal has light-colored hair. The animal's eyes are quite small compared to the shape of the head itself, and the ears and nose are large. The claws on the animal's paws are long and sharp. The claws are mainly used by the koala to easily climb trees and cling to trunks and branches.

Where does the koala live?

The koala is almost motionless for 18–20 hours
. During this period of time, the animal usually firmly grabs tree branches with its paws, dozes or crawls along tree trunks to find a new portion of fresh foliage. The animal is also capable of chewing leaves, which it places in the inner cheek area during feeding.

The animal jumps from tree to tree with one goal: to find new food or to hide from its pursuers. Another unusual skill of the marsupial bear is its ability to swim well in water. The slowness of koalas is based on their diet, as it includes too little protein. In addition to all this, koalas have a low metabolic rate; it is several times slower than that of other mammals.

It happens that in order to replenish the supply of useful microelements in the body, koalas have to eat earth.

Raising a marsupial bear at home is almost impossible, since there will simply be nothing to feed it
. In the southern part of the country, for example, in Sochi, there are eucalyptus trees, but such varieties that koalas could eat are not found there.

The appearance of the koala is unique. The small animal, depending on gender and age, weighs from 7 to 16 kilograms.

The koala's head is wide and large, the nose stands out and has a black back, the eyes are small, and the animal's body is covered with fur.

The color of the koala is gray. The coat is short, thick and soft. Koalas live in Australia, where they spend their entire lives in trees.

That is why the paws of this animal are strong and the nails are long and sharp. Phascolarctos (from the Greek - “bag”) is the scientific name for the genus of koalas. This name was proposed in 1816 by the French zoologist Henri Blainville.

Settlers from Great Britain who inhabited Australia at the end of the 18th century called the koala a bear, since the appearance of this animal is very similar to the appearance of a clubfoot. To this day, many people, out of habit, classify the koala as a type of bear, but this is wrong.

Interesting fact! 34-24 million years ago, the Phascolarctidae family was quite diverse and included 18 species of marsupial bears. Among them was also the giant Queensland koala Koalemus. It was almost 30 times larger than a modern koala.

The koala is a distinct species and is the only living member of the family Phascolarctidae. It belongs to the basal family of wombats, related to marsupials.

There are a number of features of the koala that significantly distinguish it even from the endemics of Australia.

Firstly, the papillary pattern of koala fingerprints is practically no different from human ones.

Another feature of the koala is that even a huge koala cub is always born the size of a bean grain and weighs 6 grams.

First, the cub stays in the mother’s pouch for a long period, and then moves onto the mother’s back.

Since the koala lives in fairly quiet places where there are no arboreal predators, its movements are smooth and calm. The koala sleeps on eucalyptus branches for up to twenty hours a day.

Interesting fact! The sedentary lifestyle of the koala is explained by the fact that the metabolism of this animal is quite slow. That is why koalas are able to remain motionless for three to four hours.

It is also interesting that, despite a rather relaxed lifestyle, in life-threatening moments, these animals are able to jump nimbly and quickly.

Koalas are similar to wombats, but their fur is thicker and softer. The thickness of the fur reaches several centimeters. The color of the fur can be gray, reddish and even have a red tint depending on the area where the animals live. The fur on the belly is always lighter
than on the back. Large furry ears and small brown eyes are located on the rather flat front of the muzzle.

Long limbs are adapted for climbing trees. So, the front paws have 2 toes that oppose the other three. All fingers (except the thumbs) end in sharp claws, which helps when climbing trees. In addition, this arrangement of toes on the front paws allows the cubs to tenaciously hold onto the fur of adults. The hind legs also have one set toe.

One of the most interesting features of these animals is the presence of prints on their fingertips. The papillary pattern is similar to that of humans.

Where does the koala live?

“Australian bears” live in the eastern part of the continent. It is there that eucalyptus trees grow - the favorite delicacy of these mammals. They spend almost their entire life in their branches. They eat, sleep and contemplate the surroundings.

Long sharp claws help them move, hold on to the trunk and not fall to the ground in their sleep. An adult animal can weigh from 6 to 15 kilograms.

