Which animal eats mainly eucalyptus leaves? Koala is a marsupial bear. Butter or body lotion

Now koalas live only in Australia - and not everywhere, but only in the southeastern part of the continent. Outwardly, they resemble small bear cubs: sedentary with thick short hair of a smoky gray or reddish color, small round, blind eyes, a flattened oval nose, a short tail and large, widely spaced ears with long hair at the edges.

Nowadays, koalas are one of the symbols of Australia, but once upon a time European settlers quickly pushed them out of Australia and at the same time almost destroyed them because of the rare beauty of their soft coat with three-centimeter fur. But these animals appeared on the mainland more than 30 million years ago, and according to the beliefs of the local aborigines, they were also once people.

How the animal appeared: the Aboriginal version

The ancient legends of the local aborigines tell about an orphan boy, Kub-Bor (Marsupial Bear), who, although raised by his closest relatives, did not like him very much, and therefore was constantly offended. The boy was taught to survive in the forest and get food. Therefore, he had no problems with food, but with water it was difficult, since Kur-Bor was constantly thirsty.

When one day all the adults went to hunt and gather food, forgetting to hide the buckets of water, a child saw them and gradually drank all the contents, leaving the tribe without water. After that, he climbed onto the eucalyptus and began to monotonously sing a song, from which the tree, on the top of which he was sitting, began to grow extremely quickly, and by evening it turned out to be the largest in the entire forest. And then the Daens (aboriginals) returned.

They found no water, but found a child hidden in a huge eucalyptus tree. At first they could not reach Kur-Bora, because the branches of the huge tree were extremely high. But then two of them managed to climb the tree. The boy was grabbed by them, beaten right at the top of the tree, and thrown down.

Naturally, Kur-Bor crashed to his death. But when the natives approached him, they saw that the boy gradually began to turn into a koala. Having completed the transformation, the animal came to life, rushed to the eucalyptus tree and climbed up.

The last words the Daen heard from the koala were that if he and others like him were killed in order to eat, they would only need to cook him whole. If anyone disobeys, its spirit will come out of the carcass of a killed animal and severely punish the offenders - such a drought will come that neither people nor animals will be able to survive it. Only koalas will survive, for which the moisture contained in eucalyptus leaves will be sufficient.

The koalas themselves, according to the beliefs of the aborigines, have not drunk water since then. Their ancestor, being a man, drank plenty of it. This belief arose for one simple reason: almost no one had ever seen these animals at a watering hole before.

Scientists' version

It is believed that the koala family appeared more than 30 million years ago, and consisted of at least eighteen species (some of which were thirty times larger than koalas). As for “modern” animals, they are much younger. Their age is only 15 million years.

Europeans discovered this animal at the beginning of the 19th century. These were the remains of a koala found among the natives. Officer Barralier discovered them, preserved them in alcohol and sent them to the Governor of New South Wales. And a year later, the animal itself was caught near Sydney.

At first, koalas were found only in the southeast of Australia, as well as in the south of the continent (but they were quickly exterminated there at the beginning of the 20th century in pursuit of profit). It is believed that these animals also lived in the west of the continent, as evidenced by the remains found there.

Characteristics of the species

Scientists still have not been able to clearly determine what species of animal the animal living in Australia belongs to. At first they thought it was a panda or a bear, then they decided that its relative was a wombat, a kangaroo or an opossum (all of them, like the koala, are herbivorous marsupials). But if the relationship does exist, then researchers have not yet been able to trace their roots.

Features of the animal

The koala itself is not a large animal. The weight of a large male from the southern part of the continent is about fifteen kilograms, a female from the north is ten kilograms less. The average length of an adult koala is about eighty centimeters.

The marsupial sleeps in trees approximately twenty hours a day. It is active at night, climbing the tops in search of leaves. During the day, even if the animal is awake, it sits motionless or sleeps, hugging the eucalyptus with its paws.

The animal has interesting characteristics that distinguish it from other animals, because of which it was classified as a separate species.

Paws

The koala's paws are ideal for climbing trees and allow an adult to easily grab tree branches and a baby to hold on to its mother's back. The animal sleeps only on the eucalyptus, tightly grasping the tree with its paws:

• The koala has two grasping fingers on its front paws, located slightly apart from the rest;
• The other three fingers are located along the hand;
• All fingers on the forelimbs have extremely strong claws;
• The big toe on the koala's foot does not have a claw (unlike the other four).
• All of the koala's fingers have fingerprints that are extremely human-like.

Teeth

The animal's teeth are designed to chew grass. That’s why their incisors are like razors and can quickly cut leaves. The remaining teeth are grinding, separated from the incisors by a wide gap.

Intelligence and acumen

Alas, modern koalas are stupid. If the brain of their ancestors completely filled the cranial cavity, then in the animals that have survived to this day, it is much smaller. According to one theory, this happened due to the fact that koalas feed mainly only on eucalyptus leaves and shoots, which contain an extremely low level of energy.

Therefore, the brain of modern koalas makes up only 1.2% of their total weight, and forty percent of the cranial cavity is filled with cerebrospinal fluid. Lack of intelligence negatively affects the lives of the animals themselves. For example, accustomed to seeking salvation in trees, they do not always consider it necessary to get down from them and escape from the fire. Instead, they only press closer to the eucalyptus trees.

Character

The koala is an extremely calm animal. He sleeps from 18 to 20 hours a day, the rest of the time he devotes to eating. The koala lives in a tree, and mainly descends to the ground only to move to another eucalyptus tree, which it is not able to jump to in the air.

They jump from eucalyptus to eucalyptus extremely easily and confidently. If they decide to flee, they are even able to break into a fairly brisk gallop in order to climb the nearest tree.

