Koala is a bear, but not a teddy bear. Koalas: where they live and what the animal is. A marsupial bear that lives in trees.

Funny little bear cubs, in fact, are not bears at all. Although they appearance resembles clubfoot.

website - Let's dream together, today he will talk about funny bears from Australia, which are not bears at all.

When you say the country Australia, kangaroos and koalas come to mind. These animals are different and similar at the same time. They live only in Australia, have approximately the same color, carry babies on themselves...

They are the symbol of the country and are used in commercials, presented in cartoons and soft toys. By the way, we have a soft koala at home. Once about 18 years ago, our grandfather brought him from a business trip to Australia.

Even 15 million years ago, their ancient relatives lived on the planet - more than 18 species of marsupial bears. One of them: the Queensland koala was 28 times larger than its modern brother.

They have an external resemblance to a bear due to the absence of a tail, and their stocky structure, long claws and muzzle are somewhat reminiscent of our favorite fairy tale heroes.

Where does the koala live?

“Australian bears” live in the eastern part of the continent. It is there that eucalyptus trees grow - the favorite delicacy of these mammals. They spend almost their entire life in their branches. They eat, sleep and contemplate the surroundings.

Long sharp claws help them move, hold on to the trunk and not fall to the ground in their sleep. An adult animal can weigh from 6 to 15 kilograms.

Koala animal photo: ©nationalgeographic.com Children boys stay with their mother until they are almost 3 years old

For a stronger grip, the fingers on their paw are strongly spread to the sides: two in one direction and three in the opposite direction.

Fingerprints of shaggy hooligans

Koalas have a pattern of lines and papillaries on their fingers. Almost like a person. Such lines exist in the animal world only in monkeys and a limited number of mammals, which include koalas, and in humans, of course.

And an interesting feature of these mammals is the size of the brain. Not its very presence or absence, but its gradually decreasing size.

This is probably due to an extremely sedentary lifestyle and strict plant food. The ratio of brain mass to the entire body is only 0.2%!

The rest of the skull is filled with cerebrospinal fluid, so the head is of generally accepted size in appearance. This leads to interesting associations with people.

That's why physical exercise Apparently useful to everyone: both koalas and people. So that the brain does not shrink.

How a koala screams - a cry like a human child

Although Australian babies are small in size, they can scream so much that you can hear them a kilometer away. And with high volume and very low frequency.

They have a second, additional pair of vocal cords. Which comes to the rescue at the right moment of danger or during a period mating games.

And when a koala is very frightened or injured, it can make sounds similar to the crying of a human baby. You can hear the koala screaming in the video at the end of the article.

What does a koala eat?

Favorite food and delicacy are eucalyptus leaves.

For almost their entire short life (up to 18-20 years), koalas hang out on the crowns of these trees:

• At night, when it gets cooler, he climbs from branch to branch
• During the day, when it’s hot, he sleeps tightly clinging to the eucalyptus with his claws

By the way, these “sloths” sleep almost 18-20 hours a day.

The slowness of koalas can be justified: they eat extremely poisonous eucalyptus leaves. Young shoots are less poisonous, and the leaves of this plant in the fall contain huge amounts of phenolic resins and hydrocyanic acid. They take a long time to digest and do not contain protein, which is so necessary for all animals.

Therefore, they have very few competitors in food, only possums and flying squirrels. So, from morning to evening, fluffy sloths try to eat more leaves so that no one gets them. And move less. Processing leaves requires a lot of energy.

The main thing is not to fall from a tree in a dream

Why do koalas go without water?

Koalas don't drink. Only during illness or prolonged drought. They get all the necessary liquid from the same eucalyptus leaves or drops of morning dew. Instead of vitamins, these animals from time to time eat the soil in which they are found! a huge amount of minerals.

Lazy extreme sportsmen

Koalas can jump, but they are very reluctant to do such tricks. Preferring to slowly descend to the ground and climb onto a nearby tree. In moments of danger they can surprise you with their agility and extreme jumps.

These phlegmatic mammals are also capable of frisky galloping, jumping and even swimming in ponds. It’s just that, like most people, koalas don’t like to make unnecessary movements.

Video about showdown between two koalas

How an angry koala screams when its territory has been occupied. The strongest will win.

Koalas are lazy from birth

Once every 1-2 years, a mother koala gives birth to babies. Usually this is one “bear cub”, very rarely there are twins. He is bottle-fed for six months, and for another six months he rides exclusively on his mother’s back.

