Koalas are some of the most adorable looking animals in the world and native to Australia. If you would like to help koalas there are lots of sanctuaries and conservation projects where you can volunteer in Australia to help. Paid work, volunteering placements and internships are available for both Austraians and foreigners in places like New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.
Koala Facts
There are two subspecies of koala: the northern (adustus) and the southern (victor).
- The Koala is one of the only animals which can survive on a diet of eucalytus leaves. They are extremely poisionous to most animals.
- Koalas aren’t bears as many people believe. They aren’t even related to bears. Koalas are marsupials.
- Koalas also sleep between 18 and 22 hours each day.
- Some people refer to koalas as “koala bears,” but they are not bears at all. They are marsupials.
Koalas are mostly active at night (nocturnal animals). - A baby koala is known as a “joey.” Soon after the joey is born, it crawls into its mother’s pouch, where it remains for about 6 months.
- Koalas don’t normally have to drink water. They usually get enough moisture from leaves.
- Koala’s life span is 10 to 15 years.
- Koalas can bite or scratch when being handled.
- An adult Koala will eat about 500 g of leaves a day.
- The eucalyptus leaf is poisonous to other animals.
- Koalas have 5 digits on each front paw.
Koalas eat 1 to 1.5 pounds of leaves per day. - Koalas have a 200 cm long fibre-digesting organ called a caecum. The caecum contains millions of bacteria which break down the euclayptus fibre into substances easier to absorb.
About Koalas
The Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is a marsupial native to Australia. Marsupials include kangaroos, wallabies, wallaroos, possums, wombats and opossums. Koalas are found in eucalypt forests of Eastern and South-Eastern Australia. They are not found in Tasmania or Western Australia. Koalas have soft, gray, wool-like fur, which keeps them warm. They weigh about 30 pounds and grow up to 2 feet tall. Koalas are an endangered species.
Behavior
The Koala is a very good climber and spends most of the time in trees. It is a nocturnal animal and sleeps for up to 16 hours a day. Koalas are solitary animals, which feed on the leaves of eucalypts. Koalas feed on approximately 12 eucalypt species. They seldom drink water. Eucalyptus leaves are 50% consisting of water. Koalas communicate with each other by making a range of noises.
Reproduction
Koalas breed once a year. The gestation period is about 35 days. Usually one baby Koala is born. The baby is 19 mm long and weighs about 5.5 grams. It can’t see or hear when is born. It stays in the pouch for about 7 months. The young Koala is carried by the mother on her back, until will reach 1 year old. When is 1 year old, the young Koala will start its independent life.
Best Koala Sanctuaries in Australia
You can find so many wildlife sanctuaries throughout Australia in every state, with some of the most well known being:
- Lone Pine Koala Refuge in Brisbane
- Cleland Wildlife Park in Adelaide
- Australian Reptile Park in New South Wales
- Healesville Sanctuary in Melbourne
- Koalas of Raymond Island
All these sanctuaries rely on staff and volunteers to help animals and keep operational throughout the year.