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1. KOALA MEANS ‘NO DRINK’
The word "koala" is thought to originate from one of the Australian Aboriginal languages, Dharug, which roughly translates to ‘no drink’ or ‘no water’. And this might explain why. In the Australian bush, koalas rarely drink water as the majority of their water intake comes from eating fresh eucalyptus leaves. Koalas drinking water is uncommon in the wild, although they can do so if necessary, especially during heat waves, droughts or bushfires.2. THEY HAVE A SPECIALIST DIET COMPRISING OF POISONOUS LEAVES
Koalas are folivore specialists, feeding mainly on Eucalyptus leaves, and occasional leaves of other plant species. The koala’s digestive system is particularly good at tolerating its toxic eucalyptus diet, which, even in small amounts, can often be poisonous and fatal to most animals when ingested.Special liver enzymes and symbiotic gut bacteria help to break down poisonous compounds, thus allowing koalas to survive on a diet of eucalyptus leaves. They can eat up to a kilogram a day without even breaking a sweat!
3. THEY LIVE IN ONE OF THE DRIEST CONTINENTS IN THE WORLD
70% of Australia is either arid or semi-arid land, since the continent receives so little rain. Hence, most of the country’s unique wildlife has had to adapt to living in dry environments, including koalas.Koalas are endemic to Australia, where they can only be found in the southeast and eastern parts of the country, along the coastlines of Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, and Victoria. They live in forests and open woodlands, typically dominated by eucalyptus tree species. In inland areas, koalas can be found living in eucalyptus woodlands close to water sources such as streams and creeks.
4. A KOALA IS THE ONLY SURVIVING MEMBER OF ITS FAMILY
There is only one species of Koala in the world. It is the only extant member of the family Phascolarctidae, whose closest living relatives are the common wombats. Their wild numbers are estimated to be around 300,000 mature individuals, but showing a declining population trend. Koalas are currently listed as vulnerable by the IUCN.5. THEY HAVE AN EXCELLENT SENSE OF SMELL
Koalas rely heavily on their sense of smell to make better food choices and detect other koalas’ scent markings on trees. They are notoriously selective feeders, using their prominent, leathery nose to differentiate toxin levels in eucalyptus leaves and choose the juiciest, most nutrient rich ones—wild koalas have been observed to sniff leaves before tasting them.(s)orgUK