The koala lives on the Australian mainland in its southeastern part, as well as on the nearby Australian islands.

Hundreds of years ago, this animal lived throughout the continent, but settlers displaced the animal from its habitat.

The indigenous population of Australia is very kind to this cute animal.

Legend has it that the ancestor of the modern koala, who was gigantic in size, helped people get to the mainland.

The animal lives in the subtropical rainforests of Australia. The preferred habitat of koalas are locations near water where eucalyptus grows. The koala feeds exclusively on eucalyptus leaves.

This “bear” spends almost its entire life in the crowns of this plant. The animal descends from the trees only to find another secluded place.

It is important to know! When koalas are kept in captivity and are forced to eat eucalyptus leaves, this can threaten the animal with poisoning.

The daily intake of eucalyptus that a koala eats contains a toxic compound (hydrocyanic acid) in such an amount that could become instant poison for any other animal. Zoologists suggest that it is precisely because of this that the koala is not a potential prey for predators.

They choose habitats for koalas in the crowns of eucalyptus trees, which grow on fertile soils. Their leaves contain less poison, and the animal’s well-developed sense of smell helps it find a useful plant. The daily norm of eucalyptus leaves for a koala is 1 kg, and this animal practically does not consume water.

Koalas are very ancient animals. They reached their diversity approximately 34-24 million years ago. According to archaeological data, at that time there were up to 18 species. The modern species most likely appeared 15 million years ago. There is a theory that tree kangaroos and koalas evolved from a common ancestor.

The first mention of this bear-like animal appeared at the end of the 18th century in Price J.'s report on a trip to the Blue Mountains.

In 1802, the remains of a koala were sent for study by officer Barralier,
In 1803, a living representative of the species was captured. After which the newspapers published his description.
In 1808, they were finally identified as a species similar to wombats.

Than on the back. Large furry ears and small brown eyes are located on the rather flat front of the muzzle. The weight of an adult can reach 16 kilograms and a height of 80 centimeters. The tail of animals is very similar to the tail of a bear - short and almost invisible. Because of their appearance, they are often called marsupial bears.

The teeth are similar to those of a kangaroo or wombat. Sharp and strong incisors, like those of other marsupial herbivores, are adapted for cutting leaves.

In addition, the koala has a pronounced binary nature of its genital organs. Females have two vaginas with two separate uteruses, while males have a bifurcated penis. In general, this binary is characteristic of all marsupials.

Origin of the species and description

The official history of the koala begins in 1802, when naval officer Barralier discovered the remains of this animal and sent them in alcohol to the governor of New South Wales. A year later, a live koala was caught near Sydney. A few months later, an article was published in a Sydney newspaper giving a detailed description of this unusual animal.

For approximately 50 years, koalas were only seen in the New South Wales area. In 1855, the animal was discovered by naturalist William Blandowski in the state of Victoria, where he lived, and much later in 1923, the koala was found in south-east Queensland.

Video: Koala

Europeans who arrived in Australia called the koala a bear. According to some sources, the very meaning of the name “koala” is interpreted as “does not drink,” although many consider this assumption to be erroneous. In general, the koala drinks very little and extremely rarely; people have noticed that he does not drink right away. This rarity of drinking is due to the fact that the animal gets enough moisture from eucalyptus leaves and dew on them.

Indeed, the koala is very similar to, only it is larger in size and its fur is much thicker. The animal’s very pretty, slightly funny face makes you smile when you look at it. I want to pet and hug this big-eared, clumsy, good-natured fellow who resembles a teddy bear.

Appearance and features

Koalas look quite unusual and a little comical. Maybe this is because of their flattened nose, which has no fur. The animal's head is large, round with small, widely spaced eyes and impressive, splayed, fluffy ears. The body of koalas is quite powerful and stocky.

It is interesting that the specimens living in the north of the country are much smaller than those in the south. Their weight reaches 5 kg; in the south, koalas weigh three times as much - 14 - 15 kg. Males are larger in size than females, their heads are larger, but the size of their ears is smaller. Male representatives have a special gland on their chest with which they place marks. The female, like any representative of the fair sex, has a pouch in which two nipples are hidden.