Boys stay with their mother until they are almost 3 years old, while daughters set off on their own at 1 year of age.

These animals are exterminated in huge numbers because of their dense, thick and beautiful fur.

Now the authorities are trying to stop this trend by transferring the animals to separate islands nearby (Phillip Island) turned into natural parks. Where koalas can live in a natural and safe environment.

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Koalas are small, dense animals, whose height ranges from 60 to 85 cm, and their weight is 5-16 kg. The head of these animals is large, the muzzle is flat. The eyes are small and widely spaced. The ears are rounded, shaggy and large, always listening, alert. Koalas' paws are well adapted for clinging and climbing; the index and thumb are opposed to the rest, making it convenient to grasp branches. The tail of the animal is quite small, almost invisible.

Koala fur is thick and soft, its color depends on the animal’s habitat, so it can be gray, reddish or red. The fur on the belly is always lighter than on the back. The most prominent part of the animal's body is its claws. They are quite powerful. Having stuck them into a tree, the koala will not fall, even if he falls asleep (and they sometimes sleep up to twenty hours a day). Koalas are phlegmatic animals; they can sit on a tree for hours, only occasionally turning their heads. Often an equally imperturbable baby sits on the mother’s back. These funny animals are usually silent, but the males emit a loud calling call that can be heard at a distance of a kilometer during the breeding season.

Nutrition and lifestyle

Koalas inhabit eucalyptus forests, spending almost their entire lives on the treetops. Animals sleep during the day, sitting comfortably on branches, and at night they climb trees in search of food. Koalas descend to the ground only to move to another tree, which they cannot jump to (although koalas jump, surprisingly, confidently and easily). To escape, these slow and phlegmatic animals switch to an energetic gallop, quickly climbing onto the nearest eucalyptus tree.

The slowness of koalas is associated with their feeding habits. Animals have adapted to eat only leaves and shoots of eucalyptus, which contain little protein, but a lot of terpenes and phenolic compounds(they are poisonous to most animals). Closer to autumn, hydrocyanic acid accumulates in young shoots. Thanks to poisonous properties plants, food competition among koalas is extremely low.

Koalas choose to eat only those types of eucalyptus that contain fewer phenolic compounds, and also prefer trees growing on fertile soil. Of the 800 species of eucalyptus, marsupial bears feed on only 120 species. A developed sense of smell allows koalas to choose suitable food. Every day the animal eats up to 1.1 kg of leaves, which it chews thoroughly and accumulates the green mass in its cheek pouches.

Koalas get all their moisture from eucalyptus leaves and dew on them. Animals drink water only during periods of prolonged drought, as well as during illness. To compensate for the deficiency of minerals, these animals eat nutritious soil from time to time. The most common diseases of koalas: cystitis, conjunctivitis, periostitis of the skull, sinusitis.

Reproduction

Females stick to their areas and lead a solitary lifestyle, rarely leaving their place of residence. Male koalas are not territorial, but when they meet, they often attack each other (especially during the breeding season) and cause injury.

The mating season lasts from October to February. Animals gather in groups, which consist of several females and one male (since much fewer males are born). During this period, males make loud calls and rub their chests against trees, leaving marks. Mating between animals occurs in trees.

The female's pregnancy lasts on average 30-35 days. There is only one cub in the litter. At birth, the baby has a body length of up to 18 mm and a body weight of about 6 grams. The baby is carried by the koala in a pouch for up to six months. Then he travels for the same amount of time on his mother’s back, clinging to the fur and feeding on milk. At 30 weeks of age, the baby koala begins to eat its mother's liquid excrement. At the age of one year, he becomes independent and goes in search of sites (often staying with his mothers until he is three years old).

Koalas breed once every year or two. Sexual maturity in males occurs at 3-4 years, in females - at 2-3 years. These animals live on average 13 years.

The koala or marsupial bear (Phascolarctos cinereus) is the only species of the koala family, the koala lives in eastern Australia.
Koala - small beast dense build, body length 60–82 cm, weight from 5 to 16 kg. The koala's tail is very short, invisible from the outside, the head is large and wide, the ears are large, and the eyes are small. The koala's hair is thick and soft, on the back the color varies from light gray to dark gray, sometimes reddish or reddish, the belly is lighter.

The size and color of a koala depends on its habitat, so koalas are larger, they have thicker fur of a dark gray color, often with a brownish tint on the back. In tropical and subtropical koalas, koalas are much smaller and lighter, their fur is less frequent and shorter.

