10 Things You Don't Know About Koalas
Nowadays, koalas have lost a bit of space to other cuddly pets - such as sloths, pandas, and nycticebus (also known as slow loris ) - but that doesn't stop us from smiling and sighing every time we see one of these pets on the internet.
But do we really know these animals? It is common to know that they are native to Australia, that live in trees and usually feed on eucalyptus leaves. However, there are many other curiosities about these pets. Check out the list of 10 things you don't know about koalas from Mother Nature Network:
1) Although they are generally referred to as “koala bears, ” koalas are marsupials and therefore bear no relation to bears;
2) The name "koala" is believed to come from an aboriginal word meaning "not to drink." This is because, although koalas occasionally drink water, much of their hydration is supplied only with the water naturally present in the eucalyptus leaves they feed on;
3) Koalas eat more than one kilogram of eucalyptus leaves a day. Interestingly, because they consume a large amount of the plant, koalas retain the fragrance of leaf oil and give off the smell of eucalyptus;
4) A newborn koala is the size of a bean grain. That's why puppies take a while to get the adorable look we know. In addition, the animals are born blind, without ears and without hair;
5) After birth, the koala mom carries her baby in the bag for about six months. After this period, the puppy settles on the mother's back or belly and stays there until its first year;
6) Hidden in the trees, koalas sleep up to 18 hours a day;
7) Koalas look cute and soft animals, but your impression would be different if you had the opportunity to touch one of them. These animals have a thick coat that protects them from both heat and cold and repels water. Surprisingly, koalas have the thickest fur among marsupials;
8) When installed under ideal conditions in the wild, male koalas can live up to 10 years while females live a few years longer;
9) The world has already had a population of millions of koalas, but the popularity of the animal's skin has caused the intensive hunting that took place between the 1920s and 1930s to drastically diminish the presence of this species on the planet;
10) It is estimated that the destruction of forests, traffic accidents and dog attacks kill about 4, 000 koala a year. Currently, it is believed that there are 100, 000 koalas in the wild. Fortunately, groups and associations can join forces to protect these animals.
* Originally posted on 13/09/2013.
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