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Did you know....
**koalas are NOT bears? They are marsupials which means that they have pouches like kangaroos, possums and wombats.
**koala babies are called joeys?
**a koala's staple diet is eucalyptus (or gum) leaves? Their very efficient digestive system is specially designed to cope with the toxins contained within eucalyptus leaves and extract all the nutrients they need to survive.
**koalas do sometimes drink water? Most of the water a koala needs is obtained from the leaves that they eat but in times of drought (when leaves are dry) or in extreme heat, koalas will come down to get a drink if they need to. Many of you may have seen pictures being circulated during the heat waves in southern Australia a couple of years ago of koalas accepting water from people or seeking it out in backyards. It's not a common occurrence but it does happen.
**koalas spend 18-20 hours a day resting and sleeping? The most popular explanation of their inactive lifestyle is that eucalyptus has a drugging effect on them so they effectively spend their lives "stoned" or "drunk" but this is purely a myth! The real reason is that they receive very little energy from their food so they need to conserve the small amount of energy they do receive.
**koalas have 2 "thumbs" and 3 "fingers" on their front paws? This is so they can grip the branches more effectively than they would with just one thumb and 4 fingers.
**a koala's gestation period (or pregnancy) is only 33-35 days?
**at birth, a koala joey is less than 1/2 gram in weight and is less than 2cm long?
**a koala joey spends (approximately) the first 6 months of it's life inside it's mother's pouch feeding only on it's mother's milk?
**wild koalas can live approximately 8-10 years (on average) but they tend to live longer in captivity (on average 12-15 years)? The longest lived captive koala on record "Sarah" lived at Lone Pine and made it into the Guiness Book of World Records when she passed away in 2001 aged 23 years.
**koalas in the wild are under threat? Habitat destruction, cars and dogs are the biggest threats koalas face today so please do whatever you can to help conserve this gorgeous, fascinating and lovable animal for future generations. This list of facts only scratches the surface regarding all the amazing things that are not commonly known about koalas. They are incredible animals and an absolute joy to work with. The attached photos might give you an idea of why we enjoy spending time with these guys!
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