Pets & Animals

There are perhaps no marsupials more renowned than Koala Bears. The irony of this misleading bit of nomenclature is likely a product of the Koalas generic resemblance to certain species of Bear. Like bears, Koalas are rounded, forest dwelling mammals that are covered in fur. However, because they rear their young in specially adapted pouches, Koala Bears belong firmly in the Marsupial family.

Koala Bears, Ancient Residents of Australia
Recently uncovered fossils reveal that the Koala Bear, or a species nearly identical to it, has resided on the Australian Subcontinent for 25 to 40 millions years. It is likely that these and other marsupials are the product of geographically isolated processes of evolution. Evidence for this lies in the well cataloged menagerie of genetically distinct plant and animal species that are found in Australia and surrounding environs.

Koala Bears live in delicate forests that provide their sole source of food, Eucalyptus leaves. These leaves contain toxins that are poisonous to nearly every other animal species, providing Koalas with a near dietary monopoly in their habitat. Mature Koalas spend all of their waking hours feasting on these leaves, the fiber of which contains so much water that Koalas rarely need to seek sources of drinking water. However, the digestion of these highly fibrous leaves puts quite a strain on the metabolism of the Koala, forcing it to sleep nearly 16 hours a day to conserve energy.

Completely dependent on the availability of Eucalyptus trees, the Koala is unable to stray from the forest. Koala populations are therefore particularly susceptible to seasonal fluctuations and to the depletion of their habitat. Although efforts at the conservation of Eucalyptus forests have been undertaken by environmentalists, they continue to meet resistance from local industrial, commercial, and agricultural interests.