Special attention should be paid to the koala's teeth; they are designed to deftly cope with eucalyptus leaves, which are very dense and fibrous. Using sharp incisors, the koala cuts off foliage like a knife, and its grinding teeth grind it into mush. The total number of teeth in a koala is 30.

The koala's limbs are quite long and strong. The front feet have long, hook-shaped claws for secure grip on trees, with two toes on one side opposed to three on the other. This feature allows animals to tightly grasp trees. On the hind legs, one big toe, which is devoid of claws, opposes the other four, equipped with prehensile claws. Thanks to this structure of the limbs, the animal easily grasps branches and trunks, hangs on them and easily moves in the crown. An original feature is the finger pads of koalas, which have a unique pattern (print), like those of humans or primates.

The koala's fur coat is pleasant to the touch, the fur is quite thick, its length is about 3 cm. The color scheme of the fur is gray (it can be lighter or darker). On the inside, the front legs are painted white, there is a white bib in front, and the chin is also white. The ears have a fringe of white, fluffy, rather long fur. There are also white spots on the sacrum. The koala's tail is similar to a bear's, it is very small and practically does not stand out, it is difficult to see.

Scientists have found that the size of the brain of koalas is very small compared to the body. They believe that animals have this feature due to the fact that their menu is very low in calories.

Where does the koala live?

The koala is endemic to Australia and has its permanent residence exclusively on this continent; this animal is not found anywhere else. The animal has settled in the coastal zones of the south and east of Australia. In the last century, koalas were brought to the western part of the Australian continent and to the islands of Kunguru and Magnitny, located near Queensland. Magnetic Island is now considered the northernmost limit of koala habitat. A huge number of these marsupials were destroyed in southern Australia all in the same last century. People began to restore the number of koalas by bringing them from Victoria.

Currently, the koala habitat area is about a million square kilometers. Koalas live where dense eucalyptus forests grow. They prefer both mountain forests with a humid climate and semi-desert areas with small copses. The population density of animals depends on the availability of food resources on its territory. If in the southern part, where rainforests abound, it can reach eight individuals per hectare, then in the western semi-desert territory you can find one animal per hundred hectares.

What does a koala eat?

Many people probably know that koalas follow a eucalyptus mono-diet, consuming both young shoots and foliage of eucalyptus trees. This unusual food addiction also has its advantages - the lack of competition for food. It is known that only marsupial flying squirrels and ring-tailed cuscus like to eat eucalyptus. The koala has long gotten used to the fact that he always has the same dish for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Eucalyptus foliage and their shoots are very coarse and fibrous, not everyone will like their specific taste and smell, in addition, the plant contains a high concentration of phenolic substances, there is practically no protein, and a real poison - hydrocyanic acid - also accumulates in the autumn shoots. Koalas have also adapted to this danger; using their sense of smell, they choose for food those plants where there is not much poison. Such low-poisonous trees prefer to grow on fertile soils near rivers.

The reason for such a meager and low-calorie diet is low metabolism, slow reactions and the phlegmatic nature of the animal. Here the koala resembles a sloth or a wombat. Over the course of a day, the animal eats from half a kilogram to one kilogram of shoots and foliage, chewing everything slowly and thoroughly into a puree, and then hiding it in its cheek pouches. The koala's digestive system is perfectly adapted to fibrous plant foods. The cecum of animals is quite long, reaching up to 2.4 m. The koala's liver works intensively to reduce the toxicity of eucalyptus and prevent poisoning.

Sometimes you can see how koalas eat the ground, this does not happen at all because the animals are going crazy, in this way they restore the lack of minerals in the body.

Koalas actually drink very little. This usually occurs when the animal becomes ill or during a prolonged drought. In ordinary times, the animal only needs the dew that appears on the foliage and the richness of the leaves themselves. An interesting fact is that out of 600 varieties of eucalyptus trees, the koala prefers to choose only 30 of them for food. In addition, preferences also differ in different parts of the continent.

