The marsupial bear is one of Australia's most famous animals. Despite the outward resemblance to ordinary bears, this representative of the Australian fauna has nothing to do with them. The eucalyptus bear is found only in certain parts of Australia and few people have the opportunity to see this miracle of nature with their own eyes.
The marsupial bear is one of Australia's most famous animals.
Not every zoo can provide these animals with the amount of eucalyptus leaves they need. Koalas require special attention from humans, as they are an endangered species. Their numbers were raised only recently, when measures were taken to ban hunting and protect the eucalyptus forests that serve as a home for these amazing creatures.
What do we know about marsupial bears (video)
The history of the development of the species
The marsupial bear is a two-pronged marsupial that is the only living member of the koala family. The modern eucalyptus bear is a small animal. The weight of adults varies from 5 to 14 kg. Females are usually smaller than males. In these animals, in the process of evolution, the body was ideally adapted for life on a tree and eating low-nutrient foliage. For a long time, these creatures were attributed to kinship with pandas, kangaroos and opossums, but this is not true.
Archaeological excavations in different parts of Australia have helped to lift the veil of the mystery of the appearance of the koala bear. Thanks to the fossilized remains, it became known that the first marsupial bears began to appear in this area about 30 million years ago. In those distant times, more than 18 species of koalas lived on this remote continent, and some of them were real and giants. They were 30 times larger than their contemporaries.
It is believed that the giant marsupials died out due to climate change becoming excessively arid, as the eucalyptus trees and some other plant species that they bypass began to rapidly disappear.
During this period, many marsupials died out, which successfully survived in the vastness of this continent for millions of years. Plush-looking modern koalas appeared in Australia only 15 million years ago. This species was the most successful, so it outlived its relatives. Koalas of Australia, unlike their ancient relatives, are distinguished by a relatively small brain. Scientists attribute this to the fact that animals eat low-calorie eucalyptus leaves and lead an inactive lifestyle, so they simply do not need a developed brain.
The marsupial bear is a two-pronged marsupial animal, which is the only living member of the koala family.
These creatures have beautiful deep gray fur, making them hard to spot in the foliage. They were first described in the 19th century, when there was an active development of a new continent. Because of their beautiful warm coat, by the beginning of the 20th century, koalas were almost universally exterminated. Their fur for a long time was perhaps the most valuable export product of Australia, which had an extremely negative impact on this species. In addition, their numbers were negatively affected by the widespread destruction of eucalyptus forests.
Among other things, an attractive appearance and gentle disposition led to the fact that many people in the 20th century wanted to acquire such a pet. However, keeping a koala at home is almost impossible. These marsupial herbivores consume only the leaves of certain types of eucalyptus trees, so when trying to keep them at home, the animals, as a rule, quickly died from exhaustion.
Gallery: marsupial bear (25 photos)
Habitat of koalas in nature
The natural habitat of the koala bear is extremely limited. These amazing creatures are found mainly in coastal areas in the east and south of Australia. There is a small population of koalas in the north of the continent. In addition, koala bears are currently found on a number of offshore islands, where optimal conditions have been created for them.
Koalas feed exclusively on eucalyptus leaves, so their habitat is limited to humid tropical and subtropical forests, in which there are many trees that can become a food base for them.
The koala tree - eucalyptus - can only grow in regions with high humidity, so only in certain regions can these animals thrive, which causes them to conflict with human interests. There are several types of eucalyptus trees that animals feed on at different times of the year. This is no coincidence. The leaves of certain species of eucalyptus are distinguished only for a short period by a reduced amount of hydrocyanic acid.
Despite the fact that the koala bear can smell the degree of poisonous foliage by smell, poisoning in these animals is not uncommon.
Plush-looking modern koalas appeared in Australia only 15 million years ago
In addition, it is known that out of almost 800 species of eucalyptus, only 120 species can feed on the leaves and bark of the koala. Vast areas of forests in southeast Australia were cut down in the 20th century, which adversely affected the life of the koala. To increase their numbers, these animals were brought to a number of coastal islands with dense eucalyptus forests, where marsupials are less subject to anthropogenic influence, which allows them to gradually increase their numbers.
The islands where koalas have been settled by humans include:
- Yanchep;
- Kangaroo;
- Tasmania;
- Magnetic island.