Nutrition

As for the slowness of the koala not in emergency conditions, this is primarily due to its diet. It feeds only on shoots and leaves of the eucalyptus tree. The koala's metabolism is two times slower than that of other mammals (except wombats and sloths) - this feature compensates for the insufficient nutritional value of eucalyptus leaves.

The question of why koalas prefer eucalyptus leaves puzzles many. Because eucalyptus leaves are not only fibrous and low in protein, but they also contain phenolic and terpene compounds and even hydrocyanic acid, which are extremely poisonous to almost all living organisms.

As for koalas, deadly poisons that enter the blood from the intestinal tract are completely neutralized by the liver. The animals have a very long cecum - almost two and a half meters (in humans - no more than eight centimeters). It is in it that poisonous food is digested. In the intestines of koalas there are many bacteria that process leaves into compounds digestible for the koala.

The animal eats about one kilogram of leaves per day, crushing and chewing them very carefully. And what’s interesting is that the resulting mass is stored in the cheek pouches.

Koalas do not eat leaves from every tree: their extremely good sense of smell allows them to choose only those plants with fewer toxic compounds. Therefore, out of eight hundred species of eucalyptus, koalas eat only one hundred and twenty. And then, when their nose tells them that the food has become too poisonous, they go to look for another eucalyptus suitable for themselves (if the koalas did not have the opportunity to change the tree in time, they often became victims of poisoning).

They give preference to trees that grow on fertile soil - they are less poisonous. To compensate for the lack of minerals in the body, animals sometimes eat soil.

Eucalyptus leaves are also a source of moisture for the koala. They drink water mainly during droughts or when they are sick. In Australia, these animals have recently been increasingly found near their swimming pools when they come to drink water.

Temperature

Koalas do not have a layer of subcutaneous fat that can protect them from the cold. Firstly, if the temperature is too low, their fur helps them out (their fur is water-repellent), and secondly, in order to retain heat, their blood circulation, like that of humans, slows down.

Communication

Koalas are considered almost the most defenseless and harmless animals in the world. They don’t attack anyone and have absolutely no idea how to defend themselves. If you hurt them, at best they will run away; most likely they will not hit or bite back.

But this animal can cry. And he can cry as long as the pain causes him inconvenience. And the koala cries like a child - loudly, tremblingly and hysterically. The same sound can also symbolize the presence of danger.

Koalas are surprisingly silent. Since they live quite far from each other, they use a fairly wide range of sounds to communicate with their own kind.

Males, in order to show their social and physical position, grunt in a peculiar way, and thus find out which of them is cooler (they are not going to waste strength and energy on fights, and if this happens, it is quite rare). Females scream much less often, but sometimes they are able to express aggression with roars and grunts, and also use this sound to express sexual behavior. But mothers and their cubs do not roar - they make quiet, quiet sounds, reminiscent of clicking (to “talk to each other”) or grumbling (if they are dissatisfied or irritated with something).

Cries during mating season

When the mating season begins, the males make a calling sound so loud that it can be heard a kilometer away. Interestingly, this sound is extremely loud and at the same time at a low frequency, which is not typical for small animals the size of a koala. They manage to produce it only with the help of the vocal cords that are located behind the larynx.

The female chooses a groom for herself based on these calling calls (in any case, preference is given to larger individuals). Despite the fact that the male’s songs remind us of the snoring of a drunkard, the angry grumbling of a pig or the creaking of rusty hinges, females extremely like such sounds and attract them.

The better the koala screams, the more brides he will gather, since there are significantly more females than males. In one season, one male can have about five wives.

Offspring

Koalas breed once every one to two years. Females start a family at the age of two, males at the age of three to four years.

The mother carries the baby for thirty to thirty-five days. Usually only one baby is born; twins are extremely rare. The length of a small koala is from 15 to 18 mm, weight is about five grams, while it is hairless and completely blind. Immediately after birth, the baby climbs into the mother's pouch, where he spends the next six months. To prevent the baby from getting hurt and falling out, the “entrance” to the pouch is located not at the top, like in a kangaroo, but at the bottom.

At first he feeds on mother's milk. She gets used to it gradually, and the transitional food is quite original: the mother regularly excretes special feces in the form of a liquid porridge from semi-digested eucalyptus leaves. The baby needs such food because it is the only opportunity to get the microflora he needs, since bacteria live in the mother’s intestines that help the body cope with food that is indigestible for the baby’s stomach.

True, this diet does not last long; after a month he begins to feed on the leaves themselves, and at the age of seven months he moves from the pouch to his mother’s back. The grown koala finally leaves its mother's embrace at one year. But not all of them leave: while young females go to look for sites for themselves, males quite often remain to live with their mother for up to three years.

Dangers

Typically, a koala lives from eight to thirteen years (although in captivity there have been cases where animals lived to be twenty). Their number for some time (until the Australian authorities began to solve this problem) was declining very quickly. If at the beginning of the 20th century the number of koalas was 10 million individuals, then after a hundred there were only 100 thousand left, most of which live in private territories. According to various sources, only 2 to 8 thousand of them live in the wild.

In nature, koalas have practically no enemies - apparently, the animal, imbued with the eucalyptus aroma, scares away enemies with its smell. Only people eat them, and wild dingoes can attack animals, but this is also a rare occurrence, because koalas rarely go down, and dogs do not jump in trees.

Just recently, these animals were on the verge of extinction. The main reason is both human activity and their extreme susceptibility to various diseases.

Diseases

Koalas are quite sickly animals - apparently, the monotonous diet affects them. They are especially susceptible to cystitis, periostitis of the skull, and conjunctivitis. Sinusitis often causes pneumonia in them, which greatly reduced the population at the beginning of the last century.

