Learn About Koalas - They are NOT Bears

It's incorrect to call them 'koala bears'

Koalas are not bears. They are not placental or 'eutherian' mammals, but MARSUPIALS, which means that their young are born immature & they develop further in the safety of a pouch. (see photo to the left) It's incorrect to call them 'koala bears'. Their correct name is simply 'koalas.'

Each koala's 'home' is made up of several trees called HOME TREES. They visit these same trees regularly. The area covered by these trees is called the koala's HOME RANGE. Each koala has its own home range, which overlaps those of other koalas but except for breeding purposes, they do normally not visit another koala's home trees. The size of each home range depends upon a range of factors including the quality of the habitat and the sex, age and social position in the population of the koala.

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Foster-a-Koala Program

See link below

When you join our foster program you will receive a beautiful photo of your koala, a personalised certificate, annual support to the AKF and more. You can even visit your koala if you are in the area - we have had foster parents travel from all corners of the world to visit their little koalas! By joining our program you are helping to save Australia's wild koalas.

Koala Links

Koalas look so much like living teddy bears that many people call them koala bears. But koalas are not bears at all. They are members of an unusual group of mammals called marsupials. Like all marsupials, koalas have pouches they use for carrying their babies. And the only thing cuter than a fuzzy, friendly- looking koala is a sleepy koala baby peering out of its mother's pouch

Koala and Baby Art Print

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Creature Feature: Koalas @ Nationalgeographic.com: Fun fact section, video clips, and maps of where these creatures can be found.
Koala: Includes information about the size, appearance, habitat, life span, and diet of these eucalyptus leaf eating marsupials.
Koala Printout- EnchantedLearning.com: Provides information about Koalas such as diet and body structure.
Koala Facts: Koala slide show made by first and second graders.
Koala Information: Information and original photos of the Koala.
Koalas in America - San Diego Zoo: Page with information about the koala.
Kool Koalas: Contains several photographs.
Australian Koala Foundation: This site provides comprehensive and up to date information regarding the koala.
Real Time Stories From Our Hospital: Contains several stories about Koalas rescued at the hospital.
Adopt a Koala: Contains pictures and history of koalas kept at the Koala Hospital in Port Macquarie NSW Australia.

Eastern Australia

To see koalas in their natural home, it is necessary to visit eastern Australia. This is where koalas can find an abundant source of their preferred eucalyptus leaves. Different koala species prefer different kinds of leaves, so it is the trees that dictate what species of koala can be found in what area. The largest koalas (Victoria koalas) live the farthest south in the coldest areas. The koalas with the thinnest fur (Queensland koalas) live in the warmer, northern areas. The New South Wales koalas range in between.

The Koala Book

by: Ann Sharp

This is a wonderful book on many counts. Information isabundant, so you can use it for reports. But the best part is thedelightful photos of koalas at sleep, play, and the dinner table. I left out "work" because it doesn't seem to be in their vocabulary. One or two of the views of relaxing, snoozing koalas are alone worth the price of the book. Instead of reciting a mantra or meditating to relax, all you need do is look at those photos. A book for all ages.

Amazon Price: $23.10 (as of 11/28/2009)

Koalas and Other Marsupials (What Kind of Animal Is It?)

by: Bobbie Kalman, Robin Johnson

Amazon Price: $25.27 (as of 11/28/2009)

The word koala is aboriginal for "no drink." Koala get the water they need from their food.

- A male koala has a scent gland on his chest. It is used to attract females during mating season and to mark territory.

- The koala does not have an external tail.

- A koala can climb 150 feet to the top of a tree, and can leap from treetop to treetop.

- Koalas have few natural predators. They are usually killed when they come down from trees by domestic dogs or cars, and through loss of habitat.

Learn About Google Earth ( My Passion )

Google Earth is a 3D graphics application enabling the viewing of aerial photography and satellite images to show views of the Earth from above in great detail. Google has taken the features Google Maps and merged it with the capabilities...

BEHAVIOR:

BEHAVIOR:
Nocturnal mammals, koalas sleep for up to 16 hours a day. They are arboreal, which means that they live in trees. They do not live in big groups but rather prefer to be alone.