Koala

=Some facts= The koala's nickname is a Native Bear.

The koala is a marsupial mammal.

They are warm-blooded. The word 'koala' is thought to mean 'no drink' or 'no water' in the Aboriginal language. The koala's young is called a joey. The koala's young are born while still at the embryonic stage, weighing only 0.5 g. Koalas drink milk from the mother. The koala breathes oxygen from the air. The koala might look cuddly but the koala has very sharp teeth and very sharp claws. The koala has white fur on the underside and gray on the rest of its body. The koala has big ears and a big nose. The mother has a pouch. The koala has very thick fur. The adult koala generally grows to 25 - 30 inches long. The koala is very small when it's just born. After 1 month the cub is 1 cm. long. The koala weighs 15 to 30 pounds. One cub is born at a time. The koala cub stays in the mother's pouch for 5 months. The koala cub is blind when it's born. Koalas breed in the summer. Koalas live for 20 or more years. The koala can run as fast as a rabbit. Koalas sleep for up to 19 hours. Koalas live on the East coast of Australia. They live and sleep in the eucalyptus trees. It's hot, light and dry here. Aboriginal names for the koala include Kaola, Koalo, Koolewang, Koobor, Colah, Coola and Cullawine. =A few facts= The koala's territory is getting smaller because people are cutting down trees and making farms on them. Koalas can only live in one place in the world, Australia. The koala only eats Eucalyptus leaves and it eats so many leaves, it smells like the leaves. The koala hops from tree to tree and climbs the trees to get the leaves. The koala will eat 2.5 pounds of food a day. It uses its claws to get the branches and get the leaves. The koala used to be endangered because people would kill the koala for its fur.

=Threats= Over 2 million koalas were killed between 1908 and 1927. Occasionally koalas are taken by Goannas, Eagles, and Owls. Humans are koala's worst enemies. Dingoes will kill the koala. The koala does not have very many enemies. Koala young are hunted by large birds of prey. Their Behavior is clumsy but they are strong swimmers. They live in loose-knit groups if enough suitable trees are present, but only one animal per tree.

Males express territoriality during the breeding season, bellowing and grasping the base of a tree while rubbing their chest against it, thus leaving a scent marking with their chest gland. Females bellow as well during this time but are not territorial.