The animals are also killed by the viral bacteria Chlamydia Psittaci, which is secretly considered to be the “AIDS” of koalas. They affect the ureter and eyes of animals, and if they are not helped in time, the disease will first lead to infertility, then to vision problems, and ultimately to death.

Fur traders

Even before the beginning of the 20th century, a huge number of koalas (more than one million) were destroyed by fur traders, after which there were almost no animals left. And only then (in 1927) the Australian government banned the trade in koala fur, and three years later – the import of their skins. This led to the end of the barbaric extermination of koalas, and their population began to gradually increase.

Deforestation

Due to continuous deforestation, koalas are forced to constantly go in search of new trees, so they have to go down. But they are not accustomed to life on earth, since they move here with difficulty, so they become easy prey.

Cars

Due to deforestation, koalas are increasingly finding themselves on highways in search of a new home. Cars rushing at high speed frighten them extremely, the animals become numb (the so-called “koala syndrome” - males are especially susceptible to it) and stop moving or begin to rush along the road. According to statistics, about 200 koalas end up under the wheels of cars every month - and, unfortunately, many of them die.

At the same time, the authorities are trying to solve this problem in a rather interesting way: they stretch artificial vines over the highway, which connect the eucalyptus trees on both sides of the highway. The koalas appreciated this idea and willingly cross the highway.

Dogs

Once on the ground and seeing a wild dingo, the koala does not understand the danger and does not run away into a tree. As a result, she often ends up torn to pieces.

Fires

The trees where koalas love to live contain eucalyptus oil, thanks to which fires flare up extremely strongly and cannot be extinguished for a long time. The fire has completely destroyed more than one koala population.

Swimming pools

Many people will be surprised to learn how many koalas die after getting into the pool. Contrary to the popular belief that they drink absolutely nothing, they still come to water, but often not to the source, but to a structure created by human hands, which does not have the usual descents for animals. Despite the fact that they are excellent swimmers, koalas often drown when exhausted.

Drought

Due to drought, eucalyptus leaves turn black and dry out, so koalas deprived of water often die of thirst, especially those who live far from artificial or natural sources of water.

Animal rescue

If it were for the inactive activities of animal activists, we would only know about the koala from schematic drawings in their textbooks. They managed not only to push through several laws to protect these animals, but also to win over patrons who are willing to donate money to save the “teddy bears.”

In Australia, parks and reserves were created, special hospitals for these animals were organized with the latest equipment and highly qualified veterinarians. This is not much, but it helps - about 4 thousand animals are saved per year. About twenty percent of animals that fall into the hands of doctors survive.

Life in captivity

As already mentioned, most koalas live on private property, the owners of which have nothing against such a neighborhood. People are often captivated by the appearance of these cute fluffy animals that look like teddy bears, and they tame them. Koalas, although they like to be alone, are extremely friendly. They become attached very quickly, and if the person they are accustomed to leaves somewhere, the animal cries. If you pester them too much, koalas can begin to defend themselves with their teeth and nails.

Keeping a koala at home is not easy - those who want to have this animal will be required to provide it with at least one kilogram of fresh eucalyptus leaves per day, which is quite difficult. For example, in Russia these trees grow only in Sochi, but this type of eucalyptus is absolutely not suitable for koalas.

Eucalyptus is an evergreen tree with a sharp, specific aroma, the essential oil and greens of which are used in medicine, cosmetology, cooking and other areas of life. In other European languages, the name of this plant sounds like this:

• German– Eukalyptus;
• English– eucalyptus;
• French– eucalyptus.

Eucalyptus leaves are the favorite food of koalas

Appearance

Eucalyptus is a tree or shrub with oblong, pointed leaves. An adult plant can reach 100 meters in height. The crown shape can be round, triangular, “weeping”, etc. - depending on the type. During the flowering period, eucalyptus is covered with large white, red or yellow inflorescences. Flowers with long, thin petals are collected in fluffy umbrellas. Some parts of the plant produce essential oil and gum.

Kinds

About seven hundred species of eucalyptus are described in the scientific literature. Here are just a few of them:

• crowded;
• white;
• almond leaf;
• Andrews;
• angophora-like;
• Camaldulian;
• capitate;
• ashen;
• berry;
• conical.

Rainbow eucalyptus - the most beautiful tree in the world

Where does it grow?

Eucalyptus is native to Australia. Also, wild eucalyptus thickets can be found in New Zealand, Tasmania, New Guinea, Indonesia and the Philippine Islands. Today this plant is distributed throughout the globe. In Europe, Asia, Africa, North and South America, eucalyptus has gained popularity due to its ability to grow quickly. It is planted in wetlands to drain the soil. In Russia, eucalyptus is grown in the Krasnodar region, Crimea and the Caucasus. Eucalyptus trees love sunlight, but also grow on mountain slopes, in gorges and ravines.

Blank

The best raw materials are considered to be young eucalyptus leaves, which begin to be collected in September, since during this period they contain the largest amount of essential oil. First, the branches are cut off with a sharp cleaver, then the leaves are collected from them. The leaves are laid out in a thin layer on the floor and dried outside under a canopy or in a room that is constantly ventilated.

Characteristics

• dark green color;
• fresh, intense aroma with notes of camphor;
• spicy, bitter taste.

You can learn more about the properties of eucalyptus from the program “1000 and one spice of Scheherazade”

Chemical composition

• essential oil
• tannins
• gallotannins
• coumaric acid
• cinnamic acid
• calcium
• potassium
• magnesium
• iron
• manganese
• cobalt
• silicon
• nickel

Eucalyptus leaves are rich in essential oils

Beneficial features

• produces a disinfecting effect;
• has antimicrobial properties;
• has an anti-inflammatory effect;
• relieves pain;
• strengthens the immune system;
• is a good means of preventing certain infections;
• has a wound healing effect.

