Koala animal (lat. Phascolarctos cinereus)

If there were a popularity contest among animals, the koala would undoubtedly take one of the prizes. The appearance of this mammal is touching, because it looks so much like a small teddy bear!

Koala, or marsupial bear (Phascolarctos cinereus).

The appearance of this animal is quite unusual. Its coat is short and thick, usually smoky gray in color with a lighter belly, sometimes with a brownish tint. The eyes are small and look slightly blind, but the ears are relatively large, widely spaced, with long hair at the edges. The koala's large, leathery nose is flattened. His tail is typically “bearish” - short and almost invisible, but the claws on his paws are very long and curved.

Because of this appearance Many people classify koalas as bears.

In fact, they belong to the order of Marsupials and are in no way, even distantly, related to bears. And the koala is alone in its group, because it is represented by only one species, and its “ cousin"can only be considered a wombat. The marsupial bear is endemic to Australia, which means that it lives only on this continent and nowhere else. Typical koala habitats are eucalyptus forests, with which these animals are connected by an unbroken food chain.

Koalas feed exclusively on eucalyptus leaves.

Interestingly, eucalyptus leaves contain greater or lesser concentrations of hydrocyanic acid, which is poisonous to any animal. Koalas are less sensitive to its effects than other animals, but this does not mean that they cannot be poisoned. It’s just that in different seasons of the year they choose those types of eucalyptus that contain hydrocyanic acid on this moment minimal. There are known cases of poisoning of koalas when they were deprived of the opportunity to change the source of food. There is another prejudice associated with the diet of koalas. It is believed that these animals never drink. Allegedly, the word “koala” itself comes from this feature, which in the Aboriginal language means “non-drinker.” Previously, this statement was so widespread that it even penetrated the pages of academic publications. But in fact, koalas, although infrequently, still drink water.

The photographer caught a rare moment when a koala decided to “get its throat wet” in a country pool.

Marsupial bears spend most of their time in trees: there they sleep, eat and reproduce.

These animals rarely descend to the ground, only to move to the next thickets of eucalyptus.

In modern Australia, where highways cut through eucalyptus forests, koalas often die under the wheels of cars while trying to cross the highway.

A koala walks busily along the road, apparently on very important business.

By nature, these mammals are very slow and phlegmatic.

Most of the time they sleep or simply sit motionless on trees; in search of food, they slowly climb branches and also slowly chew leaves.

Even in their sleep, marsupial bears manage to maintain their balance and never fall from branches.

Koalas are not fertile. They reproduce once every two years. Males climb to the tops of trees and fill the surrounding area with a roar that is unexpectedly low and loud for an animal of this size. Like all marsupials, pregnancy is short (30-35 days), females give birth to underdeveloped cubs weighing only 5 g. Usually one, or less often two, cubs are born.

Female marsupial bear with cub.

Their further development occurs in the mother's pouch, which, unlike other marsupials, opens backwards.

The grown cub climbs onto the mother's back.

After 6 months of milk feeding, the cubs switch to feeding... no, not eucalyptus leaves, as you thought! They consume the excrement of the mother, whose body during this period secretes a pulp from semi-digested leaves. This is due to the fact that koalas consume a large number of roughage, so bacteria live in their intestines to help them cope with such indigestible food. For a newborn, the only way to acquire useful microflora is this. Babies are very attached to their mother and in captivity they often “cry” when left alone. By the way, koalas are silent and usually do not make any sounds. Only a wounded or abandoned koala begins to scream, and this cry really resembles the cry of a baby.

Young koalas love to sit, clinging to their fellow koalas like a train—a friend’s shoulder makes them feel more confident.

In the trees, koalas have neither food competitors nor enemies, but on the ground they are sometimes attacked by domestic dogs or dingoes. However, predators do not eat the meat of marsupial bears due to the strong eucalyptus odor. Despite this, koalas are not immune to trouble. These are sickly animals: both in nature and in captivity they are susceptible to conjunctivitis and colds, and often die from complications. It is also difficult to treat marsupial bears because they do not tolerate anesthesia well. These animals are friendly and easy to tame. In captivity, koalas show a touching affection for their caregiver, which is quite unexpected, because in general they do not have a high level of intelligence.

