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The koala bear is an Australian tree-dwelling marsupial mammal that feeds exclusively on eucalyptus leaves, has large hairy ears, thick gray fur, sharp claws for climbing, and no tail. It feeds exclusively on eucalyptus leaves and it sleeps for up to 19 hours a day. Now classified as endangered, there are less than 100,000 of these incredibly cute animals remaining.
Keep reading below for more koala facts or alternatively download our comprehensive worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Koala Introduction
- A koala is a herbivorous marsupial native to Australia.
- The scientific name for a koala is Phascolarctos cinereus. It is called a koala bear sometimes, but this is inaccurate as it’s not a bear – rather it is a marsupial.
- Its closest living relative is the wombat.
- The koala is found in coastal areas of the mainland’s eastern and southern regions of Australia.
- The first recorded encounter between a European and a koala was in 1798, and an image of the animal was published.
Identifying Features and Facts
- Koalas are easily recognizable by:
- a stout, tailless body
- large head
- round, fluffy ears which have thick fur on both the inside and outside.
- a large, spoon-shaped nose, covered in leathery skin
- A koala’s vision is not well developed, and its relatively small eyes are unusual in that the pupils have vertical slits
- The koala has a body length of 60–85 cm (24–33 in) and weighs 4–15 kg (9–33 lb).
- Males are 50% larger than females.
- Males are further distinguished from females by their more curved noses.
- Females have a pouch in which the young spend the first few months of life.
- The pouch opening is tightened by a circular muscle called a sphincter that keeps the young from falling out
- The fur color of koalas ranges from silver-gray to chocolate brown.
- The back hair is insulating fur and is highly resilient to wind and rain.
- Koalas have curved, sharp claws, well adapted for climbing trees.
- They also have a cartilaginous pad at the end of the spine that makes it more comfortable when it sits in the fork of a tree.
- Adult males communicate with loud bellows that sound like growls.
- Female koalas bellow, though more softly, in addition to making snarls, wails, and screams.
- Young koalas squeak when in distress. As they get older, the squeak develops into a “squawk”.
- Koalas live from 13 to 18 years in the wild.
- Koalas from the northern populations are typically smaller and lighter in color than their counterparts further south.
- In the early 20th century, the koala was heavily hunted by European settlers for its thick, soft fur to be used in the fur trade.
- The animals are vulnerable to bushfires due to their slow movements and the flammability of eucalypt trees.
- Koalas are threatened by dogs, cats, dingoes, goannas, eagles, and owls. By far, their biggest threats are deforestation and being hit by cars.
Habitat and Feeding
- Koalas typically inhabit open Eucalyptus woodland.
- The leaves of these trees make up most of their diet.
- Because the eucalypt diet has limited nutritional and caloric content, koalas are largely sedentary and sleep up to 20 hours a day.
- Eucalyptus leaves are not easy to digest, so the koala has several adaptations for its diet so that it can get enough nutrients, process high amounts of fiber, and avoid the toxic effects of eucalyptus.
- Koalas’ livers are able to neutralize the toxins in eucalyptus.
- Koalas sometimes store food in their cheek pouches before it is ready to be chewed.
- A koala sometimes also regurgitates food into its mouth to be chewed a second time.
- The koala conserves water by passing relatively dry fecal pellets high in undigested fiber, and by storing water in the caecum.
Reproduction and Development
- Koalas are seasonal breeders, and births take place from the middle of spring through the summer to early autumn.
- The koala’s gestation period lasts 33–35 days.
- Females give birth to a single young called a joey (although twins sometimes occur).
- As with all marsupials, the young are born while at the embryonic stage, weighing only 0.5 g (0.02 oz).
- The underdeveloped joey crawls into its mother’s pouch to continue the rest of its growth.
- The joey attaches itself to one of two teats and suckles on milk while in the pouch. A joey will drink milk for up to 12 months to compensate for the poor nutrition of a eucalyptus diet.
- At seven weeks of age, a joey’s sex is determined. By 13 weeks of age, weighing 50 g (1.8 oz), the eyes have begun to open and it joey is covered in fur.
- At 26 weeks, the baby koala looks like a smaller version of an adult and begins to poke its head out of the pouch.
- When a young koala gets to around 6 months of age, the mother begins to prepare it for its eucalyptus diet by pre-digesting the leaves, producing a fecal pap (poop) that the joey eats from her cloaca.
- The pap is different from a koala’s regular poop because it is not fully digested and has a high concentration of bacteria that the baby needs to digest eucalyptus in the future.
- Eaten for about a month, the pap also provides a supplementary source of protein at a transition time from a milk to a leaf diet.
- The joey fully emerges from the pouch for the first time at six or seven months of age, when it weighs 300–500 g (11–18 oz).
- By nine months, it weighs over 1 kg (2.2 lb) and develops its adult fur color.
- Having permanently left the pouch, it rides on its mother’s back for transportation, learning to climb by grasping branches.
- Gradually, it spends more time away from its mother, who becomes pregnant again after 12 months when the young koala is now around 2.5 kg (5.5 lb).
- The young koala will continue to live near its mother for the next 6–12 months.
- Some koala populations are affected by diseases similar to chlamydia and AIDS.
Cultural significance
- Because of its distinctive appearance, the koala is recognized worldwide as a symbol of Australia.
- Millions of dollars a year are raised each year by national tourism related to the koala.
- The koala features in the mythology of the native Aboriginal people. It appears in their Dreamtime narrative and some groups believe the koala helped row them to the continent of Australia.
- In some myths, it is said that the koala does not have a tail because a kangaroo cut it off for being lazy and greedy. While in other myths, the koala is seen as a wise animal when needing advice.
Koala Worksheets
This bundle contains 10 ready-to-use Koala Worksheets that are perfect for students who want to learn more about the koala bear which is an Australian tree-dwelling marsupial mammal that has large hairy ears, and thick gray fur, sharp claws for climbing, and no tail and feeds on eucalyptus leaves.
Download includes the following worksheets
- Koala Facts
- Koala Art
- Color Me
- Koala Map
- Koala Word Creator
- Prehistoric Koala
- Koala Timeline
Life of a Koala - From Birth
- Health and Life
- Each Part’s Work
- Find Ways to Eat
- Reading About Koala
Did You Know?
Because of its distinctive appearance, the koala is recognized worldwide as a symbol of Australia.
Koala Frequently Asked Questions
Are koalas smart or dumb?
The koala has one of the lowest ratios of brain to body mass of any mammal. They’re not as alert or as smart as other mammals, but can survive well because their brains use little energy.
Are koalas friendly?
Despite their cute-looking appearance, koalas are not really friendly and can scratch you badly. Only those raised by humans don’t mind being petted.
Is a koala a bear?
Koalas aren’t bears – they’re marsupials.
Can koalas be kept as pets?
No. Since the koala is an endangered species, it is illegal to keep them as pets anywhere in the world.
Are koalas fast or slow?
Generally, koalas move slowly but they can run as fast as a rabbit hopping.
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Link will appear as Koala Facts andWorksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, September 16, 2017
Use With Any Curriculum
These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.