Harm

In the presence of individual intolerance, eucalyptus can cause a severe allergic reaction.

Contraindications

• hypertension;
• pregnancy;
• childhood.

Juice

Eucalyptus juice is called "cinema" or "Australian cinema". This is a thick red substance, sharp and burning.

Application

In cooking

• dried eucalyptus leaves are used in small quantities to flavor meat and fish dishes;
• a marinade for meat is prepared with the addition of eucalyptus;
• eucalyptus tea is known for its invigorating and warming effect;
• Eucalyptus leaves are used in the production of various types of alcohol;
• Eucalyptus is added to confectionery products to give them a fresh aroma.

Carefully! Eucalyptus is a poisonous plant, so it can only be eaten in very small doses.

Warming drink

Pour 2 tbsp into a saucepan. dried sage and dried eucalyptus, add 2 cups of cold water and bring to a boil. When the broth boils, pour in 2 cups of milk and simmer for several minutes. This drink will help you warm up on a cold winter day.

Pork marinade

Grind a few dry or fresh eucalyptus leaves. 2 tbsp. spices pour 1 liter of boiling water. When the broth has cooled, add an onion and a couple of carrots cut into large slices, wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste. Place the meat in the marinade and leave in the refrigerator for several hours.

In medicine

Eucalyptus-based medicinal products are used for the treatment and prevention of the following diseases:

• neuralgia;
• lumbago;
• rheumatism;
• acute respiratory diseases;
• angina;
• bronchitis;
• pneumonia;
• tuberculosis;
• fever;
• adnexitis;
• endometriosis;
• diseases of the genitourinary system;
• wounds and ulcers;
• herpes;
• flu;
• helminths;
• arthritis;
• arthrosis;
• osteochondrosis.

Eucalyptus tincture is used for gargling and inhalation for colds, bronchitis and coughs

Eucalyptus honey has strong bactericidal properties, even the bees that produce it never get sick

Traditional medicine recipes

For herpes infection. Take a few geranium and eucalyptus leaves and squeeze out 5-6 drops of juice from each plant. Mix juice with 1 tsp. vegetable oil. Apply to the area affected by herpes 4-5 times a day.

With a severe runny nose. Grind 20 grams of dried eucalyptus leaves and add a small amount of medical alcohol. Infuse in a tightly closed container for a week, then strain. Dilute 20 ml of tincture in 50 ml of water and take 2 times a day.

For thrush. Take one part each of dried or fresh herbs - chamomile, calendula, birch buds, sage, yarrow, eucalyptus, juniper. Pour a glass of boiling water and cook in a water bath for 10 minutes. Then leave for 40-50 minutes and strain. Take 1/3 cup 3 times a day after meals.

At home

• The aroma of eucalyptus eliminates unpleasant odors in the house. To do this, you can use fresh or dry leaves of the plant, as well as eucalyptus oil.
• The smell of eucalyptus repels many insects, including annoying midges and mosquitoes.
• Bath brooms are collected from eucalyptus branches, the use of which has a beneficial effect on the condition of the skin and respiratory system.

Growing

• Eucalyptus may well be a potted plant. It is quite easy to maintain it at home. For these purposes, it is best to purchase a ready-made seedling rather than grow it from seeds.
• In a spacious pot, eucalyptus can grow into a large, two-meter bush. At the same time, it grows by about 50 cm per year.
• Eucalyptus prefers room temperature in the summer and quite low (6-7 degrees) in the winter.
• Eucalyptus needs sunlight. The pot must be installed in such a way that the plant is exposed to direct sunlight for several hours a day.
• In summer, eucalyptus is watered 2-3 times a week, and in winter 3-4 times a month is enough. The plant should be sprayed every 2-3 days.
• All year round, with the exception of the winter months, you need to feed the soil with organic fertilizer.
• For the first few years of a eucalyptus's life, it should be replanted annually in a larger pot.
• Eucalyptus grown at home is unlikely to please you with flowering, but it will constantly disinfect the air and eliminate unpleasant odors in the apartment.

For information on growing eucalyptus at home, watch the following video.

• In the homeland of eucalyptus, in Australia, the cardinal directions are determined by the arrangement of the leaves of the plant.
• In Russia, eucalyptus is also called the gum tree or marvelous tree.
• Eucalyptus bark is used in paper production.
• The koala's only food is eucalyptus leaves. If you deprive an animal of this plant, it will die.

The level of awareness about the medicinal, nutritional and cosmetic properties of eucalyptus is extremely low. Every ordinary citizen knows that eucalyptus is the main dish in the diet of pandas, but no one has heard of the antioxidant and antibacterial effect of the plant. Few people imagine the real appearance of eucalyptus and its potential strength.

Let's figure out what a plant actually is and is it worth spending time learning more about it?

general characteristics

Eucalyptus is an evergreen woody plant (grows in the form of a shrub or tree), belongs to the myrtle family. The tree can reach 100 meters in length. The trunk develops straight, less often – curved, covered with gum secretions. From the trunk grow massive leaf plates that stand on edge. The leaves are always located in the same plane as the branch, so they practically do not cast shadows. Each leaf goes through 3 stages of maturation (development) before producing a flower.

Australian eucalyptus is a compass plant. The plane of the leaf is located exactly along the meridian. Its edges (faces) are directed to the north and south, and the leaf plane faces east and west.

