International Wild Koala Day!

Today is International Wild Koala Day!

This day is meant to celebrate the Australian marsupial known as the koala. Yeah, koalas are sometimes called "koala bears", but they are not bears. They are marsupials. Like kangaroos, their babies are called joeys and spend the first few months of their lives in their mothers' pouches. Koalas are sedentary animals. This means they don't like to move around much. They sleep up to twenty hours a day. Some would say they're living the dream.

They also are asocial animals. That means they don't hang out with friends much. Koalas can have a body length of between 24-33 inches and can weigh between 9-33 pounds. They can live around 13-18 years in the wild. They have few natural predators, thanks to their diet. They predominately eat eucalyptus leaves. These leaves contain toxins that make the koala a very unattractive choice for food.

Koalas are naturally native only to Australia, mainly along its eastern coast. They are often depicted as gray in color, but koala fur can actually range from a silvery gray to a chocolate brown in color. Northern koalas are generally smaller and have lighter-colored further than southern koalas. 

The word 'koala' comes from the Dharug word "gula", which means "no water". This is a reference to koalas not drinking much water, as they get it from their leaf diet. Aboriginal Australians hunted these critters and incorporated them into their mythology. The first European contact with the koala occurred in 1798.

Koalas are, like kangaroos and emus, considered a symbol of Australia, like bald eagles are to the United States.

So, yeah. That is the koala for you. They're fascinating creatures, aren't they? Thanks for reading this blog entry! If you liked it, show it off! Take care of yourselves, and each other! Stay safe, stay healthy, stay home, wash your hands often, wear a mask, and get your vaccine/booster! See you next time!