The koala's limbs are adapted for climbing - the thumb and index fingers of the front and hind limbs are opposed to the rest, which allows the koala to grasp tree branches, thumb the hind limbs have no claw. The claws are strong and sharp, capable of supporting the weight of the animal. Koalas are one of the few non-primates to have a papillary pattern on their fingertips, and koala fingerprints are indistinguishable from human fingerprints even under an electron microscope.

The koala is called a marsupial bear because the koala's muzzle slightly resembles a bear, and the location of the brood pouch and dental formula make it similar to the koala, with which it apparently had a common ancestor.

Koalas inhabit eucalyptus forests and spend almost their entire lives in the crowns of these trees. During the day, the koala sleeps 18–22 hours a day, and at night it climbs trees, looking for food. Even if the koala is not sleeping, it usually sits completely motionless for hours, grasping a branch or tree trunk with its front paws. The koala descends to the ground only to move to a new tree, which it cannot reach, and koalas jump from tree to tree with surprisingly dexterity and confidence.

The koala's slowness is associated with its feeding habits. It has adapted to feed almost exclusively on eucalyptus shoots and leaves, which are fibrous and low in protein, but contain many phenolic and terpene compounds that are poisonous to most animals. In addition, young shoots, especially closer to autumn, contain hydrocyanic acid. Due to their poisonous properties, the koala has extremely little food competition from other animals - besides it, only the ring-tailed possum and the marsupial flying squirrel feed on eucalyptus leaves.

To avoid poisoning, koalas choose to eat only those types of eucalyptus trees that contain fewer phenolic compounds, and prefer trees growing on fertile soils (especially along river banks), whose leaves contain a lower concentration of poison than eucalyptus trees growing on poor, infertile soils. lands. As a result, of the 800 species of eucalyptus, koalas feed on only 120 species. A developed sense of smell apparently helps koalas choose suitable food. In captivity, where the animal usually has fewer choices, it can even become food poisoning as a result of a cumulative effect.
The koala's metabolic rate is almost half that of most mammals (with the exception of wombats and sloths), which helps it compensate for the low nutritional value of its diet. A koala needs from 0.5 to 1.1 kg of leaves per day, which it carefully crushes and chews, accumulating the resulting mass in its cheek pouches. Like all mammals that eat fibrous plant foods, koalas have a rich microflora in their digestive tract, including bacteria that convert indigestible cellulose into digestible compounds. The cecum, where the digestion process takes place, is extremely developed, reaching a length of 2.4 m. Toxic substances, entering the blood, are neutralized in the liver.

“Koala” in the tribal language means “not to drink” - the koala gets all the moisture it needs from the leaves of eucalyptus trees, as well as from the dew on the leaves. They drink water only during periods of prolonged drought and during illness. To compensate for the deficiency of minerals in the body, koalas eat soil from time to time.

There is no natural regulator of the number of these animals in nature - native predators do not hunt them; Koalas are attacked only by dingoes and feral dogs. But koalas often get sick. Cystitis, periostitis of the skull, conjunctivitis, sinusitis are their common diseases; Sinusitis often leads to pneumonia, especially in cold winter.

Female koalas lead a solitary lifestyle and stick to their own areas, which they rarely leave. In fertile areas, the sites of individual individuals often overlap each other. Males are not territorial, but even less sociable - when they meet, especially during the breeding season, they often attack each other, causing injury.

Only during the breeding season, which lasts from October to February, koalas gather in groups consisting of an adult male and several females. At this time, males often rub their chests against trees, leaving odorous marks, and emit loud calling calls, sometimes heard a kilometer away. Since fewer males are born than females, harems of 2-5 females gather around male koalas during the mating season. Mating takes place on a tree (not necessarily eucalyptus).

Pregnancy lasts 30-35 days. There is only one cub in the litter, which at birth is only 15–18 mm long and weighs about 5.5 g; occasionally twins. The cub remains in the pouch for 6 months, feeding on milk, and then “travels” for another six months on the mother’s back or stomach, clinging to her fur. At 30 weeks of age, he begins to eat his mother’s semi-liquid excrement, consisting of a kind of gruel from semi-digested eucalyptus leaves - in this way, microorganisms necessary for digestive process. The mother excretes this pulp for about a month. At the age of one year, the cubs become independent - young females at the age of 12-18 months go in search of sites, but males often remain with their mothers until they are 2-3 years old.
Koalas breed once every 1-2 years. Sexual maturity in females occurs at 2-3 years, in males at 3-4 years. On average, a koala lives 12-13 years, although there are cases where they live up to 20 years of age.

