Koala
Size:70 - 90cm (27 - 36 inch)
Weight:4 - 9kg (9 - 20 lb)
The males are larger than females.
Southern koalas are 30% larger than the Northern koalas
Koala's fur is thick soft and pleasant to touch.Ears have long white hairs on the tips.
Koalas can live as long as 17 years,however males life expectancy is less than 10 years (due to injuries during fights,dogs and cars).Females generally live longer.Koalas living in an undisturbed habitat would have a greater life expectancy than those living in suburbia.
Koalas prefer to move around just after sunset spending daytimes asleep in the fork of a tree.Koala spends sleeping 75% of its time.Just after sunset koalas move around and can often be heard "barking" aggressively at other koalas
What do koalas eat to survive?
Koalas eat Eucalyptus leaves.
What is a koala?
The koala is a small bear-like,tree-dwelling animal,which averages about 9 kilograms in weight.Its fur is thick and usually ash gray.
The koala gets its name from an ancient Aboriginal word meaning "no drink" because it receives over 90% of it's water from the Eucalyptus leaves (also known as gum leaves) it eats,and only drinks when ill or times when there is not enough moisture in the leaves.
Habitat (Write on the blackboard)
'Habitat' refers to the types of bush land that koalas like to live in.They are found in a range of habitats,from coastal islands and tall eucalypt forests to low woodlands inland.
Koalas today are found in Queensland,New South Wales,Victoria and South Australia.
Koalas live in societies,just like humans,so they need to be able to come into contact with other koalas.It is because of this they need to have areas of suitable eucalypt forest,which are large enough to support a healthy koala population and to allow for expansion by maturing young koalas