Koala

Phascolarctos cinereus

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Other Names: Koala "bear", may be confused with the "drop bear".

Family: Phascolarctidae, the koala is the only living species, about 10 extinct species from fossils

Size: 65-82 cm

Distribution: Some parts of Eastern Australia

Status: Vulnerable

Habitat: Open eucalypt woodlands

References: Cronin's Key Guide to Mammals, Van Dyck, Gynther and Baker, Menkhorst and Knight, Wikipedia.

About the Koala

The koala is one of the most famous Australian animals. They look so cuddly and sleepy. They aren't really cuddly but they are really sleepy. Koalas are largely sedentary, and sleep up to 20 hours a day. They spend most of their time asleep digesting their food, which is hard to digest and consists of leaves, mainly from certain species of eucalyptus trees. They are sometimes called "bears", but koalas are masupials and not a type of bear at all. Their closest living relative is the wombat.

Sometimes koalas are confused with drop bears. The drop bear is the most feared of all australian animals, and has been seen by very few people who lived to tell of it. They look similar to koalas but of course with much larger teeth. You can learn more about drop bears from a reliable source of information called the internet.

Koala - Phascolarctos cinereus
Photo: WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo. High Resolution 1365 x 1571.

Koala - Phascolarctos cinereus
Photo: WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo. High Resolution 2277 x 1653.

Koala - Phascolarctos cinereus
Photo: WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo. High Resolution 1448 x 1672.

Koala - Phascolarctos cinereus
Photo: WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo. High Resolution 2577 x 1704.

Koala - Phascolarctos cinereus
Photo: WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo. High Resolution 1440 x 1632.

Koala - Phascolarctos cinereus
Photo: Featherdale Wildlife Park, Sydney NSW. Note the digits on the front paw. High Resolution 2560 x 2708.

Koala - Phascolarctos cinereus
Photo: Featherdale Wildlife Park, Sydney NSW. High Resolution 2832 x 2927.

Koala - Phascolarctos cinereus
Photo: Featherdale Wildlife Park, Sydney NSW. Looking like a teddy bear, the koala is loved by children all over the world. High Resolution 3952 x 2708.

Koala - Phascolarctos cinereus
Photo: Featherdale Wildlife Park, Sydney NSW. High Resolution 2496 x 3744.

Koala - Phascolarctos cinereus
Distribution of Koala. Red = native range, Purple = introduced. Image by Nrg800 at Wikipedia.

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