Koalas are mammals, marsupials. Live in natural environment wildlife only in Australia and Tasmania (like many other marsupials). They resemble bears only in appearance. The lifestyle of koalas is completely different.

Animal life has been studied by scientists since the 19th century. Previously, this animal was unknown to science.

Quote from the site " Amazing world Australia":

“Koala packs were known to science and society only in 1802, and a year later the first living animal of this breed was caught.
Koalas received their “official” scientific name back in 1816, when they were given the name Phascolarctos – from the Greek phaskolos “skin bag” + arktos “bear”.
Koalas got their specific name, cinereus (gray, ashy), thanks to the color of their fur.”

Koalas lead exclusively night image life. At night, these cute lumps doze on comfortable beds made of eucalyptus branches. Of course, beds in trees. Well, it’s not far from the dining room

In the language of indigenous Australians, the word "koala" means "never drinking water" Indeed, these amazing bears obtain almost all the liquid they need for life from eucalyptus leaves.

They, unlike bears, do not eat meat at all and feed exclusively on eucalyptus leaves, and in different time of the year - different types this type of tree. This is because many varieties of eucalyptus release toxic chemicals at some point in time. This is mainly hydrocyanic acid, which, when released into the blood, affects the respiratory system. Also, koalas are not like bears because they lead an almost entirely arboreal lifestyle and descend from their abode only to climb another tree.

Koalas' feet are excellent for climbing and clinging.
Their thumb and index fingers are opposed to all the others - it is more convenient to grasp branches.

Koalas also have a tail, it’s just so tiny that it’s almost unnoticeable.

The fur of these animals is soft and thick, its color depends on the area where the koala lives, and can be gray, reddish and even reddish. It is always lighter on the belly than on the back.

One of the most prominent parts of a koala's body is its claws. They are so powerful and strong that, having stuck them into a tree, the koala does not fall down, even when he is fast asleep.

And they sleep often and for a long time, up to 20 hours a day. Koalas are generally very phlegmatic animals: during the day, even if they do not sleep, they sit motionless, clinging to a tree and only turning their heads from side to side. Often the baby sits on the female’s back, as calm as its mother.

Adult males have their own harems (groups of females). In the summer, approximately once every two years, a female koala gives birth to a single baby.

A newborn cub reaches approximately 2 cm and weighs 5 grams. For half a year the bear cub sits in its mother’s bag. At 7-8 months, the baby begins to gradually get out of his mother’s bag and explore the world, and at 9 months he leaves his shelter and moves to his mother’s back, where he will spend about another year.

The average lifespan of an animal is about 13 years, although there are individuals that live up to 18 years. The female often lives longer than the male. Koalas easily get used to captivity if it is an Australian reserve. However, they only need eucalyptus, so they reproduce well in state protected parks.

The number of koalas was declining alarmingly quickly due to mass hunting. Koala hunting is now prohibited. The number of these wonderful bears is slowly but increasing.

Interesting thing: koalas have fingerprints similar to human ones.

We invite you to look at photographs of these wonderful animals.

Sometimes I can’t believe that these funny animals really live in the wild. I just want to take the koala in my arms. take it home, wrap it in a blanket and cradle it like a baby :))

Thick fur makes the animal look like a teddy bear. Interestingly, the color of the fur depends on where the koala lives.
Possible fur colors: smoky gray, bright and light red, almost red.

Interestingly, koalas do not drink water at all.

On the soft pads of koala fingers, if you look closely, you can see a pattern identical to a human print.

Koalas can also boast of their claws, which are so strong that they can withstand the weight of the animal.

There are no claws on the big toes of the koala's hind legs.

Koala pregnancy lasts only 1 month.

After birth, the baby lives in the mother’s pouch for six months and feeds on milk.

Then, when the baby moves onto his mother’s back, he eats special feces (excrement) so that the baby receives the necessary microorganisms for good digestion.

Koalas sleep 18-22 hours a day. Still would! They get so tired digesting their heavy food...

Koalas are under the close attention of the World Wildlife Fund.

The World Wildlife Fund (WWF, - World Wide Fund for Nature, World Wildlife Fund) is one of the world's largest public charitable organizations, working for more than 50 years to protect nature around the planet. Every year WWF carries out over 1200 environmental projects, attracting the attention of millions of people to the problems of protection environment and their solution.

