Koala Bears
Some people refer to the Koala as a Koala Bear. Although it looks like a small bear, the Koala is a marsupial mammal. Female marsupials have pouches to carry their babies. Other marsupials include kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, possums, and opossums. The Koala’s closest relative is the wombat. In Aboriginal language, the word Koala is thought to mean ‘does not drink’.Koalas have soft, wool-like gray fur, which is paler on their undersides. They have patches of white on their stomachs, chests and chins and a fringe of white around their ears. They have a large, round head with large, round, furry ears, a large nose and long strong limbs with sharp claws. They have a small tail, hidden by their fur.
A Koala’s front and rear paws each have five digits with sharp claws. Their hands have two thumbs, much like a human’s thumb, and three fingers, which help them with climbing and gripping tree branches. Two toes on their rear feet are joined together to form a ‘grooming claw’ useful for removing tics and combing their fur. The big toe doesn’t have a claw.Koala Bears vary in size and color depending on where they live in Australia. Koalas living in the southern parts have adapted to the colder climate. They are larger and have thicker fur. Koalas from the warmer northern areas are more a brown color and smaller. Koalas reach a maximum length of about 24 – 34 inches. An adult male koala can weigh between 17 – 30 pounds and a female between 13 – 25 pounds. They have a life span of between 12 and 15 years.
Fossil remains of koala-like animals have been found dating back to 25 - 40 million years ago. Koalas, like all Australian animals, are an important part of Aboriginal culture and featured in many myths and legends. John Price was the first European who described koalas 1798.In 1816, the koala was given its scientific name meaning ash pouched bear. European settlers identified the koala as a source of fur to trade, and millions of koalas were shot for their pelts.By 1924 koala bears were extinct in Southern Australia, severely depleted in New South Wales and estimates for Victoria go as low as 500 animals.Public forced governments in all states to declare the koala a 'Protected Species' by the late 1930's. Presently, up to 4,000 koalas are being killed each year by cars and dogs.
