1. Customer: Ms.Aleva
Animal: Koala
Report by: Felicia Ferentinos
Koala Report
A Koala is an herbivore which means it can only eat vegetation. The
koala only eats the eucalyptus leaves. The only food that the koala enjoys is
the eucalyptus species. There are 600 different types of eucalyptus leaves
that grow in Australia. Just like wombats and sloths koalas can conserve
their energy by sleeping they can sleep about 19 hours in each day. Koalas
spent their whole day sleeping and resting. Koalas sometimes spent their
time eating. They can eat about 3 or 5 hours of eating food. Koalas can be
fed in every moment of the day. But usually they spent the most of their
time sleeping. A koala can eat about 500 grams of eucalyptus leaves in
every day. A koala can chew the leaves with their powerful jaws to very
small pieces of leaf before they are ready to swallow the leaves. Koalas can
store their unchewed leaves into their cheek pouches. Koalas have an
amazing sense of smell which they can use to look for the eucalyptus
leaves. Some people call the eucalyptus leaves the gum tree. Koalas can
also use their sense of smell to make sure that the gum leaves have edible
and they are not poison. Some koala’s species sometimes eat two or three
eucalyptus leave species. But if the species of the eucalyptus are not ready
to grow. Then the koalas will not eat at all that day. This is probably the
reason why the koalas that are in zoos that can be found around the world
are extremely successful with koala exhibits. When the koala does find a
eucalyptus tree then they will not climb down to the ground again. They
will get down from the tree when the leaves are diminished, or if the koala
wants to go for a drink of water from streams. When the koala is on the
ground they can run as fast as a rabbit. Koalas can eat about 50 or 600
species of eucalyptus trees that can grow around Australia. Eucalyptus
leaves are a very poisonous plant. They can be vey poisonous to other
animals that live in Australia. But the poison does not stop the koala from
eating it because koalas have very good bacteria that is located in the
animal’s stomach that can break down the leaves. Koalas usually eat their
food during the night. Koalas can only eat their eucalyptus leaves because
they are highly toxic. There are about 350 species of eucalyptus trees. The
eucalyptus can only be digest when they eat 20 or 5 pieces of eucalyptus
2. leaves. Koalas live in the eastern of Australia. They can be found on lot of
eucalyptus trees. All species of koala rather eat different types of leaves. All
species of koala all live in the trees and they can be seen in different types
of locations. Like the Victoria koala they live on the farthest south that can
be found on cold areas. These koalas have thin fur. The other species of
koala that lives in other part of Australia. This koala is called the
Queensland Koala they live in very warm areas which is in the north of
Australia. The New south wale koalas live in both areas the warm and the
cold areas. The koalas range is the south eastern and in the eastern of
Australia. Their habitat is the scrubland and the eucalyptus forest. Koalas
are found along the eastern coast of Australia that is near the Adelaide
which is in the Southern part of the Cape York Peninsula. They can be found
in the hinterland where they have a lot of rainfall so that the rain can help
the forest grow more trees and flowers. The koalas that live in the South of
Australia they were exterminated during the 20th century. Today koalas are
not found on the Tasmania and in Western Australia. Koalas are also found
in the forest of Australia. The only part that they live is in the eastern part
of Australia. They usually live in the dry forests. Some species of koalas that
live in colder areas to. These areas are in the South part of Australia. These
koalas are very big and they have very thick fur then the koalas that live in
the northern relatives. The southern koalas can weigh about 20 and 30
pounds (9 and 14 kilograms). The northern koalas can weight about 13 to
16 pounds (6 and 7 kilograms). A male koala size is 75-82cm (20. 5-32,3in).
