Our new favorite, the koala

One of the first places we visited after arriving in Brisbane was a Koala sanctuary called Lone Pine (www.koala.net). Since then we have visited this place many times, at one point we were even regulars.

Koalas are most charming, mesmerizing and simply beautiful creatures. Let's hope, that cats won't be offended that we have a new favorite Looking at them, and on the images below, you simply want to smile ...

We knew little about them before coming to Australia, so we want to share with you a few facts:

- Koala is not a bear, but a marsupial, and a close cusin of kangaroo, wombat and possum (small animal, which lives in trees)

- It only eats eucalyptus leaves, but is a fussy eater and digests only 50 species (of approximately. 800 types found in Australia)

- Sleeps most of the day - about. 18-20 hours per day

- They are working hard in Queensland- you can hold one in your hands - for about. 30 minutes a day, but such a working koala must get every third day off! This is regulated by local labour laws for koalas ...

- It is not stoned, just simply has little energy due to the low calorie diet - a eucalyptus leaf contains only 5% sugar ...

- Eats about 0,5 kg of leaves per day (two big shopping bags!!!), Chewing the leaves takes him most of the time, when not sleeping ...

- Small koalas are born completely helpless and are the size of a fingernail - they spend half a year in their mummy's pouch and the next half a year near her, possibly. taking a ride on her back. They need half a year, to switch from milk to eucalyptus. It is worth noting, that this process of switching by a baby koala from milk to eucalyptus consists on him eating his own mum's poo for a half a year, to get his stomach used to the toxins contained in the eucalyptus leaves…

- They only live on the east coast of Australia - those from the north are smaller than their southern cousins (the norther ones are present around Brisbane).

- A koala girl is smaller (8-10 kg), and a slightly bigger boy can be distinguished by a dark spot on his tummy (12-18 kg). This spot oozes a specific aroma, which attracts girls

Unfortunately, koalas are threatened with extinction – There are only a 100 thousand. of these animals in the wild ... Mainly because, of the expandtion of the road network in Australia (about. 4 thousand. koalas are killed each year on the roads), and also due to the depletion of their source of food – the eucalyptus trees. You can help them by adopting your own koala! If you want to adopt a little koala, please visit the website www.savethekoala.com

If you get a postcard from Australia, chances are, that the stamp will feature a koala! Maybe even such a sweet couple like in the image below!

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NOTE: This post is an updated version of the entry, which appeared previously on our old blog “Julita i Wojtek w Krainie Kangurów”.

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