Thanks to conservation measures, the habitat of this species currently exceeds 1 million / m². Despite the fact that even in the middle of the 20th century these unique animals could have become extinct, now their numbers are gradually recovering.
Koala in the wild in Australia (video)
Reproduction and habits of koalas
The Australian eucalyptus bear leads a hidden lifestyle, so little was known about their behavior for a long time. These creatures are covered with thick fur 3 cm long, which makes them invisible in the foliage. During the day they eat about 1.5 kg of young leaves and bark of eucalyptus trees. Approximately 18-20 hours a day, these creatures sleep. It is currently unknown how long koalas live in their natural habitat.
In captivity, when creating optimal conditions, koalas often live up to 18 years. In their natural habitat, koalas have no enemies, so they do not know how to defend themselves. Despite the fact that koalas have long claws and strong prehensile paws designed for climbing trees, when attacked, these animals simply do not know what to do. When severely frightened or injured, the koala makes a sound similar to the crying of a human child. In addition, koalas can cry.
For most of the year, koala bears are extremely silent and try not to give out their location in the thickets of eucalyptus, but everything changes during the breeding season. At this time, the males begin to make inviting grunting sounds, demonstrating their strength. Considering that colas usually live nearby, since their habitat is quite limited, this method is very effective. Koala females are ready for breeding as early as their second year of life. Mating occurs 1-2 times a year. Males can mate at 3-4 years of age. During the breeding season, male koalas can engage in fights, inflicting serious injuries on rivals with their claws.
Females ready for mating listen to the calls of roaring males and choose the largest representatives. Pregnancy in female koalas lasts from 30 to 35 days. Koala cubs are born very underdeveloped, so they can look very strange by human standards.
After the birth, the bear cub, which has only developed front legs, clings to the mother's thick fur, crawls into the bag, where it begins to feed on milk. At this time, its weight is about 5 g, and the length varies between 15-18 mm.
Koala bears are marsupials. Their offspring are fed in a bag for 5-6 months. After the calf leaves the pouch, it continues to travel on its mother's back for about 6 months. Thus, a koala with a cub is a common occurrence. At this time there is a transitional period.
The mother begins to feed the cub with undigested litter from eucalyptus leaves, which contains the bacteria necessary for the bear cub, which are involved in digestion. Usually females stay with their mother for about a year, after which they begin to search for their own territory. Males can stay with their mother for about two years, as they lead a predominantly nomadic lifestyle and are not tied to a specific area.
Attention, only TODAY!
Few people can remain indifferent when contemplating a charming animal that looks like a small bear cub. Although the Australian resident has nothing to do with them. Like many other inhabitants of Australia, the koala is a marsupial mammal. It was first described in 1798 when it was found in the Blue Mountains (Australia). Since then, the animal with a wide muzzle and small eyes, a curved nose, soft and silvery fur, and shaggy ears has been loved by many.
Koalas are descended from their closest relatives, the wombats. They are similar to them, but differ in softer and thicker fur, their ears are slightly larger, and their limbs are longer.
The sharp claws of the beast help it easily move along tree trunks, the shape and size of the limbs also contribute to this. On the hands of the front paws there are two thumbs, which are set aside, next to them are three more fingers. This design of the palms helps the animal to easily grasp branches, tree trunks and hold on to them tenaciously, and for young animals to hold on to their mother's fur. The koala, clasping a branch, sleeps on a tree, while it can even be held with one paw.
Interestingly, the papillary pattern found on the fingertips of koalas is very similar to human fingerprints, even an electron microscope can hardly detect the differences.
The size of koalas is very diverse. For example, a female living in the north can weigh 5 kilograms, and a male living in the south can weigh 14 kilograms.
In the photo, a koala eats eucalyptus leaves
Koalas eat only the bark and leaves of eucalyptus. There are over 800 species of these trees in the world, but these animals only eat the bark and leaves of 120 of them. Interestingly, for most animals, these trees are poisonous. Due to their unique digestive system, colas are eaten without tragic consequences. But furry animals try to choose eucalyptus trees growing on fertile soils along the banks of rivers. The leaves and branches of such trees contain less poison. In eucalyptus trees growing on poor, dry soils, there are more toxic substances.
