Koala

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Koala

• By Christopher

http//www.giftlog.com/pictures/koala_picture_6.ht
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• The koala is a bear, right? WRONG! It is a
  marsupial because it has a pouch!

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Physical Characteristics

• The koala is about 70-90 centimeters tall, and it
  weighs about 9-20 lbs. Male koalas are larger
  than female koalas. A koalas fur is thick,
  fluffy, and pleasant to touch. The eartips have
  long white hairs. A koalas maximum life
  expectancy is 17 years, however, the males are
  expected to live less than a decade, due to
  injuries. On average, 4,000 koalas are killed
  each year by cars and dogs. The koalas
  scientific name is Phascolarctos cinerus.

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Habitat

• Koalas live longer in an undisturbed habitat.
  They live mostly in south-eastern Queensland,
  north-eastern New South Wales, eastern Victoria,
  and near Adelaide, South Australia. There are
  about 15,000 koalas in Victoria and South
  Australia.

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Feeding

• There are only three mammals that can survive on
  a diet of eucalypt leaves The Greater Glider,
  The Ringtail Possum, and the koala. The koala
  drinks water by using eucalyptus leaves, which
  are made of 50 water. But the koala will drink
  water if the leaves lose water.

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History

• Fossil remains of koala-like animals have been
  found from back to 25-40 million years ago. All
  Australian animals are a vital part of the
  Aboriginal culture and are common in legends. In
  1798, John Price was the first European to
  describe a koala. In 1816, the koala was given
  its scientific name,Phascolarctos cinerus,
  meaning ash gray pouched bear. Eurpoean
  settlers used the koala as a source of fur to
  trade, so millions of koalas were shot just for
  their fur. By 1924, only 500 koalas were in
  Victoria, extinct in South Australia, and lost
  population in New South Wales. In the late 1930s,
  public made government in all states declare the
  koala a Protected Species.

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Fun Facts

• Never thumb-wrestle a koala, or your hand will
  end up in scratches!
• Did you know that the koala is basically a
  duplicate of Sleeping Beauty? It sleeps 20 hours
  per day!

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• Some of the facts that I learned are that the
  koala is not a bear, that it has a pouch, and
  that it is only found in Australia. I hope you
  enjoyed my PowerPoint!

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Sources

• http//www.giftlog.com/
• http//www.worldbook.web/