The flowers are formed regular, sessile, collected in small protected inflorescences. The shape of the flower is very similar to a dandelion, although the structure of the hairs of the plants is different. Over time, the inflorescences turn into curly fruits. They look like oblong boxes with a smooth (less often grooved) surface. Eucalyptus seeds are stored in these folded boxes. The seeds are small, covered with a smooth shell, and colored pale brown.

Flowering of eucalyptus is associated with the age of the tree. From 2 to 10 years, the plant forms flowers with an ovary and fruits with seeds inside. From the appearance of buds to the formation of a seed, it takes from 3 months to 2 years. It is impossible to determine the exact flowering season of eucalyptus. It happens so chaotically that defining a time frame simply makes no sense.

Brief historical background

In the 18th century, the botanist Léritier de Brutel proposed the scientific Latin name “eucalyptus”. The word is derived from Greek and means “to hide something, to hide under the sepals, hidden under the buds.” The Russian language initially abandoned the Latin form and called the plant “gum wonder.” Later, with the development of scientific thought, the Latin term was adopted into everyday use.

Territorial distribution

Most of the species have been recorded in Tasmania, Australia and New Zealand. There, eucalyptus forms entire forests and very often produces inflorescences. Several species grow and develop in the Philippines, Indonesia and New Guinea.

Eucalyptus has the amazing property of growing quickly and draining swampy areas. There is a version that the plant is capable of disinfecting the air, but scientists have proven that this is nothing more than a myth. Already in the first year of life, the plant grows to 2 meters. By the age of 3 the threshold of 10 meters is crossed, and by the age of 10 it grows to 25 meters. If the plant continues to grow and develop, and does not become a culinary spice, table or cosmetic additive, it may well grow up to 100 meters in length. This is truly a unique example of the rapid growth of flora.

Many countries wanted to get the plant and drain the numerous swamps:

• France;
• Spain;
• Portugal;
• Israel;
• Greece;
• Saudi Arabia;
• Ukraine
• America;
• India;
• Cuba;
• Abkhazia.

Beneficial features

Eucalyptus is an excellent antiseptic. It literally cleanses the body of staphylococci, streptococci and dysentery bacillus. The plant serves as a kind of prevention of the growth of trichomonas, which are trying to penetrate the genital tract and destroy the entire genitourinary system. Eucalyptus is able to prevent the development of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and completely remove them from the body at the initial stage of infection.

The medicinal properties of eucalyptus are successfully used in both alternative and conservative medicine. If a fever caused by malaria is suspected, the patient, in addition to a whole range of additional substances, is prescribed eucalyptus. Tinctures based on the plant relieve redness, “tighten” the wound, block itching and irritation, and start the process of rapid regeneration of the skin. This is what should have been applied to the wound in childhood instead of!

Eucalyptus is prescribed for:

• burns;
• flu;
• catarrhal/putrefactive bronchitis;
• pathologies of the respiratory system;
• pharyngitis;
• chronic runny nose;
• sinusitis;
• pathologies of the genitourinary system;
• kidney diseases.

In medicine, decoction, tincture, alcohol tincture and eucalyptus oil are used. Each product has a special composition, healing properties and scope of application.

Decoction

The drug is taken for diseases of the gastrointestinal tract, most often the intestines. The decoction relieves swelling, minimizes inflammation and disinfects not only the infected area, but also the cavity around it. Eucalyptus decoction can be used for mouth rinsing or inhalation.

Tincture

Alcohol and “pure” classic tinctures are intended for inhalation and oral administration. The product disinfects and prevents the development of inflammation. Alcohol tinctures are prescribed for inflammatory pathologies in the respiratory system, oral cavity and nasopharynx.

Do not self-medicate or take tinctures without a doctor's recommendation. A self-prepared product can harm the body, cause burns and mechanical damage.

A properly prepared and correctly prescribed tincture instantly relieves pain, stimulates expectoration and begins the fight against pathogenic microflora. The substance is used for:

• inhalations;
• douching;
• rubbing;
• ingestion;
• wiping problem areas.

Oil

Eucalyptus oil is used for phlegmon, carbuncles and osteomyelitis. The substance acts as a painkiller and can minimize the symptoms of rheumatism, neuralgic pathologies, and radiculitis. In addition to its medicinal properties, eucalyptus oil performs a purely household function - it repels mosquitoes, midges and other unpleasant insects.

Side effects and contraindications

Side effects occur only with uncontrolled consumption of the plant. Strict adherence to the instructions reduces the risk of complications to a minimum. In addition, the treatment must be constantly monitored by a doctor or other medical professional. employee.

You should avoid the therapeutic effects of eucalyptus if:

• individual intolerance to the product and components included in the composition;
• the manifestation of an allergic reaction in the first few hours/days after the start of therapy;
• hypersensitivity to the product;
• severe kidney and liver diseases;
• whooping cough;
• spasm of the respiratory tract;
• epilepsy;
• carrying out chemotherapy;
• minimum age threshold (eucalyptus is allowed for children from 2 years old).

Pregnant and breastfeeding women should take special care.

Any action, especially of a therapeutic nature, must be coordinated with the attending physician. If the doctor gives permission and is ready to monitor the mother’s health at each stage, then feel free to use eucalyptus according to the instructions and therapeutic course. Do not self-medicate so as not to endanger your health and the life of your child.

Use of the ingredient in cooking

Eucalyptus is known not only for its medicinal properties, but also for its taste. The plant is used to prepare tonic energy drinks. A mixture of eucalyptus, and are very reminiscent of the “vitamin bomb” familiar from childhood made from, honey and. Both remedies strengthen the immune system, help the body fight infections, instantly tone up and literally put a recently exhausted person back on his feet. It is best to prepare such drinks in the cold season in order to further protect the body from insidious viruses.