The marsupial bear Alinja is being weighed at the Duisburg Zoo (Germany). You can often leave a small koala alone by offering him “ surrogate mother" - any soft toy, something he could hold on to.

Such cute habits leave no one indifferent, and koalas are deservedly popular among both adults and children. In zoos, koalas attract crowds of enthusiastic observers near their enclosures; they are a favorite object for making souvenirs and children's toys. But it was not always so. At the beginning of the twentieth century, they were intensively hunted. Although koalas are not suitable for the role of an honorary trophy, because hunting them is no more difficult than shaking apples, they were killed en masse for the sake of their thick, pleasant-to-touch fur. As a result, the population of these animals decreased to a critical size, and only after that people came to their senses and began breeding them in captivity. Breeding koalas in captivity is not an easy task. The main difficulty is that in zoos it is difficult to provide koalas with natural food - fresh eucalyptus leaves. Therefore, koalas are kept mainly in zoos located in areas with mild climates, where it is possible to grow eucalyptus trees in open ground. The greatest successes in breeding these animals have been achieved by zoos in Australia and San Diego (California).

Jimmy the Koala is caught off guard by the photographer.

Koala numbers are still at undesirably low levels. Of course, nowadays no one would think of shooting koalas on the collar. But the danger lies elsewhere. Due to the densely populated areas, koalas have less and less natural habitats, and man-made pressure is constantly increasing. Often, due to human fault, fires occur in eucalyptus forests (already dry and waterless). There is simply no escape for slow-moving koalas in the fire.

The burnt corpse of a koala looks like a toy thrown away as unnecessary.

The only thing we can hope for is the timely work of special rescue teams. During massive fires, they patrol forests and provide assistance to injured animals. There are several large rehabilitation centers, where comprehensive veterinary supervision is carried out. We can only hope that people’s efforts will lead to the long-awaited result and that “teddy bears” will not be in danger of extinction in the future.

This marsupial bear was lucky. Veterinarians from the rehabilitation center came to his aid.

Taxonomy 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

All koalas are relatively small in size. They reach a length of 82 centimeters ( average length- 71 cm), the weight of an adult is from 5 to 16 kilograms. Previously, the Koala family included several species, representatives of which 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 modern look.

The koala was first seen by humans on turn of the XVIII and XIX centuries. The average lifespan 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 covered with thick fur. The muzzle of these animals has a somewhat flattened shape, with small eyes and a black nose. Most of the body of koalas is covered with ash-gray fur of different shades. It may also be reddish. The fur on the belly and neck is light, back side paw - black. The fur of representatives of the Koala family is thick and soft.

The koala's grasping limbs with sharp claws allow it to climb trees. Only the thumbs lack claws hind legs animal. The longest finger on the forelimb is the fourth. The first and second toes of the front paws are opposed to the others. Interestingly, koalas' fingers are covered with a papillary pattern almost identical to that observed in humans. There are 30 teeth. The number of chromosomes in the diploid set is 16.

Inside the well-developed “bag” of koalas, which opens backwards (the only case in the family of climbing marsupials), there are 2 nipples. Cheek pouches are present.

Males of the Koala family have a forked penis, which is typical for marsupials in general. Accordingly, female koalas have two uteruses and two vaginas.

Koalas have a slow metabolism, also found in wombats and sloths. In addition, dietary habits have led to the development of an elongated cecum, and also to the fact that the microflora of the koala's digestive tract decomposes food more efficiently. plant foods.

Koalas often get sick. The most common diseases in populations of these animals are conjunctivitis, cystitis, sinusitis, which turns into pneumonia. Many koalas die from them.

Representatives of the Koala family usually move slowly, breaking into a gallop only in case of danger. They climb trees, occasionally make jumps, and move along the ground.