A female koala’s size is about 68-73 cm (26. 8-28, 7in). A male koala can
weight about 9. 5 -12,5kg (20. 9-29.816) and a female can weight about 7-
9,8kg (15,421, 616). Koalas can length is 2 -3 feet (60 to 85 centimeters). A
Northern koala can also weight about 9 to 19 pounds (4 to 85
kilometers).The Southern koalas can also weight about 15 to 29 pounds (7
to 13 kilometers). The koala can grow about 2 to 3 feet (0.6.9m) long. They
can weight about 10-30 pounds (4.5-13.5 kg). A koala can also weight about
15 and 20 pounds. The males are bigger then the females. The Southern
koalas are the bigger and they also have brown fur then the koalas that live
in the north. A male other length that has been recorded is 78 cm and the
females length is 72cm. A male can weight about 12kg and the females can
weight about 8kg. Koalas can usually live about 10 and 15 years. The koalas
the live in the wild can live about 12 or 14 years. Koalas can also live about
13 years in the wild to and they can also live about 18 years in Captivity. A
3. koala can also weight up about 32 in (80cm). Koalas can even grow about
24-34in (60-85 cm). Koalas can even live about 13 and 18 years. Male
koalas that live in the wild can live about 10 years. The females can only live
about few years or even longer then males do. Some people may call the
koala bear but the koala is not a bear but they do have something’s in
common with bears which is they both are mammals. They both have
rounded fuzzy ears and they all look cute and cuddly. Just like a teddy bear.
But koalas are not a part of the bear family. They are part of a special group
that is called marsupials. This group includes other animals like the
kangaroo, wallabies, wallaroos, wombats, possums and opossums. These
animals only live in Australia and except for the opossums they live in North
America. But even though they kind of look like bears. A marsupial is an
animal that has a pouch to protect their young. Koalas look like teddy
bears. People have found fossils of different species of koala that are
extinct. The koalas that are extinct were lot bigger then the koalas that we
have today. They used to be called giant koalas. Koalas have a very thick
coat of fur. They also have very big ears and long limbs. All of these body
parts help the koala to survive in its natural habitat. All of these things help
the koalas for survive it’s habitat. Koalas also have very sharp curved claws
that can help the animal to climb trees. These climbs are also useful for
hanging on to branches. Each species of koala can eat about two and a half
pounds (one kilogram) of leaves in every day. Koalas can store their food
into their pouches which is located in the cheeks. In The San Diego Zoo had
the biggest population and the greatest successful koala breeding program
that is outside of Australia and was ever the first zoo in the United States to
welcome a baby koala joey. Koalas are not related to any of the wild bears
like the grizzly bear and the black bear. But their really close relates are the
wombats and the possums and other small animals that can be found on
South America and in North America. The koala maybe cute and cuddy but
it is a wild animal which means they do not make good pets. A koala can
climb a tree by using their special hands and feet. The koala’s hands and
feet both have claws. The koala’s hands only have two thumbs, and the
animal’s ridged skin at the bottom of the animal’s foot. This skin gives the
koala the strength to climb. Koalas have very strong arms and shoulder
muscles they help the koala to climb a 150 feet (46 meters) at the top of a
tree. This also helps the animal to leap to the next treetop to the other
treetop. The female koalas usually live alone which means that they are
4. solitary animals. Koalas also have distinct home ranges that are so rare to
leave it. But the male koalas are not territorial. They do not tolerate with
each other they even do this during the breeding season. The dominant
male can attack any of the subordinate ones. But some adult males carry
scars faces ears and forearms this shows how much harder they fraught
with their enemies. Koalas can be a very quiet animal. But not the males
they have a very loud advertising call that can be heard over a kilometer
away. This sound can be usually heard during the breeding season. Just like
any other marsupial babies are usually called a joey. A koala joey can live in
their mother’s backward-facing pouch like about months that is how long
the baby will remain inside its mother. All different types of marsupials this
also includes koalas they begin their lives very different then other
mammals. The mother koala will give birth to unfinished babies. They will
only remain inside the mother’s pouch about 30 days. After the 30 days had
pasted then the joey will become blind and deaf infant only about three
quarters of an inch long emerges. The joey will make about 5 minutes to
climb on its mothers pouch. When the baby is inside the mother’s pouch
then the baby will attach itself to a milk source. Joeys will hide from the
world until they reach 6 months. The size of a newborn koala is .015 to.
035. Female koalas will reach maturity in about 2 or 3 years. A male will
reach sexual maturity when they are 3 or 4 years old. If the koala is healthy
then the female can produce only one baby in each year like for 12 years.