The daily ration of this animal is 500–1100 g of feed. At the same time, they mainly feed on softer and juicier young leaves. Koalas almost do not drink water, as eucalyptus leaves contain more than 90% of the liquid they need. Animals drink water only when they lack moisture in the leaves or they are sick.
Koala is almost immobile 18-20 hours a day. At this time, she grabs branches with her paws, sleeps or moves along the trunk in search of food, or chews on leaves, which she folds into the inside of her cheeks during feeding.
She jumps from tree to tree mainly to find food or escape from danger. Another unique ability of this animal is that it can swim. Koalas are rather slow, this is due to the peculiarities of their diet, since the leaves contain little protein. In addition, koalas have a low metabolism, it is 2 times slower than that of other mammals.
Sometimes, to fill the need for trace elements, koalas eat the earth.
Reproduction of koalas, the birth of cubs
The breeding season for koalas is from October to February. At this time, they gather in groups that consist of several females and one adult male. The rest of the time, each female lives on its own territory, leads a solitary lifestyle.
Koalas are pretty quiet animals. Loud cries can be heard only during the mating season. Eyewitnesses say that these sounds are similar to the grumbling of a pig, the creaking of door hinges, and even the snoring of a drunk person. However, females really like these sounds, and they respond favorably to the calling sound of males.
Another unique distinguishing feature of these marsupial cubs from other animals lies in the reproductive organs. The male has a bifurcated penis, while the female has two vaginas. Thus, nature has taken care that this species does not become extinct.
Pregnancy in koalas lasts 30-35 days. Most often, only one cub is born, which weighs 5.5 grams and has a height of 15-18 millimeters. Although there are cases of the birth of two. The baby is in the mother's bag for six months, this time he eats her milk. Over the next six months, he gets out of the bag, tenaciously clings to his mother's fur on her stomach and back, thereby "traveling" through her body.
For the next 30 weeks, he eats semi-liquid maternal excrement, consisting of a slurry of half-digested eucalyptus leaves. Here are the microorganisms valuable for the baby and necessary for his digestive process. After a month, the cubs become independent, but even before the age of 2–3 years they are with their mother.
Males enter sexual maturity at 3–4 years, and females at 2–3. They reproduce once every 1 or 2 years. Life expectancy is 11-12 years, although there may be exceptions, there are cases when koalas lived for 20 years.
In the wild, the marsupial has no enemies, most likely because its meat smells like eucalyptus. Animals are tamed pretty quickly, they are condescending to the person who picks up. But at the same time, one should not forget about the sharp claws of the animal, so you need to stroke it carefully.
Koala is like a child, when the beast is left alone, he can cry and yearn. In the wild, drought, fires, poachers destroy these touching animals. Cutting down eucalyptus trees also contributes to their extermination.
There are many interesting facts about koalas. Here are ten of the most original.
Koalas can retain food in their stomachs for more than eight days
This animal feeds on eucalyptus leaves. To get more energy from such a plant-based diet, the koala ferments some of what it eats. Fermentation does not take place in the stomach itself, but in the intestines. In the process, the bacteria break down the plant mixture, which releases nutrients that are absorbed by the body. Despite this, koalas have a rather modest menu. These animals have developed a special mechanism for digestion with a reduced metabolism, in addition, they have a relatively small brain size. This allows you to compensate for the lack of calories and nutrients in their diet.
Koalas only like 30 out of 600 species of eucalyptus.
More than six hundred varieties of eucalyptus trees can be found in the habitats of these animals, but koalas like to eat from about thirty of them. Animals usually choose those species that are distinguished by a high protein content. Interestingly, koalas eat not only eucalyptus leaves, but also the foliage of other plants, such as acacia. However, they really prefer eucalyptus leaves to everyone else. They get most of the water they need from their food. Female koalas can only survive on it. It's really amazing! Male koalas sometimes still drink a little. 
Koalas sleep twenty hours a day
If it seemed to you that cats sleep the most, you were wrong! Cats sleep about sixteen hours a day, but koalas can take up to four hours more! The nature of this phenomenon is in a nutrient-poor diet. Koalas spend a minimum of energy, which leads to activity for a maximum of four hours, during which the animal feeds on foliage. The rest of the time is for rest. Koalas do not usually go to sleep in any particular place - most feed and rest on the same tree. That is why they are so easy to photograph, because they sit in the same place for hours and hardly move. 
