Among the various animals living in Australia, koalas are considered the most popular. They have lived some 4 million years ago and continue to exist until today. However, their survival is threatened by increasing hunting and killing of European hunters especially in the Southern part of Australia. That is why this group of marsupials or the pouched mammals has been known to become extinct in the western part of the country.
For so many years, koalas exist and survive in Australia. This group of mammals is already considered important part of the Aboriginal culture and has been highlighted in various legends.
It is interesting to know that the Australian community has thought of preserving this particular breed of marsupials through the sanctuary. Here, you can see live koalas that you can touch, cuddle, and hand feed. By experiencing first hand encounter with these cute mammals, you will have better understanding as to why they need to be protected and cared for.
To know more about koalas, here is a list of some of the remarkable facts:
1. Scientific name
Koalas are considered a part of the Australian culture and heritage. They have known to live in all parts of Australia. The first person who was able to see and actually illustrate a koala is John Price. He is also the first Briton to discover other forms of mammals existing in the country. It was in January 1798 when he was sent to discover the Nepean River. Price was known to be a Governor Hunter's servant.
His accounts were not published until after 100 years that his stories about his discovery have been made known to the public. With this, koalas were given the scientific name phascolarctos cinerus or the ash grey pouched bear.
2. It is not a bear
It is funny to note that despite of its resemblance to bear, koalas are not bears. In fact, they don't have any relation at all. Since this particular breed of mammal is classified as marsupials or the pouched animals, they are more closely related to the wombats and kangaroos, although the resemblance is not that close.
But just like a typical teddy bear, koalas are nice to touch and cuddle. They have thick soft fur. Their size and profile make them cute and lovable.
3. Sleepy-head
This group of marsupials can be classified as certified sleepy-heads because nearly 75% of their day to day existence is spent on sleeping. Most of the time, you see them sleeping in daytime. They just start to move around after sunset.
4. Sociable animal
Koalas are known to be sociable. They tend to exist with other koalas. That is why they need bigger areas of territories to accommodate a number of koala population.
You can even see koalas barking at other koalas. Maybe it is one of their ways in communicating and socializing with the others.
5. Remarkable diet
Experts say that among the mammals particularly the marsupials, koalas have remarkable diet. They can survive even with eucalyptus leaves alone. In fact, they don't regularly drink water at all. That's because eucalyptus leaves have rich water content, at least 50% of its structure. The average consumption of eucalyptus leaves is approximately 200 to 500 grams daily.
At some point, they also consume other types of leaves such as box leaves and mistletoe.
These are just some of the many lovable facts about koalas. Knowing them will make you feel how important it is to care for them and prevent their extinction. Support a koala now. Try visiting sanctuaries in Australia and experience the ultimate feeling of getting close to nature.
Jo is a content writer for 'Visas for Australia' (http://www.visasforaustralia.co.uk), one of the world's leading visa consultant that handles Australian tourist visas, Australian business visas and Australian working holiday visas. If you are going to take a trip and request for an Australian Working Holiday Visa or if you wish to feel the joy and ecstasy of living in or achieving your fantasy of travel Down Under then you should have a look at Visas for Australia.
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