7 interesting koala facts you have to know

 

1 “Koala bear” is not a bear, in fact, koala even is not a mammal but a marsupial, its closest relative is kangaroos.

2 Koala’s pregnancy is only 35 days. A newborn baby koala is furless, blind, shaped like a peanut and less than 1 inch long, the newborn koala is called “Pinkie”, it will attach the teat and hide in mother’s pouch for 6 months.

3 In an Aborigine language, “koala” means “does not drink,” that’s true, koala doesn’t drink and it gets necessary moisture from the gum leaves. But in the drought days, it will drink because the leaves are dry.

4 Koalas are shy and not sociable, but when they are thirsty, they may ask human for water.

5. Koalas eat nothing but only eucalyptus leaves. Eucalyptus leaves are high in cellulose, low in nutrition and are toxic. Koala’s digestive system can detoxify toxic leaves.

6. Detoxifying leaves cost a lot of energy; breaking down cellulose is difficult; diet has such low calorie. Life is so hard, so koala bravely decides to against these challenges – by sleeping. Yes, sleeping is the best way to save energies. A koala can sleep 20-22 hours a day and only moves at night.

7. Long time ago, koalas were hunted by European settlers for fur trade, more than two million koalas were killed during 1908 to 1927.