Koalas



Koala means "No Water" in Aborigine.

The Koala is a small marsupial that lives in eucalyptus (gum) trees 
in Australia. 
These nocturnal (most active at night) animals spend 18 to 20 hours
each day resting and sleeping. They are social animals who live in 
territories. 

Koalas are not bears; their closest relative is the wombat. 

The koala is up to 0.6-0.9 m long, weighing 4.5-13.5 kg. 
The soft, woolly fur is light-gray to brown, and has patches of white 
on the chest neck. and ears. This fur protects them from cold and rain. 
They have rough pads on their feet and hands which are used for 
gripping the trees they live in. 

Baby koalas live in their mother's backwards-facing pouch for months. 
These herbivores (plant-eaters) eat eucalyptus (gum tree) leaves. 

Koalas has a keen sense of smell which it uses to make sure the 
gum leaves are edible and not poisonous. 
They store food in cheek pouches. 
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