Koalas feed on the leaves of 120 species of eucalyptus, which contain the lowest percentage of toxic terpene and phenolic compounds. Representatives of the family try to choose for food those leaves that do not contain hydrocyanic acid or its part is insignificant. Feeding on eucalyptus, koalas have virtually no competitors on the food front.

These animals obtain moisture from the leaves they eat, and only occasionally by absorbing water.

Koalas are common on mainland Australia, as well as on the Cape York Peninsula.

Koalas are quite numerous and are not in danger of extinction. They have no natural enemies. The causes of death for koalas are rare attacks by wild dogs and dingoes, human hunting, droughts and fires, as well as severe long-term illnesses.

Koalas mate from early October to late winter, with the male gathering 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 “pouch” for up to six months, and lives on her back for another 6 months. By the end of the lactation period, young koalas have been observed to eat their mothers' excrement. Perhaps, in this way, microorganisms necessary for the digestive process enter the digestive tract of young animals from adults.

Female koalas are ready to mate at 2-3 years of age, males at 3-4 years of age. One female has offspring once every 1-2 years. Life expectancy is about 20 years.

These animals live on or near eucalyptus trees. Koalas jump from tree to tree or move along the ground. They move about 6 hours a day, the rest of the time they sleep or sit motionless. The koala is capable of swimming, although it rarely uses this skill. Both female and male koalas live alone for most of the year.

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Australia - the only place on the planet where the koala lives - an unusual marsupial animal that looks like a funny teddy bear. It is impossible to confuse him with another living creature, he is so unique.

Koala: appearance

This is a small animal belonging to the family of marsupials, weighing from 7 to 16 kg. The koala is easily recognized by its large, wide head, on which a large nose with a black back, fur-covered ears and small eyes stand out.

The thick gray coat is short, soft, slightly darker on the back and lighter in the belly area. This animal spends its entire life on a tree, so its limbs are very strong, adapted to grasp the tree when climbing. This is also helped by sharp, long claws that can support the weight of the animal. Until now, scientists cannot decide whether the koala is a bear, a raccoon or something else. In zoos where koalas live, there is always a large crowd of people wanting to see these amazing and unusual animals.

Habitats

These marsupials live only in the southeastern part of Australia and on neighboring islands. Many years ago they inhabited the entire continent, but with the advent of settlers they were forced out of their original places. The natives treat this animal with great respect. By ancient legend, it was the giant ancestor of the koala that helped people get to this continent.

The forests where the koala lives are mostly humid tropical and subtropical. These animals usually settle near water, where there is a lot of eucalyptus growing. The leaves of this plant are the only food that the koala eats. In the crowns of eucalyptus trees marsupial bear spends almost its entire life descending only to move to other thickets.

Diet of the marsupial bear

The koala's diet is not varied. These are exclusively leaves and young shoots of eucalyptus. These parts of the plant contain a small amount of protein and a lot of toxic compounds, including. It has been established that a daily portion of leaves eaten by a koala contains such an amount of poison that can kill any other animal. This is probably why neither predators nor hunters are interested in koalas as prey.

These animals choose the types of eucalyptus most suitable for feeding, preferring those trees that grow on higher ground. In their leaves, the concentration of poison is much lower. Their developed sense of smell helps the animals find the plants they need. In captivity there is no such choice, which can even lead to poisoning. An interesting fact is that, living in a certain part of the continent, the animals feed only on those growing near their “home”. That is why they very carefully accustom this animal to a new diet in the zoo where koalas live. A country located on another continent is forced to import leaves for the animal from the area from which it was brought. A koala requires up to 1 kg of leaves per day. This animal practically does not drink water at all. It needs enough moisture from the succulent leaves.

Features of a koala

This animal has some interesting features that make it truly unique. available on his fingerprints, is practically indistinguishable from a human one. Even with fairly large parents, whose weight is at least 8 kg, the baby is born absolutely tiny, the size of a bean grain and weighing only 6 g. It grows up, already being in a well-developed leathery fold located on the mother’s stomach and resembling a bag.

The baby stays there for six months, feeding on mother's milk. Then he climbs onto the mother’s back. Where the koala lives there are no arboreal predators that pose a threat, so this animal is always very slow and calm.