Eucalyptus is a traditional element of the Asian culinary tradition. The plant organically “fits” into spicy soups, sweet meat marinades and specific national dishes. Ground eucalyptus is one of the most common spices. Asians use it as often as we use ground black pepper.

Almost every type of eucalyptus produces a burning juice of a rich red hue. Locals call this juice “Australian cinema” and use it for soups, spicy meat and fish dishes.

Application in cosmetology

The properties of the plant have attracted all branches of medicine, including dermatology. Experts advise making a eucalyptus mask at least once a week. This way, women will be able to smooth out the first wrinkles, nourish the skin with vitamins/minerals, and give their face a radiant and truly healthy look. Eucalyptus is suitable for dehydrated, lacking vitality skin that needs to be nourished and toned.

Home care with eucalyptus

Tonic cubes

Cut the plant into pieces and boil until soft. Pour the water in which the eucalyptus was boiled into ice cube trays. Every day, after waking up, take a piece of frozen eucalyptus decoction and massage along the massage lines on your face for about 5 minutes. Do not wipe your face after an ice massage. Let the skin absorb the tincture on its own and be saturated with the necessary moisture. The procedure will instantly invigorate the skin, help you wake up faster and prepare for a productive day. In just a week, the pores will become narrower, the complexion will even out, redness will subside, and the skin itself will look tightened and fresh.

Mask for the face

Boil small pieces of the plant and grind them into a thick paste. Mix with those food ingredients that suit your skin type and apply to your face. 10-20 minutes will be enough for the skin to receive a vitamin charge, but not dry out under the influence of the active ingredients.

Butter or body lotion

The recipe is similar to a face mask made from ground boiled eucalyptus. Apply pure or enriched gruel to the skin, but do not rub, but leave for 30-60 minutes. The skin will independently absorb the necessary components in rational quantities. After an hour, take a warm shower, rinse off the greasy batter and apply your usual care products. Eucalyptus will relieve irritation after depilation, visually tighten the skin, even out its color and structure.

Enrich basic care

Every woman has at least one jar in her arsenal for one area of ​​the body. You can add 2-10 drops of eucalyptus oil to one of these jars (the amount depends on the size of the container). You can enrich everything: from foot cream to serum for sensitive skin around the eyes. The oil will prevent the appearance of the first wrinkles, stretch marks, protect the skin from ultraviolet rays or heal traces of their exposure.

Anti-inflammatory spot treatment

Apply essential oil directly to inflammation to dry out the pimple, disinfect the infected area of ​​skin and prevent the formation of scar tissue.

Ingredient storage rules

Storage conditions directly depend on the condition of the plant. Dried leaves should be placed in closed glass jars with a thick bottom and walls to prevent the penetration of ultraviolet rays. In this state, the leaves can be stored for 3 years without losing their appearance, benefits, or taste. Eucalyptus spices should be stored under the same conditions and time frame.

Fresh plants can be stored for no more than a week. During these 7 days, you need to have time to get acquainted with eucalyptus as a spice, medicine and a means of natural beauty. Store the fresh plant in the refrigerator in a craft bag, glass or plastic container.

My curiosity is unpredictable. Some people ask questions about the merits of the film “Australia”, some about the shortcomings, but I’m interested in why the koala (whose name is translated from the local word “never drinks water”) does not eat or drink anything except eucalyptus leaves? No, no, I understand everything about the niche, competition, evolution and all that. It is clear. I'm interested in something else - why can't he eat anything else? What is there in eucalyptus that no other plant has, that is irreplaceable for the koala, and without which this one of the most wonderful animals on the planet dies? There must be something firmly built into his metabolism. Or the koala does not have something that processes what is in all leaves except eucalyptus ones.

So, I went looking and along the way I learned a lot of interesting things about this eucalyptus.

Firstly, many of its species prefer to shed bark rather than leaves. Why is this tree called “shameless” in the vicinity of Tashkent? In Australia, for this habit, I suspect, they call it a stronger word, since during drought these light fibrous pieces catch fire at sight and are carried by the wind over a radius of up to 20 km. This reason for the neuroses of local firefighters accounts for up to 120 tons per hectare. No, there are individual conscious species that shed leaves, but there are only 10 of them out of more than 500 known. So you can imagine the quality of the fireworks.

And it’s impossible to keep up with these plant pyromaniacs. Do you feel like your children are growing up quickly? And then what do you think a eucalyptus mother should feel, who just yesterday dropped a tiny and cute seed, and a year later looking at an impudent teenager one and a half human height? By the age of five, a teenager will reach a height of 15 meters, and by the age of thirty he will turn into tree-like Valuev the size of a two-hundred-year-old oak tree. And he will cheekily look down on the tiny little people from the Forestry Institute in Canberra, jumping around and trying to get some seeds. To send a few fire-hazardous creatures overseas for breeding and reforestation, as a gesture of brotherly love and friendship between peoples. Not for free, of course. Well, the employees are no strangers either, they’ve been working for years and know how to earn money. Therefore, they cut off branches with fruits using shots from a rifle with an optical sight.

Everything else is cut by completely different people, armed with the best chainsaws that man has ever invented. Because more than one saw and broke more than one tooth on eucalyptus. What a tooth - wood-boring beetles lost their jaws at once. That’s why they don’t touch eucalyptus. The wood of eucalyptus trees is first-class, stronger than oak and black walnut wood, dense and heavy. In addition, it almost does not rot, and therefore is used for ship plating, piles, telegraph poles and supports for power lines.

