The Koala is a small marsupial
(pouched mammal) that lives in Australia.
Koalas are arboreal, they spend most of their time in eucalyptus (gum) trees.
These nocturnal (most active at night)
animals spend 18 to 20 hours each day resting and sleeping; they spend much of
the night eating. They are aggressive animals who live in woodlands.Koalas are
not bears; their closest relative is the wombat.The genus and species of the
koala is Phascolarctos cinereus.The koala is up to 2-3 feet (0.6-0.9 m)
long, weighing 10-30 pounds (4.5-13.5 kg). The soft, woolly fur is light-gray
to brown, and it has patches of white on the chest, neck. and ears. This fur
protects them from cold weather and rain. Koalas have rough pads on their feet
and hands which are used for gripping the trees they live in. The koala's brain
is very small. Like other young marsupials, baby koalas (called joeys) live in
their mother's backwards-facing pouch for months. The koala is one of the few
animals that has fingerprints (other animals with fingerprints include many primates
and fishers).These herbivores (plant-eaters) eat mostly eucalyptus (gum
tree), chewing these tough leaves using their powerful jaws. They store
unchewed food in cheek pouches. Koalas have a keen sense of smell which they
use to make sure the type of gum leaves are edible and not poisonous.Listen song here:YouTube
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