Features of character and lifestyle

The measured and monotonous lifestyle of koalas is directly related to the evergreen eucalyptus trees on which they spend most of their time. Rare dashes on the ground serve only to move from one tree to another. During the daytime, koalas are overcome by sound and restless sleep, which lasts from 18 to 20 hours.

Then (usually at night) dormice spend a couple of hours feeding. Koalas have an unusual and strange ability to freeze, like idols, and sit for many hours completely motionless. Apparently, at these moments they philosophize and reflect on their leisurely life, saturated with the eucalyptus smell.

The koala climbs trees quite deftly, clinging to trunks and branches with its clawed paws. Although the animals are slow and inhibited, when they sense a threat, they can quickly run away and then hide in the green crown. This animal can even cope with the water element if necessary. In addition, when frightened, the koala screams heart-rendingly in a low voice, although under normal conditions he is silent and modest.

Koalas live alone, each having their own territory. They do not favor randomly wandering competitors; males usually start a fight when they meet, especially during the mating season. Koalas have a sedentary lifestyle; they prefer not to leave their territories. In the wild, koalas live for about 12 years; in captivity they can live up to 20, although this is very rare.

Still, speaking about the character and disposition of these unusual creatures, it is worth noting that they are not as temperamental as many other animals, but very friendly, kind and trusting. It is easy to tame and become a true friend for a koala; the animal very quickly becomes attached to people and gives them its love and tenderness. Looking at the slowness and lethargy of koalas, you experience peace, and all worries and vanity fade into the background.

To summarize, here we can highlight the following features of the character and disposition of koalas:

slowness;
detachment;
gullibility;
good nature.

Social structure and reproduction

Both females and males become sexually mature by the age of two. Females begin to reproduce at the same age, and males only a couple of years later, when they become more mature and stronger for skirmishes with other males in a dispute for a female. There are many more females born in the population, so each male has not one, but several brides at once. Koalas are not particularly fertile, so they produce offspring once every two years.

During the mating season, cavaliers emit heart-rending screams that attract females. They also rub their chests against tree trunks, placing their marks. During this period, grooms can travel considerable distances in search of partners, who can number from two to five. Females love larger and louder gentlemen, and their choice is based on these qualities. Like other marsupials, the koala's genitals have interesting features: the male has a bifurcated reproductive organ, and the female has two vaginas. The mating season lasts from September or October to February.

Koala pregnancy lasts from 30 to 35 days. It very rarely happens that two babies are born at once; usually a single baby is born. It is completely naked, its skin is pinkish in color, the cub is very tiny - up to 1.8 cm long and weighs only 5 grams.

For the first six months of his life, the baby does not leave his mother’s bag, where he drinks milk with pleasure. For the next six months of its life, the slightly grown baby rides on its mother, holding onto her fur in the back or belly with his tenacious paws. By the age of thirty weeks, the baby switches from a milk diet to feeding on maternal excrement, consisting of half-digested eucalyptus leaves. He eats like this for a whole month.

Koalas become independent already at one year of age. Females usually leave their mother at this time, beginning their adult life. And males live with their mother until they are two or three years old, only then they decide to leave her, acquiring their own territories for life.

Natural enemies of koalas

In the wild, the koala has practically no enemies. Predators are not at all interested in these animals, because their meat is thoroughly saturated with eucalyptus, so it is impossible to eat it. A wild dingo or an ordinary stray dog can attack a koala, but they only get into fights and get into fights; they do not need the koala as a source of food.

Unfortunately, koalas are susceptible to a number of diseases that pose a significant threat to them, these are:

conjunctivitis;
sinusitis;
cystitis;
periostitis of the skull.

Inflammation of the nasal sinuses in animals often develops into pneumonia, which can lead to death. There is evidence that outbreaks of these diseases in the 19th and 20th centuries significantly reduced the koala population on the Australian continent. The greatest threat to koalas is posed by humans by cutting down eucalyptus forests, destroying the animals because of their soft fur coat. Also, recently the number of highways has increased, on which slow-moving animals are increasingly dying under the wheels of cars.

