Iruni Kalupahana Jadetimes Staff
I. Kalupahana is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Australia
The koala is a marsupial from coastal regions of eastern and southern Australia. Its nickname Koala Bear is a misnomer that arises because it seems similar, in certain regards, to a bear. The koala is normally between 24 and 33 inches long and weighs between 14 kg and 31 pounds. The body is fat and covered with gray fur, with a cream chest, and large fluffy ears. It has strong claw tipped feet for grasping and opposable digits for climbing.
Nutrition and Habits
Koalas are herbivores, eating essentially eucalyptus trees. They tend to choose particular species of eucalyptus leaves, which are really their favorites. This diet is low in carbohydrates. For this reason, the koala spends much time resting or sleeping a tactic to conserve energy. Koalas boast a specialized digestive tract, wherein exists the caecum, an intestinal pouch that holds bacteria that can break down eucalyptus leaves. So instead of a placid creature in general, koalas can, and usually do, deep throated, grunting, loud sounds.
Life Cycle
After a gestation period of thirty-four to thirty-six days, koalas give birth to one joey. The joey is initially contained in the mother's pouch for about two months. After leaving the pouch, it rides on its mother's back until being weaned at about one year. In the wild, koalas can live about 15 years, although they sometimes reach longer ages in captivity. Koalas belong to the Phascolarctidae family and are unique because they have a pouch, unlike most marsupials, that opens to the rear.
Challenges
Over the years, Koalis populations have faced major threats from habitat destruction, hunting for fur, and diseases, with massive declines being reported mostly for southern populations. Koalas are assessed as vulnerable by IUCN since 2016. The decline has been driven by such factors as climatic change, habitat fragmentation, and the spread of Chlamydia, leading to infertility. The bushfires of 2019-2020 wreaked havoc on the koala populations, with tens of thousands of koalas either dead or injured. As the species faces continuing challenges, conservation continues to work to protect and preserve their remaining habitats.
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