Koalas are usually silent. They make sounds only in times of danger. Frightened or injured koalas scream and cry like human children.

Here's another interesting fact:

The size of these amazing animals can vary (as well as the color of the fur) depending on the territory in which the individual lives. Thus, the largest individuals live in the state of Victoria, and the smallest of the koalas live in Queensland.

The story of a baby koala named Raymond

Not long ago, not far from the Australian town of Brisbane, an orphaned baby koala was discovered right on the road. Of course, the man who found him could not leave the baby to die in the middle of the road.

He was so small that he easily fit into a coffee mug, and even now, a month later, he had grown only a little. His nurse and guardian Julie Zyzniewski gave the baby the nickname Raymond.

Baby koalas, forced to be separated from their mothers in such early age, suffer madly and even fall into real depression, refusing the milk offered to them. But Julia managed to feed and warm the baby with her care and affection. He began to eat and get better. In a couple of weeks he gained as much as 65 grams!!!

04/26/2016 at 13:13 Moscow time 6 626

The koala animal, or as it is commonly called the marsupial bear, is the only representative of its kind. He received comparisons with him due to his resemblance to the plush creature.

His striking appearance brings him closer to soft toy. The body of the animal is not large, its weight reaches 12 - 13 kg, with a height of 71 cm.

The koala has a flattened muzzle, impressive ears, covered with thick fur. A black, smooth, elongated nose can boast of its lack of hair.

The bamboo eyes are small in diameter and round in shape. The color is dark brown. The color of the fur coat can be ashy and even reddish, but it itself is short. The fur on the belly is lighter.

Another one distinguishing feature The animal koala is a tail, barely noticeable on the body. The claws are sharp on the front paws - curved, the thumb and forefinger are spread out, which makes it easier to climb trees well, but they are absent on the toes of the hind feet. They swim great. They can even gallop to the desired object if they are unable to jump.

Koalas are constantly on the tree trunk. Much of the time they sleep or simply chew leaves. Bamboo bear can be found directly in tropical forests. They inhabit the continent of Australia, mainly its southern and eastern region. They are endemic. That is, you will not see them anywhere else.

The Australian koala bear appeared more than 15 million years ago, but extermination at the beginning of the last century reduced the population, now you can’t find them in the West of the country

Many islands are inhabited artificially, transported from Victoria. Koala animals live near the coast, which dispels the popular myth that they do not drink water.

Nutrition

As mentioned above, the koala lives in eucalyptus plantations, and eats bark and greens containing toxic substances (fenoterols, hydrocyanic acid).

Endowed with a special sense of smell, mammals find young shoots where the level of toxicity is reduced. The microflora in the koala animal's stomach even copes with cellulose; the liver absorbs and processes toxic waste.

This, of course, does not exclude the possibility of poisoning, but still the risks are minimal. Receiving up to 90% of moisture from the leaves, the animals still come down to drink. Sometimes a koala may eat the ground to make up for the deficiency of important components.

The animal leads a solitary lifestyle and Fewer males are born. During the mating season from October to February, they gather in groups. For one male there are 3-4 females. They choose the strongest by smell. Fertilization occurs once every few years.

Bears offspring for a month and there is one, rarely a pair of cubs in the litter. Up to six months, a newborn koala eats breast milk and travels in mom's bag, which opens into reverse side. After 7 months, eucalyptus pulp is added to the diet, which enters the baby’s body through the mother’s excrement. By the age of one year the baby becomes independent.

Enemies

Peace-loving animals do not have them. The meat of the koala animal is saturated with poisons, so predators are in no hurry to taste it. Except maybe dingoes.

People used to hunt, and many skins were transported to the east. Because of their gullibility, they were a good target. Sedentary image, just 6 hours of wakefulness makes them terribly phlegmatic. Natural disasters - droughts, fires - contribute to extinction.

The koala is a marsupial animal that lives on average 13 years; there are also old-timers - 20 years. They are susceptible to eye diseases, respiratory system, genitourinary, which shortens their period.

The koala animal is listed in the Red Book. To ensure growth occurs under natural conditions, reserves have been created even in California (San Diego).

1. Fingerprints are similar to human prints and cannot be distinguished even under a microscope.
2. When they are depressed, they make sounds similar to a baby crying.
3. Marsupial bear dies in fires without running away, they only hold on tighter to the tree trunk.
4. The brain of the beast is only 0.2% by mass.
5. But they can be tamed and become attached to humans.
6. They have an unusual structure of the genital organs, two pairs each in the female and male.