Lifestyle of a marsupial bear

This animal is capable of sleeping directly on branches for up to 20 hours a day, only moving through the trees at night to get food. This inactivity is explained by the too slow metabolism of this animal, which causes the need for energy to be greatly reduced. Koalas can remain completely motionless for several hours.

But in times of danger, they are able to make excellent jumps and move quite quickly, including in water.

With their slowness and inactivity, these animals are even more reminiscent of a soft toy. Such a funny appearance captivates people, and they happily tame the animals.

And then it doesn’t matter where the koala lives, in what country, it adapts very easily, becoming a domestic and friendly animal.

Marsupials

Australia is a country famous for the unusual animals that live there, completely different from those that we are used to seeing in our homeland. They differ not only in appearance, but also have a special body structure. The country where the koala lives is famous for other marsupials. All of them are united by a fold of skin on the stomach that resembles a bag. It is in it that the females carry their cubs for several months until they grow up. But children who are already grown up and able to move independently are still for a long time They don’t part with their mother’s bag.

Another very famous marsupial animal is the kangaroo. It has been known to everyone since childhood. The bear-like burrowing herbivore is called a wombat and can reach a size of up to a meter and weigh about 40 kg. Quite a beautiful little animal - marsupial anteater numbat eating termites. A very family of marsupials, the spotted marten, is on the verge of extinction. This is a predator that feeds on small animals - mice, rabbits, birds, etc. And yet, Australia is most famous as the country where koalas and kangaroos live. They can rightfully be considered business card of this continent.

Koala - “does not drink,” this is roughly how the name of this animal is translated from one of the local Australian dialects. Many years passed before biologists established that this plush lump occasionally, but still drinks water.

Description of the koala

The discoverer of the species was Marine officer Barralier, who in 1802 discovered and sent the preserved remains of a koala to the Governor of New South Wales. A live koala was caught near Sydney in next year, and a couple of months later Sydney Gazette readers saw his detailed description. Since 1808, the koala has been considered a close relative of the wombat, being part of the same order of two-incisor marsupials, but being the only representative of the koala family.

Appearance

The charm of the appearance is given by the comical combination of a flattened leathery nose, small, blind eyes and expressive, widely spaced ears with fur sticking out at the edges.

Outwardly, the koala slightly resembles, but, unlike the latter, it is endowed with more pleasant, thick and soft fur up to 3 cm high and elongated limbs. Northern animals are smaller in size (females sometimes do not even reach 5 kg), southern animals are almost three times larger (males weigh almost 14 kg).

This is interesting! Few people know that koalas are rare mammals (along with primates), whose fingertips are drawn with unique papillary patterns, exactly like those of humans.

Koala teeth are adapted for eating plants and are similar in structure to the teeth of other two-incisor marsupials (including kangaroos and wombats). The sharp incisors, with which the animal cuts leaves, and the grinding teeth are separated from each other by a diastema.

Since the koala feeds in trees, nature has given it long, prehensile claws on its front paws. Each hand is equipped with two (set aside) two-phalange thumbs, opposing three standard fingers (with three phalanges).

The hind legs are designed differently: on the foot there is only one thumb(lacking a claw) and four others armed with claws. Thanks to its grasping paws, the animal clings tightly to the branches, locking its hands into a lock: in this position, the koala clings to its mother (until it becomes independent), and when it grows up, it dines, hangs on one paw and sleeps.

The thick coat is colored in smoky gray shades, but the belly always looks lighter. The tail resembles a bear's: it is so short that it is almost invisible to outsiders.

Character and lifestyle

The koala's entire life passes in the thick of the eucalyptus forest: during the day he sleeps, perched on a branch/fork of branches, and at night he climbs the crown in search of food.

Females live alone, rarely leaving the boundaries of their personal territories, which occasionally (usually in food-rich regions) coincide. Males do not set boundaries, but they are not known for their friendliness either: when they meet (especially during the rut), they fight until they are noticeably wounded.