Koalas Only Communicate Fifteen Minutes a Day
Sometimes communication takes so much energy! Koalas don't particularly spend it on things like social activities. At the same time, they have no problem with neighbors - there are usually always permanent residents in one area, as well as those who roam from territory to territory. Despite their cute appearance, koalas can fight fiercely for breeding rights within their borders. At the same time, animals make strange sounds. Koala mothers are particularly stern.
The secretions from the gland on the chest of the koala contain more than forty chemical elements.
Koalas practically do not communicate in real time, but they can leave information to each other using smells. When a male koala is on a new tree, he sniffs the bark to see if there are marks left by other males. Then he climbs up and rubs his chest against a tree to mark it with secretions from a special gland. The composition of the secret is complex and includes forty different elements, each of which has a specific meaning and serves to convey information. Some males also mark the tree with urine. 
Koalas are born within a month after conception.
For some reason, many people believe that the koala is a species of bear. In fact, they belong to the marsupials. Like kangaroos, they quickly have cubs that continue their development already in their mother's bag. The cub is born blind and hairless. The pouch on the mother's body protects the baby while it develops for the next six to seven months. The nipples are also located in the bag - the cubs feed on milk. Unusually, before the cub leaves the pouch completely, the mother weans him off the milk diet by feeding him a fermented vegetable mixture.
Koalas were discovered in 1798
Animals have lived in Australia for thousands of years. Aboriginal culture has preserved many myths and legends about these creatures. Due to their slowness and habit of staying on the same tree all day, constantly sleeping, koalas were an easy source of food. But the tribes did not exterminate the koalas - there were many of them all over the continent. Europeans first described animals in 1798. Initially, it was believed that koalas were bears, but then scientists found that they belonged to marsupials. 
Animals similar to koalas have existed for twenty-five million years ago
The koalas we know are herbivores that have adapted to a nutrient-reduced diet. Koalas get their water from the leaves they eat and are not very active. Scientists have found that their ancestors could look a little different. Twenty-five million years ago, the climate of Australia was not so dry and the lifestyle of the animals was different. When the climate changed, so did the eucalyptus trees, and with them, the koalas also changed.
Koalas became extinct in southern Australia in 1924
Europeans were not as kind to animals as the natives. Koalas were considered the source of fur, and millions of animals were destroyed by the thirties. They are incredibly easy to hunt, which increased the losses. In 1919, a million koalas were destroyed in six months of the hunting season! The number shocked people, and the animals were given protected status. But no one guards the eucalyptus trees! Therefore, the main threat to koalas has now become the disappearance of their habitat, which is due to environmental problems. 
Koalas have two thumbs
Koalas are adapted to live in trees. They have two opposite toes on their paws that help them hold on, and the other three are located in the center. Of course, you can’t literally call these fingers big, but in fact they are very similar to them. Each of the five fingers has claws, making the paw look a bit like a human hand. Koalas have a muscular body with longer forelimbs, which helps them climb. The muscles in the lower body are different in structure from the muscles of other animals. They are located proportionally lower on the body and are designed so that koalas can better fix their position on the trunk when climbing a tree. Thanks to this, animals do not fall from a height even when they sleep.
Systematics of the Koala family, or Marsupial bears
Genus: Phascolarctos De Blainville, 1816 = Koalas, or marsupial bears
Species: Phascolarctos cinereus Goldfuss, 1817 = Koala, or marsupial bear
Family characteristic
All koalas are relatively small. In length, they reach 82 centimeters (average length - 71 cm), the weight of an adult is from 5 to 16 kilograms. Previously, the Koala family included several species, whose representatives are now extinct. Interestingly, the weight of koalas of a number of extinct species reached half a ton or more. There are currently eight genera in the family with one extant species.
The koala was first seen by humans at the turn of the 18th and 19th centuries. The average life span of koalas is 13 years. The oldest koalas die at the age of 19-20 years.
Koalas have a large head with large rounded ears, which are densely covered with fur. The muzzle of these animals has a somewhat flattened shape, small eyes and a black nose stand out on it. Most of the body of koalas is covered with ash-gray fur of different shades. It may also be reddish. On the belly and neck, the fur is light, the reverse side of the paws is black. The coat of representatives of the Koala family is thick and soft.
