'Fluffy Koalas.'
I have chosen four koala images for my daily digital post. If you've never held a koala in your arms, let me tell you, it is quite an experience. Firstly, their fur isn't as soft as you would expect it to be and secondly, a distinct smell of eucalyptus emanates from their bodies which lingers long after you have left them. It's not unpleasant but I found it surprisingly unexpected the first time I held a koala.
I was very interested to learn that the quality of a Koala's fur varies according to which area in Australia they are situated. In southern Australia a koalas fur is longer and shaggier than in the north which keeps them warm in the colder months of winters.
The images (below) have been created by using digital manipulations to my original photos which has resulted in these very unique pictures.
The closest relative of the koala is the wombat and they both have pouches which open towards the rear. This works best for wombats, but koalas require strong muscles surrounding the pouch in order to keep their young from falling out.
Koalas are native to Australia and are marsupials, not bears.
Koala fossils found in Australia have been dated as long ago as 20 million years. They eat eucalypt leaves and virtually nothing else.
Their brains have reduced substantially over the years which may be due to their need to adapt to the low energy they derive from their diet.
Koalas have very sharp claws enabling them to climb trees with ease.They have similar fingerprints to humans and are characterized by their large noses which vary in colour from pink to black. Koalas are quiet animals unless it is their breeding season.
and the correct term for a baby koala is ‘joey’.
Joeys live in their mother’s pouch for around six months and remain with them for another six months or so afterwards. Koalas cannot be kept legally as pets.
Their scientific name is Phasclarctos Cinereus. Presently there are only 2,000 to 8,000 koalas remaining in the wild! Koalas are not officially classified as endangered, but the population of Australian koalas has dropped by 90% in less than a decade. This is due to the destruction of the koala's natural habitat.
Logging, agriculture and urban development have also reduced areas they formerly lived in. This has brought added danger to their survival because highways have divided their habitat and koalas are often seen crossing roads, and many are killed in the process. They are also attacked by pet dogs and some have been affected by disease which has taken a toll on their population.
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I thought I know a lot about koalas, but I was wrong. :-)
Is it not joey used also for kangaroo baby?
When my son first went to school, their class was called "Koala".
Images are simply anazing!
Yes you are correct Neli. The term joey is also the term used for a baby kangaroo. Thanks for your comments.
Very nice post on Koalas! These photos just look like oil painting! I thought you painted Koalas on canvass!
So they are as soft as they look and with sharp claws! I will have to be careful when I meet them!
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Thanks so much for your great comments @kaminchan Even though they have sharp claws they are safe to hold especially when visiting wildlife sanctuaries. Koalas don't usually feel threatened by humans.
Howdy Trudee! wow shouldn't the Koala be put on the endangered species list? I don't know if I've ever heard of any animal only eating one plant and that's it. Very intriguing little animals! I hope they make it in the long haul! Oh, and the images are really interesting too!
I hope that a lot more is done to preserve these very iconic animals John. I saw another report on TV last night stressing the importance of protecting koalas. It would be devastating if the government doesn't step in more to curb residential development in certain areas.
I'm glad I'm not a koala as I do enjoy variety in my diet. 😄
haha! I'm laughing at the diet variety joke, not about Koalas having their habitat shrunken down. Is Australia's population growing that much that so much forests are being cleared?
Yes, it would be an absolute tragedy if our koalas became extinct and it wouldn't be because those in authority are not already aware of this likelihood.
I don't know about the rest of Australia but Queensland is growing at a very fast pace and this certainly does contribute to the declining koala population and their displacement.
That's pretty alarming. Isn't there another part of the country they can be moved to?
Well, Australia is a big country and you'd think that re-locating koalas would be a great solution. I'm not aware of this happening but that doesn't mean that it is not. I hope there are some effective solutions to this problem underway already.
howdy tonight Trudee! I'm sure that someone in the conservation part of the government is working on it. Surely they must be!