The koala is capable of freezing in one position for 16–18 hours a day, not counting sleep. Numb, he sits motionless, grasping a trunk or branch with his forelimbs. When the foliage ends, the koala easily and deftly jumps to the next tree, descending to the ground only if the target is too far away.

In case of danger, the inhibited koala demonstrates an energetic gallop, thanks to which it quickly reaches the nearest tree and climbs up. If necessary, will swim across a water obstacle.

This is interesting! The koala is silent, but when frightened or injured it makes a loud and low sound, surprising for its small build. This cry, as zoologists have found, is responsible for a pair of vocal cords (additional), which are located behind the larynx.

IN last years On the Australian continent, many highways have been built that cross eucalyptus forests, and slow koalas often die under the wheels when crossing the road. The low intelligence of koalas is complemented by their incredible friendliness and good tameability: in captivity, they become touchingly attached to the people caring for them.

Lifespan

IN wildlife The koala lives up to about 12–13 years, but in zoos good care some specimens lived up to 18–20 years of age.

Range, habitats

As an endemic to the Australian continent, the koala is found only here and nowhere else. IN natural habitat The marsupial includes the coastal regions of eastern and southern Australia. At the beginning of the last century, koalas were brought to Western Australia (Yanchep Park), as well as to several islands (including Magnitny Island and Kangaroo Island) near Queensland. Magnitny Island is now recognized as the northernmost point of its modern range.

In the first half of the last century, marsupials living in the state of South Australia were exterminated in large numbers. The livestock had to be restored with animals brought from Victoria.

Important! Today, the total area of ​​the habitat, which includes about 30 biogeographic regions, is almost 1 million km². The typical habitats of koalas are dense eucalyptus forests, which are in close food association with these marsupials.

Koala diet

The animal has practically no food competitors - only marsupial flying squirrel and ringtail couscous. Fibrous shoots and leaves of eucalyptus (with a high concentration of phenolic/terpene substances) are what koalas eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. This vegetation contains little protein, and in young shoots (as autumn approaches) hydrocyanic acid is also formed.

But the animals, thanks to their keen sense of smell, have learned to select the least poisonous species eucalyptus trees, growing, as a rule, on fertile soil along river banks. Their foliage was found to be less toxic than that of trees growing in infertile areas. Biologists have calculated that the food supply of marsupials includes only 120 species of eucalyptus out of eight hundred.

Important! The low calorie content of the food is quite consistent with the energy consumption of the phlegmatic animal, since its metabolism is two times lower than that of most mammals. In terms of metabolic rate, the koala is comparable only to the sloth and wombat.

During the day, the animal picks and thoroughly chews from 0.5 to 1.1 kg of leaves, depositing the ground mixture in its cheek pouches. The digestive tract is well adapted to digesting plant fibers: their absorption is helped by a unique microflora with bacteria that easily decompose coarse cellulose.

The process of processing food continues in the extended cecum (up to 2.4 m long), and then the liver gets to work, neutralizing all toxins that penetrate the blood.

From time to time, koalas begin to eat the ground - this is how they make up for the lack of valuable minerals. These marsupials drink very little: water appears in their diet only when they are sick and during periods of prolonged drought. In normal times, the koala gets enough of the dew that settles on the leaves and the moisture contained in eucalyptus leaves.

Reproduction and offspring

Koalas are not particularly fertile and begin breeding once every 2 years. During this period, lasting from October to February, males rub their chests against the trunks (to leave their marks) and shout loudly, calling for a mate.

Females select a candidate based on the heart-rending scream (heard a kilometer away) and size (the larger, the better). Male koalas are always in short supply (fewer of them are born), so one chosen one impregnates from 2 to 5 brides per season.

This is interesting! The male has a forked penis, the female has 2 vaginas and 2 autonomous uteruses: this is how the reproductive organs of all marsupials are arranged. Sexual intercourse occurs on the tree; gestation lasts about 30–35 days. Koalas rarely give birth to twins; much more often, a single naked and pink child is born (up to 1.8 cm in length and weighing 5.5 g).