The grasping limbs of the koala with sharp claws allow it to climb trees. Only the thumbs of the hind paws of the animal are deprived of claws. The longest finger on the forelimb is the fourth. The first and second fingers of the front paws are opposed to the rest. Interestingly, the fingers of koalas are covered with a papillary pattern, almost identical to that observed in humans. Teeth 30. The number of chromosomes in the diploid set is 16.
Inside the well-developed "bag" of koalas, which opens back (the only case in the family of climbing marsupials), there are 2 nipples. Cheek pouches are present.
Males of the Koala family have a bifurcated penis, which is typical for marsupials in general. Accordingly, female koalas have two wombs and two vaginas.
Koalas have a slow metabolism, similar to wombats and sloths. In addition, eating habits have led to the development of an elongated caecum, as well as to the fact that the microflora of the alimentary tract of koalas decomposes plant foods more efficiently.
Koalas often get sick. The most common diseases in the populations of these animals are conjunctivitis, cystitis, sinusitis, turning into pneumonia. Many koalas die from them.
Representatives of the Koala family usually move slowly, moving to a gallop only in case of danger. They climb trees, occasionally make jumps, move along the ground.
Koalas feed on the leaves of 120 eucalyptus species, which contain the smallest percentage of poisonous terpene and phenolic compounds. Representatives of the family try to choose for food those leaves in which there is no hydrocyanic acid or its part is negligible. Feeding on eucalyptus, koalas have virtually no competitors on the "food front".
Moisture these animals receive from eaten leaves, and only occasionally - absorbing water.
Koalas are common in mainland Australia, as well as on the Cape York Peninsula.
Koalas are quite numerous and are beyond the threat of destruction. They have no natural enemies. The cause of death of koalas is rare attacks by wild dogs and dingoes, human hunting, droughts and fires, as well as severe long-term illnesses.
Koalas mate from the beginning of October to the end of winter, while the male gathers in a group with 2-5 females, fertilizing them in turn. This order is due to the fact that there are many times more females among koalas. Koalas mate in trees. Their pregnancy lasts about a month. There is one cub in the litter, which weighs about 5.5 g at birth. The cub lives in the mother's "bag" for up to six months, and lives on her back for another 6 months. By the end of the lactation period, young koalas were noted to eat the excrement of their mothers. Perhaps, in this way, microorganisms necessary for the digestive process enter the digestive tract of young animals from adults.
Female koalas are ready for mating from 2-3 years old, males - from 3-4 years old. One female has offspring every 1-2 years. Life expectancy is about 20 years.
These animals live on or near eucalyptus trees. From tree to tree, koalas jump or move along the ground. About 6 hours a day they move, the rest of the time they sleep or sit without moving. The koala is able to swim, although it rarely uses this skill. Both female and male koalas live alone most of the year.
Copyright holder: portal Zooclub
When reprinting this article, an active link to the source is MANDATORY, otherwise, the use of the article will be considered a violation of the "Law on Copyright and Related Rights".
Koala or marsupial bear (Phascolarctos cinereus) - the only species of the koala family, the koala lives in eastern Australia.
The koala is a small beast of dense build, body length 60–82 cm, weight from 5 to 16 kg. The tail of the koala is very short, invisible from the outside, the head is large and wide, the ears are large, the eyes are small. The hairline of the koala is thick and soft, on the back the color changes from light gray to dark gray, sometimes reddish or reddish, the abdomen is lighter.
The size and color of the koala depends on the habitat, as koalas are larger, they have thicker dark gray fur, often with a brownish tint on the back. In tropical and subtropical koalas are much smaller and lighter, their fur is rarer and shorter.
The limbs of the koala are adapted for climbing - the thumb and forefinger of the fore and hind limbs are opposed to the rest, which allows the koala to grasp the branches of trees, there is no claw on the thumb of the hind limbs. The claws are strong and sharp, able to support the weight of the animal. Koalas are one of the few non-primates to have a papillary pattern on their fingertips, koala fingerprints are indistinguishable from human fingerprints even under an electron microscope.
