By: AH

Physical FeaturesPhysical Features Big, with gray and white, Big, with gray and white,

thick, fuzzy furthick, fuzzy fur Face is round with two Face is round with two

small, round, squinty small, round, squinty eyeseyes

Two big, round hairy earsTwo big, round hairy ears Big, ugly black, oval noseBig, ugly black, oval nose Two arms, two short legsTwo arms, two short legs Each leg has three toes Each leg has three toes

with sharp clawswith sharp claws They can grow to 3 feet They can grow to 3 feet

talltall They can weigh from 10 They can weigh from 10

to 30 poundsto 30 pounds

SpeciesSpecies• They are mammalsThey are mammals

• They are marsupials They are marsupials (animal with a (animal with a pouch)pouch)

• Scientific name is Scientific name is Phascolaretos Phascolaretos CinereousCinereous

Habitat/ClimateKoalas live in the southeast of Australia and the southern hemisphere They live in eucalyptus forests where they have a lot of leaves. Koalas live in a cool climate in Australia. Sometimes its hot but not too cold.

Life SpanLife SpanKoalas can live Koalas can live

up to 17 years of up to 17 years of age age

Generally males Generally males live up to 12 live up to 12 years of age.years of age.

FoodKoalas are herbivores, because they eat

eucalyptus leaves and plants in trees. They usually stay in a small area of trees. A koala eats three pounds of leaves a day. Koalas don’t get a lot of nutrients and that’s why

they are always sleeping

Prey & PredatorsPrey & PredatorsKoala’s predators are wild dogs, Koala’s predators are wild dogs,

called Dingoes, traffic, fire, and called Dingoes, traffic, fire, and humans. Koalas don’t hunt humans. Koalas don’t hunt anything!anything!

BabiesBabiesKoalas breed once Koalas breed once

a year, a year, koalas are koalas are

pregnant for 35 pregnant for 35 days. days.

The babies live in The babies live in the mom’s the mom’s pouch for 6 pouch for 6 months and months and then they live on then they live on their mom’s their mom’s backs until they backs until they are a year old.are a year old.

Physical AdaptationsPhysical Adaptations Koalas have soft fur to help protect Koalas have soft fur to help protect

them from the hot and the coldthem from the hot and the cold Koalas have special feet and hands to Koalas have special feet and hands to

help them climb trees. help them climb trees. They have two thumbs on each hand They have two thumbs on each hand

which help them get a good grip on which help them get a good grip on branches.branches.

Strong nailed claws which help them Strong nailed claws which help them with climbingwith climbing

Koalas are speckled which makes Koalas are speckled which makes them hard to see in the trees. That them hard to see in the trees. That protects them from dingoes.protects them from dingoes.

BehaviorBehavior Koalas can sleep about fourteen Koalas can sleep about fourteen

hours a day in the wild because hours a day in the wild because they are very lazy, but they are very lazy, but sometimes they can be hyper.sometimes they can be hyper.

Koalas are nocturnal mammals Koalas are nocturnal mammals which means they sleep during which means they sleep during the day.the day.

Koalas bears move around just Koalas bears move around just after sunset spending most of after sunset spending most of the day asleep in their tree. the day asleep in their tree.

They sleep 75% of the time. They sleep 75% of the time. Koalas communicate with each Koalas communicate with each

other by making weird barking other by making weird barking noises and mothers and babies noises and mothers and babies make clicking noises. make clicking noises.

Behavioral Behavioral AdaptationsAdaptations

Koalas are loners, they Koalas are loners, they don’t have to share don’t have to share food.food.

They sleep a lot and They sleep a lot and that helps them save that helps them save their energytheir energy

They do not drink a lot They do not drink a lot because the dew on the because the dew on the leaves is their water.leaves is their water.

Koalas communicate by Koalas communicate by making lots of noises making lots of noises that only they that only they understand.understand.

Physiological Physiological AdaptationsAdaptations

Koalas have a special digestive Koalas have a special digestive stomach which helps them take stomach which helps them take away the poisons in the leavesaway the poisons in the leaves

They can get kidney disease and They can get kidney disease and pneumonia. pneumonia.

The big nose of the koala helps it The big nose of the koala helps it decide what to eat, they have a decide what to eat, they have a very good sense of smell. very good sense of smell.

A koala sniffs every leaf before A koala sniffs every leaf before eating it, to be sure it smells eating it, to be sure it smells exactly right. exactly right.

Fun Facts• A koala is NOT a bear. • Unlike other marsupials that live in

trees koalas, don’t have nests. They wrap themselves around branches in the trees.

• Koalas may look lazy, but when it comes to food they have lots of energy. They may climb more than 150 feet to get to the leaves to eat.

• Fossil remains of koala-like animals have been found and are about 25-40 million years old.

• Baby Koalas eat from their mother’s butt.