How many types of bears can you name? Black bears, grizzly bears, polar bears…koala bears? You’d never believe it, but koalas aren’t actually bears. Even though we commonly refer to koalas as bears, they’re actually arboreal herbivorous marsupial. Huh? In other words, koalas are tree-dwelling plant eaters who have a pouch to carry their young.
Their Habitat and Diet 6o5l1g
Koalas live in eucalyptus sleep for up to 18 hours a day!
Their Name 3n1l5
Unlike most animals, koalas only drink when they’re sick. That’s because 90% of the water they consume comes from the moisture in the eucalyptus leaves. After all, that’s where koalas got their name; the word koala comes from an Aboriginal word that means “no drink.”
Their Temperament m382r
Their slow movements and near constant chew through the eucalypt leaves.
Their Appearance 66c57
Koalas are tree dwellers. They have impeccable balance that helps them sit, sleep and eat in trees. Their paws have rough pads that make it easy to fur on their hind quarters is packed thicker than on the rest of their body to protect their bottoms from hard, rough branches.
Hold a Koala 4q4u6d
If you live in Australia or you’re planning on traveling there, head to the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary on Australia’s Gold Coast. There you can get your very own picture holding a koala! You can also take a trolley ride around the park where you’ll see other Aussie animals, such as wombats, dingoes and crocodiles. And you can get up close and personal with the kangaroos!
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