An arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia. The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus, or, inaccurately, koala bear) is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia. It is the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae and its closest living relatives are the wombats, which comprise the family Vombatidae..
What are some interesting facts about koalas?
a few more koala facts 1 The koala is not a bear and is not related to any bear species 2 The word “koala” is an Aboriginal term for “no drink” because the koala gets most of its hydration from the leaves it eats 3 Koalas sleep between 18 and 20 hours a day 4 Koalas smell like eucalyptus cough drops
What does a koala bear look like?
The koala bear has a broad face with forward facing eyes, a large head with round tufted ears and an egg-shaped tailless body covered with plush grey to brown fur that is whiter on the undersides and often mottled over the rump.
Is the agile wallaby a dwarf form of the giant koala?
P. cinereus may have emerged as a dwarf form of the giant koala ( P. stirtoni ). The reduction in the size of large mammals has been seen as a common phenomenon worldwide during the late Pleistocene, and several Australian mammals, such as the agile wallaby, are traditionally believed to have resulted from this dwarfing.
How many types of koalas are there in Australia?
Traditionally, three distinct subspecies have been recognised: the Queensland koala (P. c. adustus, Thomas 1923), the New South Wales koala (P. c. cinereus, Goldfuss 1817), and the Victorian koala (P. c. victor, Troughton 1935).
What is the closest living relative to a koala?
It is the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae and its closest living relatives are the wombats, which are members of the family Vombatidae. The koala is found in coastal areas of the mainland’s eastern and southern regions, inhabiting Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia.
Is a koala a marsupial animal?
Often called the koala “bear,” this tree-climbing animal is a marsupial—a mammal with a pouch for the development of offspring. Though koalas look fuzzy, their hair is more like the coarse wool of a sheep.