Their Gestation period is in 35 days. A koala having twins usually never
happens. Koalas will start to mate in between December through March in
the Southern Hemisphere in the summer. A baby joey can be hairless and
earless when it is born. A newborn joey can be small as a jellybean. The
baby will can be small as a jellybean. The baby will feed on the mother’s
milk about 6 months when the baby has pasted 30 weeks then it can start
to eat semi-liquid that is formed in the mother’s excrement that is called a
pap. The baby will travel on its mother’s back about for 6 months and it can
also feed on both milk and gum leaves until they reach 12 months of age.
The young females will remain in a nearby place at this time. The young
males will often stay in their mother’s home range when they reach the
ages of 2 or 3 years old. Joeys can be born naked and are not fully furred
yet until they have been in their mother’s pouch about 6 months. A baby
koala can even climb without even seeing or hearing when the joey born
then it will use its strong forelimbs and hands to help them to crawl away
5. and to get out of their birth canal, and into their mother’s pouch.
Sometimes after 6 months when it is time for the joey to leave the pouch
then it can go inside the pouch to hide or to sleep. Joeys can also ride on
the mother’s belly. When the baby gets to big to fit inside the pouch then
the baby will climb onto its mothers back. Joeys can hold on to their
mother’s back by using their strong hands and feet. After a year then the
joey can take care of itself. A koala mother will be pregnant like about 34 to
36 days. Females will start to give birth when they are 2 or 3 years old. A
healthy female will only have one baby in about more than 10 years. The
baby will get food by the mother will start to drink the milk then it will start
to eat eucalyptus leaves. The mother will stop feeding her baby until the
baby reaches 12 months old. After the 12 months then the female baby will
be able to leave its mother at this time and they will start to move to a
different forest area, so that the joey female will start a family of its own.
The male will stay with their mother until they are around 2 or 3 years old.
When the male does leave its mother then it will go out to find a mate. The
baby will spend the first months hiding inside the mother’s pouch that is on
the front of the mother. At this time the baby can only do nothing but drink
the mother’s milk that is produced by the mother. When the baby has fur
then the baby will be able to see or hear then it is ready to start exploring
the world outside the mother’s warm pouch. In the first time the emerges
that is formed inside the pouch. The baby will be ready to get out of the
pouch when it is 8 inches long and then the baby will be ready to come out
of the pouch and of course help from the mom. After the baby is out of the
pouch then it will start to eat eucalyptus leaves. From thousands of years
in the past the Aborigines hunt the koala for their fur to make meat. The
koala has a few natural predators that can sometimes easily kill a koala
which are a dingo or a large owl. But the most dangerous treats for a koala
are motor vehicles and dogs. So the best place for a koala is high up in the
tall trees. The koalas that were in the past they were killed to make coats.
This has happen between the 1919 through the 1924 eight million koalas
were killed during these years. But today koalas face a really dangerous
treat which is predation from the domestic dog and a disease that had been
spreading all over their population. They are also being run over by cars.
But there is one thing that koalas can’t protect their selves from that is loss
of habitat. In the 1900’s koalas coats were a rage in Australia. People have
killed 8 million koalas in 5 years for the supply of the demand. In the past
6. years of this century there were once millions of koalas now there is more
then thousands of koalas living with us today. These numbers begin to
happen in the 1887 in 2 years it also happen again in the 1900 which were 3
years from then. People had spread a disease that has killed a lot of koalas.
People are also killing them for sport when the koala is sitting up in the
treetop. Sometimes people would shoot strength at the koala. Koala’s
homes are getting destroyed by forest fires. They are also making
agriculture and towns over their habitats. People used to sale koala fur at
markets in Australia to make thick. The extinction rate is really high in
Australia than any other place in the world. Koalas had disappeared from
different parts of the continent when many of their eucalyptus trees are
getting cut down to make lots of room for towns and farms. In eastern
Australia people are trying to take care of the koalas. There are a lot of
places that have cross roadways that can reach water or healthy trees.
Signs have been warning drivers to be on the look out for these cute and
furry looking creatures. There are people that want these animals to live
on. If we keep our support for the habitat conservation projects that are
working ways with for the koala to live us for the years to come. That is
what I know about the koala.
