Koalas

1.   Though koalas look like teddy bears and are sometimes even referred to as “koala bears,” they are not bears.

2.   Koalas are found in the wild only in the forests of eastern Australia.

3.   Koalas have thick, grayish fur, with white on their chests, inner arms, and ears. They have large furry ears and leathery noses.

4.   Koalas and most other marsupials live in Australia and neighboring islands. The only marsupial native to the United States is the Virginia opossum.

5.   The word “koala” may come from an Aboriginal word meaning “no drink.” Although koalas do drink when necessary, they obtain most of the moisture they need from leaves.

6.   Koalas have their own built-in cushion! The fur on a koala’s bottom is extra thick so that the koala can comfortably rest in trees.

7.   Koalas spend as many as 18 hours a day napping and resting.

8.   Koalas feed mainly at night.

9.   Fossils of 12 different extinct species of koala have been found. These extinct koalas were much larger than the ones today. They were like giant koalas!

10. Koalas smell like cough drops because of their diet of eucalyptus leaves.