Population and species status

Outbreaks of the previously mentioned diseases were one of the main reasons for the decline in koala numbers, but this was until Europeans appeared on the continent. They liked the silky and pleasant fur of animals, because of which people began to mercilessly destroy them. It was not difficult to kill a trusting and harmless koala. There is information that in 1924 alone, about two million skins were harvested.

Realizing the scale of the disaster, the Australian government first introduced restrictions on shooting, and later in 1927 completely eliminated hunting for these cute animals. Only twenty years later, the koala population began to gradually increase. It’s great that now the number of koalas has returned to normal, but in some areas (Kangaroo Island) there are too many of them, they completely gnaw all the eucalyptus trees. There it was proposed to carry out a small shooting in order to slightly reduce the number, but the authorities did not dare to do this. In the state of Victoria, on the contrary, in 2015, about 700 individuals were destroyed so that the rest would have enough food.

Currently, the status of the koala population is “low risk”, but the threat of deforestation and epidemics is still relevant. There is an international organization, the Australian Koala Foundation, which cares about the preservation of the koala population and the places where they live. In cities such as Brisbane and Perth there are entire protected parks where marsupials live safely and happily.

Koala- not only a universal favorite of Australians, but also a symbol of the entire continent. He can be called the personification of calm, composure and serenity. The koala lives in its leisurely eucalyptus world far from the bustle and confusion. The main thing is that a person can understand his modest nature and not treacherously invade the life of this harmless and kindest creature. We should learn from him good nature and abstraction from worries and problems.

Outwardly, these animals are similar to teddy bears, which causes great delight among people. The fur of koalas is very thick and has a gray tint, the eyes are small, but the ears are disproportionately large, the tail is short, and the paws are small with long sharp claws.

Where do koalas live?

Koalas belong to the family Marsupials and live in Eastern and Southern Australia - in the states of Queensland, Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia. It is noteworthy that koalas do not live on the island of Tasmania, however there are small populations of koalas on Kangaroo Island. There are reliable facts that in the past koalas lived in Western Australia, but, unfortunately, they were exterminated by humans. It should be noted that these animals are not found on any other continent, with the exception of Australia.

These cute animals have lived on our planet for more than 34 million years.

Koala lifestyle

The first settlers on the mainland gave this animal various names, such as “sloth”, “monkey” and “bear”. For a long time there was a myth that koalas are relatives of bears. However, it is not. These animals are the only representatives of their family.

Koalas live in eucalyptus forests, and their favorite food is the leaves of these evergreen trees. And although there are more than 700 species of eucalyptus trees in Australia, koalas eat the leaves of only 50 species because the leaves of some eucalyptus trees are extremely toxic.

Koalas obtain the necessary amount of water for life from the leaves, and these animals consume pure water in small quantities or not at all.

Currently, during natural disasters, when forest fires are burning in Australia, koalas sometimes come to people for water. These animals can also swim well, and willingly demonstrate their swimming skills in hot climates when they want to cool off.

Koalas spend most of their lives in trees, where they feed, sleep and breed. At this time, scientists do not have accurate information about what life expectancy These animals are found in nature, but judging by the koalas of various zoos, on average, koalas live from 13 to 15 years.

Koalas are very slow animals. They may not move for most of the day. This may be due to the fact that eucalyptus leaves, which make up the diet of koalas, are very low in calories. These animals rarely come down from the trees if they want to change the tree. However, despite their slowness and clumsy appearance, koalas can quickly jump from one tree to another.

During their short journeys across the land, koalas are hunted by predators such as foxes, dogs and dingoes. The danger can also come from humans - koalas run the risk of being run over by cars.

During daylight hours, these animals prefer to rest in trees, and try to take short walks at night, which is a safer option for them. During the day, koalas eat about a kilogram of eucalyptus leaves.

Koala breeding

Koalas breed once every two years, which makes them non-fertile animals. Typically, females give birth to one, or less often two, cubs during one period of pregnancy, which lasts a little more than a month. Babies are not large when born, weighing only about 5 grams. The first time after birth, until about six months, the cubs are in the mother’s pouch, which is located on the back. Baby koalas are very attached to their mother and may make sounds similar to a baby's cry if they feel lonely.