Well, koalas don’t eat bark and wood, so I turned to leaves. And the eucalyptus leaf is like your VIP camera at the VIP entrance, into which the VIP security guard is looking at the VIP janitor who is sweeping the VIP yard, throwing over his shoulder “VIP yours just like that.”
The leaf blade on a long petiole is always rotated so that the plane of the leaf is parallel to the sun's rays, then they slide along the leaf without stopping. Therefore, you don’t have to start looking for a shady corner in the eucalyptus forest to indulge in bliss and look at the koalas. Eucalyptus provides almost no shade.
For the same reason, leaves evaporate very little moisture. That’s why the koala receives its “ufologist’s diet” (well, it’s a completely ufological creature, you must agree), as befits an advanced space alien sent into difficult conditions - everything in one bottle, both water and food.

By the way, eucalyptus really absorbs water like a sponge. Thanks to its powerful root system, a hectare of eucalyptus forest sucks up to 12 million liters of water from the soil per year. For this reason, eucalyptus sponge is a very popular means of draining swamps. And that is why at one time mass plantings of eucalyptus trees began in the USSR, when it was necessary to drain the Colchis lowland.

Where there are leaves, there are flowers. A eucalyptus bud consists of two parts - a calyx and a cap. When the bud ripens, the cap falls off, and numerous multi-colored stamens burst out from the calyx in a riotous bunch. The flowers have practically no smell, although the eucalyptus itself smells great, we know that. What's the matter? Why such designer luxuries if a tree with the coloring “student of a closed Catholic school of strict security” grows out of them? And besides, the birds that pollinate eucalyptus trees are not good at perfumery delights. Their sense of smell is poorly developed, but their vision...compared to birds, we are all color blind. But some species of eucalyptus nevertheless acquired other helpers for their demographic needs - the marsupial opossum and flying foxes.

Yes, all this is very interesting, but what is so special about these leaves? And there, in special bags immersed in the leaf tissue, a large amount of essential oils is contained - up to 5% of the weight of the leaves. Their composition varies depending on the type of eucalyptus, as does the aroma. Lemon eucalyptus smells...
Well, yes, it smells like lemons, what else. More than half of its essential oil is citral and citronellal, already familiar to us from “Chemical Charging”. Although this does not exhaust its aromatic range - additional colors are added by citronellol, which smells like roses, geraniol, isopulegone and some sesquiterpenes. That's why lemon eucalyptus is highly valued by perfumers. If Süskind's anti-hero had the opportunity to get acquainted with it, who knows, maybe he would have left his aunts alone. His attraction to thanatos could also be satisfied, since the young shoots of eucalyptus trees also smell of prussic acid.

But we all come across eucalyptus oils much earlier than we start using various odorous substances for a lot of money. Yes, yes, inhalations. The main suppliers of medicinal eucalyptus oil are. eucalyptus ball, ash and twig-shaped. Their oil contains up to 80% cineole. As soon as they smell the smell of this potent bactericidal substance, typhoid bacilli write a will, diphtheria bacilli pack their suitcases, and the dysentery amoeba crawls away with the words “sorry, I got the wrong door.” Even the famous carbolic acid does not produce such a deadly effect on these pests as eucalyptus oil. It is used for inhalation and as a good disinfectant and expectorant. Therefore, it is recommended for all sick people to plant eucalyptus in a tub, wait for it to germinate from the first to fifth floors and breathe the whole house with eucalyptus-enhanced air, the amount of essential oils in a cubic meter reaches up to 2.5 mg.

Yes, sir, but what about the koala, after all? Why can't he eat anything but eucalyptus? After all, other leaves also contain cellulose, the breakdown products of which it absorbs. So why? I was never able to find an answer to this question. Maybe some of you know him. But I think they just fit together very well - a unique tree and a unique bear.

The koala is a small, cute, gentle animal that lives only on one continent - Australia. In the Aboriginal language, the word "koala" means "does not drink." The animal actually practically does not drink water, being content with the moisture contained in eucalyptus leaves. Its Greco-Latin generic name "Phascolarctos" means "marsupial bear". The koala has indeed been called a bear for a long time, but it is not a bear, and it has nothing to do with bears, except that it looks like a fluffy teddy bear. In fact, the koala is a marsupial; it is the only modern representative of the Koala family (Phascolarctidae).

Today the koala is the most beloved marsupial animal by Australians, one of the recognized symbols of Australia, but this was not always the case. The first European settlers killed millions of these defenseless animals for their thick fur. However, deforestation of eucalyptus forests, drought and fires posed an even greater threat to the survival of the species. The threat to koalas peaked in 1924, when more than 2 million pelts were exported. By then, koalas had disappeared from South Australia and most of Victoria and New South Wales. As a result of public protest, a ban on hunting was introduced starting in 1944, and only 10 years later their population began to gradually recover. Currently, in a number of areas, particularly in the south of its range, the koala has again become a common species, and the IUCN lists this animal as being of least concern. However, intensive deforestation poses a threat to northern populations.

Description and photo of koala

The appearance of koalas is characteristic: the body is short and stocky, the head is large, round, with small eyes, large fluffy ears and a patch of bare skin on the nose. The tail is rudimentary, almost invisible from the outside. The color of the thick and soft fur on the dorsal side varies from gray to reddish-brown; There is white fur on the chin, chest and inner surface of the forelimbs. The ears are bordered with long white hair, the rump is covered with white spots. In the north of their habitat, the fur of the animals is shorter and less common.

The koala's body length is 70–85 cm, weight 7–12 kg. Males are more massive than females, they have a wider muzzle, and the size of the ears is smaller. In addition, males have a scent gland on their chest, with which they leave marks on trees within their territory. Females have a pouch with two nipples that opens back.

