Hobbies And Interests
Habitat Characteristics
The koala's preferred habitat is a woodland or forest area with an abundance of eucalyptus trees. The leaves of these trees constitute a large part of the koala's diet. Koalas can often be found in eucalypt forests and woodlands, particularly where the trees are growing in moist, fertile soil. Koalas are social animals and prefer habitats that have enough food and shelter for a number of koalas to thrive as a community.
Arboreal Behavior
Koalas are mostly arboreal animals. This means that they spend the majority of their time in the trees although they may travel short distances along the ground with awkward movements. As the eucalyptus leaves that koalas eat are low in nutritional value, they conserve energy by sleeping in trees for up to 20 hours each day. Koalas are mostly nocturnal animals that eat for a large portion of the time that they are awake. Koalas gain a great deal of protection from predators by living above the ground in trees. However, they can use their claws and teeth to defend themselves when they feel threatened.
Adaptations to Its Habitat
Koalas have long, powerful arms and legs and a keen sense of balance to help them climb trees and remain safe at great heights. The koala's front paws have opposable thumbs to help them grip branches when climbing trees and to grasp leaves when feeding. Its feet have sharp claws to help the koala maintain a strong grip on the tree. Koalas have thick fur that acts as an insulator, protecting the animals from hot and cold extremes of temperature. The thick fur on the koala's rear also provides cushioning while it is wedged between branches, sleeping or feeding. Koalas have sharp teeth to cut through leaves and flat teeth for grinding and breaking down the vegetation. The flat teeth are located towards the rear of the mouth. Although eucalyptus leaves contain chemicals that are poisonous to many animals, the koala's digestive system is able to prevent these toxins from being harmful through fermentation. Koalas have a strong sense of hearing, which helps to detect approaching predators, and a heightened sense of smell to help them find food and avoid leaves that contain large amounts of poison.
Habitat Threats
Although the koala is not endangered and the extent of its range has not reduced, numbers of these animals have declined due to the loss of around 80 percent of their natural habitat. This is the result of deforestation, urbanization and using land that was once home to koalas for agricultural purposes.