KOALA

Settlers had killed Koalas by the millions for their tense soft fur. Therefore, at the beginning of 20th century it was thought the koala species died out. A hunting ban, although almost too late, and conservation efforts brought the species back.

Koalas live in the lower eucalyptus forests of eastern Australia but where there is plenty of food the population flourish.

Do not be deceived by their cute look they are not all that cuddly. They have large paws and strong sharp-claws with opposable first and second digits designed for gripping tree trunks.

The nocturnal koala is able to survive solely on eucalyptus leaves. They are  fibrous but low in protein therefore the adult koala must eat a vast amount, 500g during one night. 

The koala has special grinding teeth to chew the leaves. It is hard to digest because it contains concentrates of phenolics and volatile oils. These poisonous compounds are detoxified in their liver helped by microbes a fermentation occurs in the caccum which is particularly large.

Their food is very low on nutrients and to conserve energy they move slowly and sleep up to 18 hours. They sit in the fork of a favourite feeding tree.

The male kola is half as big as the female. In the spring he is very active and patrols his territory each night. He utters harsh sounds and bellows out calls for a warning to other males. He mates with any female he finds. His home range measures up to 3ha and extending with several females, There are also sub-adults and non-breeding males. These animals hardly move and are happy within 1ha.

Males mate at four years and females start breeding when they are two years. The female has one baby and it weighs 0,5g. It attaches itself to one of the two nipples which are within the female's pouch. At five months they get weaned on to leafy material produced from her anus.

It is assumed that this pap provides the gut of the young with the microbes needed to digest eucalytus leaves.

At seven months the baby leaves the pouch to cling to its mother back. It will be only independet when it is one year old.