The koala is remarkably adapted for a sedentary arboreal lifestyle. Its body is covered with thick fur, which protects the animal from bad weather and temperature fluctuations, which is very important - after all, koalas do not have any shelters or shelters. Large paws are equipped with strongly curved claws, thanks to which the animal can easily climb the tallest tree with smooth bark. The photo shows a good view of the powerful and strong claws of a koala. If an animal sticks them into a tree, it will not fall down.

When climbing a eucalyptus tree, the koala grasps the trunk with its strong front paws, moving its body upward and at the same time pulling up its forelimbs. On the hind legs, the first toe is opposed to the others, the second and third are almost fused. On the front feet, the first and second toes are opposed to the others, providing a strong grip when climbing. The soles of the paws are bare, with a palpable pattern. An interesting fact is that koala fingerprints are almost identical to human ones.

The koala has a total of 30 teeth; the upper jaw retains three pairs of incisors and rudimentary fangs. The teeth are well adapted to feeding on eucalyptus leaves, which contain a large amount of fiber. Chewed leaves undergo microbial fermentation in the cecum, which is the longest in relation to body length of any mammal (its length is 1.8-2.5 meters).

In the photo, a koala habitually eats the leaves of his favorite eucalyptus tree.

The koala's brain, compared to its body size, is one of the smallest among mammals, only 0.2% of its total body weight. Scientists believe that this is due to adaptation to a low-calorie diet.

Where does the koala live?

Koalas are found only in Australia, where they are found over many hundreds of thousands of square kilometers in the east of the continent from northern Queensland to southern Victoria. Populations of these marsupials are often separated from each other by wide areas of cleared forests. Koalas have chosen moist mountain forests in the south, vineyards in the north, coppices and semi-desert landscapes in western Australia. Population density depends on the productivity of the land. In the south, in rain forests, it reaches 8 animals per hectare, and in the semi-desert zone, only one individual can live on an area of ​​100 hectares.

How does a koala live in the wild?

The life of koalas is closely connected with trees of the genus Eucalyptus, in the crowns of which they spend almost all their time. They spend most of the day (18-20 hours) sleeping, feeding takes 2-3 hours, and the rest of the time the animals just sit. Only occasionally do they descend to the ground to run from one tree to another.

Koalas usually sleep during the day, but at night they are busy leisurely absorbing eucalyptus leaves. The movements of the animals are usually very slow and lazy, although a frightened animal is capable of moving very quickly.

Koalas lead a sedentary lifestyle. Most are loners; they rarely live in pairs. Adult animals occupy certain habitat areas. In favorable conditions, these areas are relatively small: a male can occupy only 1.5-3 hectares, females even less - 0.5-1 hectares. In areas poor in vegetation, the male's area can be more than 100 hectares. The territory of a dominant male can overlap the areas of up to 9 females, and also the areas of subordinate males. Each animal has several favorite food trees on its individual plot.

In nature, the koala lives up to 10 years, the maximum known life expectancy in captivity is 18 years.

What do koalas eat? Eucalyptus diet

The leaves of the evergreen eucalyptus provide koalas with a constant source of food. An adult eats about 500 grams of fresh leaves per day, and although more than 600 species of eucalyptus trees grow on the Green Continent, the koala eats leaves of only 30 of them. In different regions, preference is given to different types of eucalyptus, but mainly to those that grow in conditions of high humidity.

Such a diet may seem dubious at first glance, because eucalyptus leaves are inedible or even poisonous to most herbivores. They are low in nutrients and contain a lot of indigestible fiber, as well as toxic phenols and terpenes. However, these animals have several adaptations that help them cope with such inedible food. They do not eat some leaves at all; the toxic components of others are neutralized by the liver and excreted from the body. Since the diet is low in calories, koalas sleep up to 20 hours a day. They conserve water and, except in the hottest weather, obtain the necessary moisture from the leaves they eat. Thus, evolution gave koalas a source of food that was available all year round, and also freed them from food competition.

Continuation of the family line

Koalas are polygamous, with a small number of males accounting for the majority of matings. But the details of the distribution of matings between dominant and subdominant animals are not fully understood.

Both female and male koalas reach sexual maturity at two years of age. From this time, females begin to reproduce, while males begin breeding 2-3 years later, when they become large enough to compete for a female.

The breeding season is in spring and early summer (September–January). At this time, males move very long distances, and clashes often occur between them when they meet. During “weddings” the “grooms” constantly roar. These calls, consisting of loud inhalations followed by bubbling exhalations, are designed to attract the attention of brides and also warn competitors. The call of one male usually evokes a response from nearby relatives. During this period, males often mark the boundaries of their territory by rubbing their chests against trees.

The female brings one litter per year of one, less often of two cubs. Pregnancy lasts 35 days. The baby is extremely small at birth - its weight is less than 0.5 kg. The newborn climbs into the pouch, where it is securely attached to one of the two nipples. The small koala spends approximately 6 months in the pouch, where it grows and develops. The mother carries him on her back for some time.

From the age of seven months, the baby switches to feeding on a special gruel made from semi-digested eucalyptus leaves, secreted by the mother’s digestive system, getting used to the food of adult animals. A young koala becomes independent by the age of 11 months, but usually continues to stay close to its mother for several more months.

Conservation in nature

In nature, the koala has practically no enemies; predators do not favor its meat, apparently due to the fact that it has a strong eucalyptus smell. Despite this, animals are often considered vulnerable. Although no one has officially counted these marsupials, according to unofficial data, their number ranges from 40 thousand to 1 million. Habitat destruction is the main threat to most koala populations in the northern part of their range. But the situation is much more serious in the semi-desert regions of central Queensland, where about 400 thousand hectares are cleared annually for pastures and other agricultural needs. And although environmentalists are sounding the alarm and trying to stop the destruction of forests, the problem remains relevant in the agricultural areas of central Queensland.

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