Koala

A koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is a small, tree-dwelling marsupial native to Australia. It is known for its fuzzy, teddy bear-like appearance, slow movements, and a specialized diet of eucalyptus leaves. 🐨

Koalas have a round, compact body with a large head, a prominent nose, and big, fluffy ears. Their fur is a grayish-brown color and is thick and woolly. They have sharp claws on their strong limbs, which they use to climb and grip tree branches. They have two opposing thumbs on their front paws and an opposable toe on their hind paws, which helps them to grasp branches firmly.

Koalas are found in the eucalyptus forests of eastern and southeastern Australia. They are herbivores, and their diet consists almost exclusively of eucalyptus leaves. Eucalyptus leaves are highly toxic and low in nutritional value, so koalas have a specialized digestive system and a very slow metabolism to process them. They eat over a pound of leaves a day.

Koalas are mostly nocturnal and spend up to 20 hours a day sleeping. They are generally solitary animals. Koalas are a vulnerable species, with their populations threatened by habitat loss due to deforestation, bushfires, and climate change.