At the same time, koalas are very quiet animals and, as a rule, do not make any sounds. On rare occasions, koalas scream. This happens to animals that are injured, left alone, or feel in danger. Only at the age of one year do they begin to live independently.

According to the results of the study, it was revealed that the koala's sense of smell is much better than its vision. This feature allows animals to distinguish the smells around them with great accuracy. It is their highly developed sense of smell that helps them distinguish between varieties of eucalyptus and avoid eating too toxic ones. An interesting fact that these animals have fingerprints that are practically no different from human fingerprints, even under an electron microscope.

Koala conservation

Unfortunately, koalas are currently on the verge of extinction. At the beginning of the 20th century, millions of koalas were exterminated by humans for their valuable fur. And now the moment has come when great attention should be paid to the problem of preserving this unique order of animals.

There are a large number of research programs around the world aimed at protecting these fascinating marsupials and their habitat. In Australia, to prevent the death of koalas under the wheels of cars, artificial vines made from ropes are stretched, connecting two trees to each other. And these cute fluffy animals enjoy using such bridges.

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This is a marsupial mammal of the infraclass Marsupial family, as well as the genus Koala. Experts still do not understand what kind of animal the koala is: a bear, a raccoon, or someone else. The koala, or in other words the bear from Australia, is a one-of-a-kind animal whose diet consists of one thing, namely eucalyptus leaves.

Appearance and description of the koala

Few people can boast of having observed a marsupial bear in person, but many have followed it via video or photographs. After all, the koala really resembles in its appearance a small and clumsy bear cub. For example, its tail is presented in the same form as that of a bear - just as small, it is almost invisible on the body of the animal. Despite this, the koala simply cannot be confused with any other species of animal. The appearance of this animal is quite unusual and memorable..

Where does the koala live?

The koala is almost motionless for 18-20 hours. During this period of time, the animal usually firmly grabs tree branches with its paws, dozes or crawls along tree trunks to find a new portion of fresh foliage. The animal is also capable of chewing leaves, which it places in the inner cheek area during feeding.

It happens that in order to replenish the supply of useful microelements in the body, koalas have to eat earth.

Raising a marsupial bear at home is almost impossible, since there will simply be nothing to feed it. In the southern part of the country, for example, in Sochi, there are eucalyptus trees, but such varieties that koalas could eat are not found there.

How do individuals reproduce?

The main features of a koala

What special features does this marsupial bear have? In fact, the koala has many distinctive features and also has skills that other animals do not have.

Koala is endemic to Australia. In more detail, the marsupial bear is a living creature that does not live anywhere else except in Australia, only in the zoo. In addition, due to its lifestyle and ability to climb trees and eat only eucalyptus, the animal is quite calm and slow.

Another unusual feature of koalas is that they give birth to very small babies, although they themselves are large in size and weight. Isn't it unusual that parents who weigh 8 kilograms can produce a baby the size of a small pea grain!

The main opponents of the marsupial bear cub

The koala is an unusual species of animal; in the wild, the bear has no special enemies. Why is this happening? There are several explanations for this.

The main reason is the animal’s place of residence. Marsupial bears live in Australia mainly in tall trees, but on this continent there are no arboreal types of predators that could start hunting the animal. The second reason is the nutrition of the marsupial bear. So, animals eat only eucalyptus leaves, which contain poison. This poison is absolutely harmless to the koala itself, but can harm the health and even life of those animals that want to eat the marsupial bear.

Main benefits and harms

The koala is considered a friendly and cute animal that can easily either benefit humans or significantly harm them.

The main advantage of the koala is that on the territory of the zoo it is loved by a large number of small children, as well as adults. At the same time, many scientists perform a large number of experiments on this animal. That is why cute animals are protected by law from hunting by poachers and illegal shooting for the sake of obtaining valuable fur.

