They grow in tropical and temperate environments in the southern hemisphere. Numerous varieties of eucalyptus trees are found in Australia. However, koalas only eat certain species of eucalyptus. Out of the roughly species found in Australia, they only prefer 35 of them. Koalas eat around one to two pounds of these leaves each day. But they are known to consume even more when they are lactating. These eucalyptus leaves are one of the most poisonous plants for many animals. The leaves with their leathery exterior and dark green color, are heavy on fiber.
This is why eucalyptus oil is found in many insect repellant lotions and sprays. Aside from insects they can be lethal to larger animals like dogs, cats, and horses among many others. To process their unique diet, koalas have a specially adapted kind of digestive system. It also aids in detoxifying the leaves. The pap is a specialized form of droppings or some consider feces, which allow baby koalas to transition from milk to eucalyptus leaves.
The sharp front incisors nip the leaves from the tree. The molars, or back teeth are shaped to allow the Koala to cut and shear the leaves rather than just crush them. Koalas are very fussy eaters and have strong preferences for different types of gum leaves.
In Australia there are over types of eucalypts, but Koalas will not eat a large proportion of these. Within a particular area, as few as one, and generally no more than two or three species of eucalypt will be regularly browsed. Different species of eucalypts grow in different parts of Australia, so a Koala in Victoria would have a very different diet from one in Queensland. Also, just think how boring it would be to eat the same thing every day.
Koalas like a change, too, and sometimes they will eat from other trees such as wattle, tea tree or paperbark. If you live in a koala area, find out what type of eucalyptus the koalas in your area like to eat. Some people think that koalas sleep a lot because they get drunk on the eucalyptus oil in gum leaves. Koalas sleep or rest for up to 22 hours each day because their bodies need a lot of energy to digest the gum leaves and when they are sleeping they save energy.
Very few animals can survive on a diet of gum leaves. They are very fibrous and low in nutrition, and this is why they take a lot of energy to digest.
As well, to almost all other animals they are poisonous. However, koalas are especially adapted to eat this diet. They have a special part in their intestine, called a caecum pronounced see-kum , which goes off from their main intestine and has a blind end. It is very long and broader than the rest of the intestine and contains millions of micro-organisms tiny organisms that break down the gumleaves so they are easier to absorb.
There is water in the gumleaves, too, so that koalas rarely need to drink. All rights reserved. Common Name: Koala. Scientific Name: Phascolarctos cinereus. Type: Mammals. Diet: Herbivore. Size: Weight: 20 pounds.
Size relative to a 6-ft man:. Least Concern Extinct. Current Population Trend: Decreasing. A koala with her offspring photographed at Australia Zoo in Beerwah. This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our photo community on Instagram. Follow us on Instagram at natgeoyourshot or visit us at natgeo.
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