The cub drinks milk for six months and sits in the pouch, and for the next six months rides on the mother (back or belly), grasping the wool. At 30 weeks of age, he begins to eat his mother's excrement - a porridge made from semi-digested leaves. He eats this food for a month.

Young animals gain independence by about a year, but males often remain with their mother up to 2–3 years, while one-year-old and one-and-a-half-year-old females leave home in search of their own areas. Fertility in females occurs at 2–3 years, in males at 3–4 years.

In the depths of the eucalyptus forests you can meet a very cute and cute animal - the koala. Marsupial bears are native to Australia and were artificially introduced to the local Kangaroo Island.

This is a herbivore, which, according to many, got its name from the Aboriginal language.

"Koala" means no water lovers. However, bear cubs love water, but they drink it in an unusual way - they collect dew from eucalyptus leaves.

This name was introduced by the French zoologist Blainville. At first, the inhabitants of the continent called the koala simply “tree bear.”

Appearance of koalas

Externally, koalas look like large wombats or small bears. They have long, thick fur that is soft to the touch. Their elongated legs help them move easily through trees.

Koalas have large, rounded ears and arched claws, with which they can hold up to 15 kg. The upper paws have a brush consisting of 2 parts - this is very convenient for moving through trees. The lower legs are shorter and less developed, but this is not a disadvantage.

Interestingly, koala fingerprints have the same structure as those of humans. Their teeth are about the same as those of kangaroos and wombards. These are sharp and strong incisors that easily cope with leaves.

One and interesting features these animals is binary reproductive system. Females have 2 vaginas, and the male has a forked penis.

This arrangement of the reproductive system is typical for all marsupials, but it causes great delight among lovers of the animal world.

Koalas have a very small brain volume. Its weight does not exceed 0.2% of the bear's body weight.

According to scientists, it used to be larger, but during the process of evolution it decreased in size. This is due to the small choice of food, which is mainly vegetation.

Thus, they are one of the marsupials with the smallest brain. Externally, for example, in the photo of koalas, it is impossible to distinguish, because the head is quite proportional to the body.

On average, their lifespan is about 15-20 years. Koalas practically do not make sounds. The most common occurrence is the calling call of males during the mating season.

How do koalas live?

The cubs spend most of their lives in trees. They mostly choose eucalyptus. For more than half of the day, koalas are very passive. They can spend up to 12-16 hours in the same place, while being practically motionless.

Sometimes, when it is not possible to reach a neighboring tree, the koala can descend to the ground and reach it, but this happens very reluctantly and one can say that the animal is “lazy.”

It is worth noting that if necessary (say, danger) they can move quite quickly and jump to other trees.

If necessary, they can even swim, but under normal conditions they do not do this, remaining calm.

According to experts, this behavior is directly shaped by what koalas eat. It doesn't take much effort to get food. It is abundant in trees, so koalas do not need to move quickly.

In addition, their main diet is eucalyptus leaves, which inhibit all processes in the body. Digestion takes a lot of energy. Eucalyptus shoots also contain poisons. Competition for such food is minimal.

Besides koalas, the only animals that feed on eucalyptus are opossums and flying squirrels. In the absence of a struggle for food, the cubs can afford such imposing behavior.

What color are koalas?

They have a color that is similar in all individuals, but may have its own characteristics. Their fur can be several color ranges brown and gray.

The color of the koala helps them camouflage themselves in the treetops. Given that they can remain motionless for long periods of time, they can be quite difficult to spot.

Reproduction and social order

Koalas live alone, they do not create families and prefer to be on their own. They also do not have a separate protected area.

Sometimes, in some photos, koalas are gathered together - the animals are preparing for the mating season. They form small groups of up to 5 individuals. There is 1 male in each group. It attracts females with a secretion that remains on the branches after rubbing its chest against it.

The criterion for choosing a male is not only the smell, but also the cry of the males.

Having selected the most suitable male, the female agrees to mate. It takes place on a tree. Already 4 weeks after conception, the baby is born. Sometimes females have twins. Most often girls are born.

Koala photo