Unfortunately, these creatures can also cause harm to humans. At a time when there are too many koalas in one area of residence, and food begins to run out over time, these animals move to places where people live and live. As a result a small animal can even cause an accident. Despite all this, the koala remains an unusual and interesting animal that experts have not yet fully studied.

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The koala is a small, cute, gentle animal that lives only on one continent - Australia. In the Aboriginal language, the word "koala" means "does not drink." The animal actually practically does not drink water, being content with the moisture contained in eucalyptus leaves. Its Greco-Latin generic name "Phascolarctos" means "marsupial bear". The koala has indeed been called a bear for a long time, but it is not a bear, and it has nothing to do with bears, except that it looks like a fluffy teddy bear. In fact, the koala is a marsupial; it is the only modern representative of the Koala family (Phascolarctidae).

Today the koala is the most beloved marsupial animal by Australians, one of the recognized symbols of Australia, but this was not always the case. The first European settlers killed millions of these defenseless animals for their thick fur. However, deforestation of eucalyptus forests, drought and fires posed an even greater threat to the survival of the species. The threat to koalas peaked in 1924, when more than 2 million pelts were exported. By then, koalas had disappeared from South Australia and most of Victoria and New South Wales. As a result of public protest, a ban on hunting was introduced starting in 1944, and only 10 years later their population began to gradually recover. Currently, in a number of areas, particularly in the south of its range, the koala has again become a common species, and the IUCN lists this animal as being of least concern. However, intensive deforestation poses a threat to northern populations.

Description and photo of koala

The appearance of koalas is characteristic: the body is short and stocky, the head is large, round, with small eyes, large fluffy ears and a patch of bare skin on the nose. The tail is rudimentary, almost invisible from the outside. The color of the thick and soft fur on the dorsal side varies from gray to reddish-brown; There is white fur on the chin, chest and inner surface of the forelimbs. The ears are bordered with long white hair, the rump is covered with white spots. In the north of their habitat, the fur of the animals is shorter and less common.

The koala's body length is 70–85 cm, weight 7–12 kg. Males are more massive than females, they have a wider muzzle, and the size of the ears is smaller. In addition, males have a scent gland on their chest, with which they leave marks on trees within their territory. Females have a pouch with two nipples that opens back.

The koala is remarkably adapted for a sedentary arboreal lifestyle. Its body is covered with thick fur, which protects the animal from bad weather and temperature fluctuations, which is very important - after all, koalas do not have any shelters or shelters. Large paws are equipped with strongly curved claws, thanks to which the animal can easily climb the tallest tree with smooth bark. The photo shows a good view of the powerful and strong claws of a koala. If an animal sticks them into a tree, it will not fall down.

When climbing a eucalyptus tree, the koala grasps the trunk with its strong front paws, moving its body upward and at the same time pulling up its forelimbs. On the hind legs, the first toe is opposed to the others, the second and third are almost fused. On the front feet, the first and second toes are opposed to the others, providing a strong grip when climbing. The soles of the paws are bare, with a palpable pattern. An interesting fact is that koala fingerprints are almost identical to human ones.

The koala has a total of 30 teeth; the upper jaw retains three pairs of incisors and rudimentary fangs. The teeth are well adapted to feeding on eucalyptus leaves, which contain a large amount of fiber. Chewed leaves undergo microbial fermentation in the cecum, which is the longest in relation to body length of any mammal (its length is 1.8-2.5 meters).

In the photo, a koala habitually eats the leaves of his favorite eucalyptus tree.

The koala's brain, compared to its body size, is one of the smallest among mammals, only 0.2% of its total body weight. Scientists believe that this is due to adaptation to a low-calorie diet.

Where does the koala live?

Koalas are found only in Australia, where they are found over many hundreds of thousands of square kilometers in the east of the continent from northern Queensland to southern Victoria. Populations of these marsupials are often separated from each other by wide areas of cleared forests. Koalas have chosen moist mountain forests in the south, vineyards in the north, coppice and semi-desert landscapes in western Australia. Population density depends on the productivity of the land. In the south, in rain forests, it reaches 8 animals per hectare, and in the semi-desert zone, only one individual can live on an area of 100 hectares.