The koala is called a marsupial bear because the koala's face is a bit like a bear, and the location of the brood bag and the dental formula bring it closer to, with which it apparently had a common ancestor.
Koalas inhabit eucalyptus forests and spend almost their entire lives in the crowns of these trees. During the day, the koala sleeps for 18–22 hours a day, and at night it climbs trees, looking for food. Even if the koala does not sleep, it usually sits completely still for hours, clasping a branch or tree trunk with its front paws. A koala descends to the ground only to move to a new tree, which it cannot jump to, and koalas jump from tree to tree with surprising deftness and confidence.
The slowness of the koala is associated with the peculiarities of its nutrition. He adapted to eat almost exclusively shoots and leaves of eucalyptus, which are fibrous and contain little protein, but contain many phenolic and terpene compounds that are poisonous to most animals. In addition, young shoots, especially closer to autumn, contain hydrocyanic acid. Due to their poisonous properties, food competition from other animals in the koala is extremely small - besides it, only ring-tailed opossum and marsupial flying squirrel feed on eucalyptus leaves.
In order not to be poisoned, koalas choose to eat only those types of eucalyptus that contain less phenolic compounds, and prefer trees that grow on fertile soils (especially along river banks), in whose leaves the concentration of poison is lower than that of eucalypts growing on poor, infertile soils. lands. As a result, out of 800 species of eucalyptus, koalas feed on only 120 species. Apparently, a developed sense of smell helps koalas choose suitable food. In captivity, where the choice of the animal is usually less, it is even capable of food poisoning as a result of a cumulative effect.
The metabolic rate in the body of the koala is almost half that of most mammals (with the exception of wombats and sloths), which helps it compensate for the low nutritional value of the diet. On the day, the koala needs from 0.5 to 1.1 kg of leaves, which he carefully crushes and chews, accumulating the resulting mass in the cheek pouches. Like all mammals that feed on fibrous plant foods, koalas have a rich microflora in their digestive tract, including bacteria that convert indigestible cellulose into digestible compounds. The caecum, where the process of digestion takes place, is extremely developed, reaching a length of 2.4 m. Poisonous substances, entering the bloodstream, are neutralized in the liver.
“Koala” in the language of the tribes means “do not drink”, - the koala receives all the necessary moisture from the leaves of eucalyptus trees, as well as from the dew on the leaves. They drink water only during periods of prolonged drought and during illness. To make up for the deficiency of minerals in the body, koalas eat the earth from time to time.
There is no natural regulator of the number of these animals in nature - aboriginal predators do not hunt them; Koalas are attacked only by dingoes and feral dogs. But koalas often get sick. Cystitis, periostitis of the skull, conjunctivitis, sinusitis are their common diseases; sinusitis often leads to inflammation of the lungs, especially in cold winters.
Female koalas lead a solitary life and stick to their territories, which they rarely leave. In fertile areas, the areas of individual individuals often overlap each other. Males are not territorial, but even less sociable - when they meet, especially during the breeding season, they often attack each other, causing injury.
Only during the breeding season, which lasts from October to February, koalas gather in groups consisting of an adult male and several females. At this time, males often rub their chest against the trees, leaving odorous marks, and emit loud calling cries, sometimes heard from a kilometer away. Since fewer males are born than females, harems of 2-5 females gather around male koalas during the mating season. Mating takes place on a tree (optionally a eucalyptus).
Pregnancy lasts 30-35 days. There is only one cub in the litter, which at birth has a length of only 15–18 mm and a weight of about 5.5 g; occasionally twins. The cub stays in the bag for 6 months, feeding on milk, and then for another six months it "travels" on the mother's back or stomach, clinging to her fur. At the age of 30 weeks, he begins to eat semi-liquid mother's excrement, consisting of a kind of gruel from semi-digested eucalyptus leaves - in this way, microorganisms necessary for the digestive process enter the digestive tract of young koalas. The mother excretes this slurry for about a month. At the age of one year, the cubs become independent - young females aged 12-18 months go in search of sites, but males often stay with their mothers until 2-3 years old.
Koalas breed once every 1-2 years. Sexual maturity in females occurs at 2-3 years, in males - at 3-4 years. On average, a koala lives 12-13 years, although there are cases when they lived to the age of 20.
Loading...
