KOALA BEAR Gina Ruiz Period 4

DESCRIPTION Koalas have soft, wool-like fur that is gray above and white below neck, and their ears have long white hairs on the tips. The koala a marsupial, a special kind of mammal which carries its young in a pouch. They are small, round animals. They weigh about 30 pounds and on average grow to be 2 feet tall. Koalas can live up to be 17years.

ADAPTATIONS Koalas are nocturnal mammals, they sleep up to 16 hours a day. They sleep in trees to protect itself from predators such as dogs.

ANCESTORS Twelve different fossils, now extinct species of koala have been identified, including the Koobor, the Perikoala, the Litokoala and the Madakoala

Different species of extinct koalas Species Age (mya) Location of fossils Madakoala devisi 26 Frome Basin, South Australia Madakoala wellsi 26 Frome Basin, South Australia Perikoala robustus 26 Lake Palankarinna, South Australia Perikoala palankarinnica 25 Lake Eyre Basin, South Australia Nimiokoala greystanesi 20 Riversleigh, north Queensland Litokoala kutjamarpensis 20 Lake Eyre Basin, South Australia Litokoala 20 Riversleigh, north Queensland Litokoala garyjohnstoni 20 Riversleigh, north Queensland Phascolarctos yorkensis 3 Corra Lynn Cave, South Australia Phascolarctos maris 4 Waikerie, South Australia Phascolarctos stirtoni 1 Cement Mills, south-east Queensland Phascolarctos spp.? 30 000years South-west Western Australia (mya = million years ago)

LIVING HABITS - - KOALA RANGE The koala's historic range stretches across Australia. Today they can be found mostly in Australia. Koalas prefer to live in eucalyptus forests, coastal islands, and low woodlands Koalas are arboreal, which means that they live in trees. Some koalas prefer to live alone. - - KOALA RANGE

FOOD Koalas are considered as herbivores They consume eucalyptus leaves and bark from 12 different eucalyptus tree species. They also consume mistletoe and box leaves. They can eat up to 2 lb of leaves a day. Koalas mostly get there water from plants.

HUMAN IMPACT THREATS: Once numbering in the millions, koalas suffered major declines in population during the 1920s when they were hunted for their fur. Today, habitat destruction, traffic deaths, and attacks by dogs kill an estimated 4,000 koalas yearly There are less than 100,000 koalas around the world today.

OFFSPRING Koalas breed once a year. Gestation lasts 35 days, after which one koala is born. The baby koala is very small when it is born, and lives in its mother's pouch for five to seven months. After this time, koalas gradually become independent and survive on their own.

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