How does a koala live in the wild?

The life of koalas is closely connected with trees of the genus Eucalyptus, in the crowns of which they spend almost all their time. They spend most of the day (18-20 hours) sleeping, feeding takes 2-3 hours, and the rest of the time the animals just sit. Only occasionally do they descend to the ground to run from one tree to another.

Koalas usually sleep during the day, but at night they are busy leisurely absorbing eucalyptus leaves. The movements of the animals are usually very slow and lazy, although a frightened animal is capable of moving very quickly.

Koalas lead a sedentary lifestyle. Most are loners; they rarely live in pairs. Adult animals occupy certain habitat areas. In favorable conditions, these areas are relatively small: a male can occupy only 1.5-3 hectares, females even less - 0.5-1 hectares. In areas poor in vegetation, the male's area can be more than 100 hectares. The territory of a dominant male can overlap the areas of up to 9 females, and also the areas of subordinate males. Each animal has several favorite food trees on its individual plot.

In nature, the koala lives up to 10 years, the maximum known life expectancy in captivity is 18 years.

What do koalas eat? Eucalyptus diet

The leaves of the evergreen eucalyptus provide koalas with a constant source of food. An adult eats about 500 grams of fresh leaves per day, and although more than 600 species of eucalyptus trees grow on the Green Continent, the koala eats leaves of only 30 of them. In different regions, preference is given to different types of eucalyptus, but mainly to those that grow in conditions of high humidity.

Such a diet may seem dubious at first glance, because eucalyptus leaves are inedible or even poisonous to most herbivores. They are low in nutrients and contain a lot of indigestible fiber, as well as toxic phenols and terpenes. However, these animals have several adaptations that help them cope with such inedible food. They do not eat some leaves at all; the toxic components of others are neutralized by the liver and excreted from the body. Since the diet is low in calories, koalas sleep up to 20 hours a day. They conserve water and, except in the hottest weather, obtain the necessary moisture from the leaves they eat. Thus, evolution gave koalas a source of food that was available all year round, and also freed them from food competition.

Continuation of the family line

Koalas are polygamous, with a small number of males accounting for the majority of matings. But the details of the distribution of matings between dominant and subdominant animals are not fully understood.

Both female and male koalas reach sexual maturity at two years of age. From this time, females begin to reproduce, while males begin breeding 2-3 years later, when they become large enough to compete for a female.

The breeding season is in spring and early summer (September–January). At this time, males move very long distances, and clashes often occur between them when they meet. During “weddings” the “grooms” constantly roar. These calls, consisting of loud inhalations followed by bubbling exhalations, are designed to attract the attention of brides and also warn competitors. The call of one male usually evokes a response from nearby relatives. During this period, males often mark the boundaries of their territory by rubbing their chests against trees.

The female brings one litter per year of one, less often of two cubs. Pregnancy lasts 35 days. The baby is extremely small at birth - its weight is less than 0.5 kg. The newborn climbs into the pouch, where it is securely attached to one of the two nipples. The small koala spends approximately 6 months in the pouch, where it grows and develops. The mother carries him on her back for some time.

From the age of seven months, the baby switches to feeding on a special gruel made from semi-digested eucalyptus leaves, secreted by the mother’s digestive system, getting used to the food of adult animals. A young koala becomes independent by the age of 11 months, but usually continues to stay close to its mother for several more months.

Conservation in nature

In nature, the koala has practically no enemies; predators do not favor its meat, apparently due to the fact that it has a strong eucalyptus smell. Despite this, animals are often considered vulnerable. Although no one has officially counted these marsupials, according to unofficial data, their number ranges from 40 thousand to 1 million. Habitat destruction is the main threat to most koala populations in the northern part of their range. But the situation is much more serious in the semi-desert regions of central Queensland, where about 400 thousand hectares are cleared annually for pastures and other agricultural needs. And although environmentalists are sounding the alarm and trying to stop the destruction of forests, the problem remains relevant in the agricultural areas of central Queensland.

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