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60-597: The Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) is registered Australian charity created in 1986, dedicated to the effective management and conservation of the koala and its habitat. It is the principal non-profit , non-governmental organisation dedicated to the conservation and effective management of the wild koala and its habitat. In 2023, the AKF finished its signature project, the Koala Habitat Atlas, which took approximately $ 20m of scientific time and field work to create. The KHA

120-566: A scrape . First, the animal scrapes at the dirt with its hooves , depositing the scent from his interdigital gland on the ground. After that, he may bite the tip off an overhanging branch, depositing secretions from his salivary glands onto the branch. He may then rub his face on the overhanging branch, depositing secretions from the sudoriferous and preorbital glands on it. The interdigital glands of male and female black-tailed deer contain three volatile ketones, 2-tridecanone, ( E )-3-tridecen-2-one and ( E )-4-tridecen-2-one. ( E )-3-tridecen-2-one

180-465: A European and a koala was in 1798, and an image of the animal was published in 1810 by naturalist George Perry . Botanist Robert Brown wrote the first detailed scientific description in 1814, although his work remained unpublished for 180 years. Artist John Gould illustrated and described the koala, introducing the species to the British public. Further details about the animal's biology were revealed in

240-418: A body length of 60–85 cm (24–33 in) and weighs 4–15 kg (8.8–33.1 lb). Fur colour ranges from silver grey to chocolate brown. Koalas from the northern populations are typically smaller and lighter in colour than their counterparts further south. These populations are possibly separate subspecies , but not all researchers accept this. Koalas typically inhabit open Eucalyptus woodland, as

300-418: A broad, dark nose with a good sense of smell, and it is known to sniff the oils of individual branchlets to assess their edibility. Its relatively small eyes are unusual among marsupials in that the pupils have vertical slits, an adaptation to living on a more vertical plane. Its round ears provide it with good hearing, and it has a well-developed middle ear . The koala larynx is located relatively low in

360-403: A eucalyptus diet: the palate shifted towards the front of the skull; the upper teeth were lined by thicker bone, molars became relatively low compared to the jaw joint and with more chewing surface; the pterygoid fossa shrank; and a larger gap separated the incisor teeth and the molars. P. cinereus may have emerged as a dwarf form of the giant koala ( P. stirtoni ), following

420-448: A female gives birth to one joey or occasionally, twins. The young are born tiny and barely formed, weighing no more than 0.5 g (0.018 oz). However, their lips, forelimbs, and shoulders are relatively advanced, and they can breathe, defecate and urinate. The joey crawls into its mother's pouch to continue its development. Female koalas do not clean their pouches, an unusual trait among marsupials. The joey latches on to one of

480-408: A koala makes a low closed-mouth grunt. Koalas also communicate with facial expressions. When snarling, wailing, or squawking, the animal curls the upper lip and points its ears forward. Screaming koalas pull their lips and ears back. Females form an oval shape with their lips when annoyed. Agonistic behaviour typically consists of quarrels between individuals who are trying to pass each other on

540-468: A large gap (a characteristic feature of herbivorous mammals). The koala bites a leaf with the incisors and clips it with the premolars at the petiole , before chewing it to pieces with the cusped molars. Koalas may store food in their cheek pouches before it is ready to be chewed. The partially worn molars of koalas in their prime are optimal for breaking leaves into small particles, resulting in more efficient stomach digestion and nutrient absorption in

600-521: A male can overpower a female. A female may scream and vigorously fight off her suitors but will accede to one that is dominant or familiar. The commotion can attract other males to the scene, obliging the incumbent to delay mating and fight off the intruders. A female may learn who is more dominant during these fights. Older males typically accumulate scratches, scars, and cuts on the exposed parts of their noses and their eyelids. Koalas are induced ovulators . The gestation period lasts 33–35 days, and

660-569: A new tree, he rubs his chest against it and sometimes dribbles urine. This scent-marking behaviour probably serves as communication, and individuals are known to sniff the bottom of a newly found tree. Chest gland secretions are complex chemical mixtures — about 40 compounds were identified in one analysis — that vary in composition and concentration across season and age. Adult males communicate with loud bellows — "a long series of deep, snoring inhalations and belching exhalations". Because of their low frequency , these bellows can travel far through

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720-403: A role in olfactory communication in deer. Canids have several scent glands that are used in olfactory communication . The fossa has several scent glands. Like herpestids it has a perianal skin gland inside an anal sac which surrounds the anus like a pocket. The pocket opens to the exterior with a horizontal slit below the tail. Other glands are located near the penis or vagina, with

780-745: A tree. This occasionally involves biting. Strangers may wrestle, chase, and bite. In extreme situations, a larger male may try to displace a smaller rival from a tree, chasing, cornering and biting it. Once the individual is driven away, the victor bellows and marks the tree. Pregnant and lactating females are particularly aggressive and attack individuals who come too close. In general, however, koalas tend to avoid fighting due to energy costs. Koalas are seasonal breeders, and give birth from October to May. Females in oestrus lean their heads back and shake their bodies. Despite these obvious signals, males try to copulate with any female during this period, mounting them from behind. Because of his much larger size,

840-590: A very early stage of development. They crawl into their mothers' pouches , where they live for their first six to seven months. They are fully weaned around a year old. Koalas have few natural predators and parasites, but are threatened by pathogens such as Chlamydiaceae bacteria and koala retrovirus . Because of their distinctive appearance, koalas, along with kangaroos and emus , are recognised worldwide as symbols of Australia . They were hunted by Indigenous Australians and depicted in myths and cave art for millennia. The first recorded encounter between

900-426: A weight of 4–15 kg (8.8–33.1 lb), making it among the largest arboreal marsupials. Koalas from Victoria are twice as heavy as those from Queensland. The species is sexually dimorphic : males are 50% larger than females. Males' noses are more curved and sport chest glands, which are visible as bald patches. The female's pouch opening is secured by a sphincter which holds the young in. The pelage of

960-426: Is classified with wombats (family Vombatidae ) and several extinct families (including marsupial tapirs , marsupial lions and giant wombats ) in the suborder Vombatiformes within the order Diprotodontia . The Vombatiformes are a sister group to a clade that includes macropods ( kangaroos and wallabies ) and possums . The koala's lineage possibly branched off around 40 million years ago during

1020-482: Is derived from the Greek words φάσκωλος ( phaskolos ) ' pouch ' and ἄρκτος ( arktos ) ' bear ' . The specific name , cinereus , is Latin for ' ash coloured ' . The koala was given its generic name Phascolarctos in 1816 by French zoologist Henri Marie Ducrotay de Blainville , who did not give it a specific name until further review. In 1819, German zoologist Georg August Goldfuss gave it

1080-412: Is extracted from the animal's urine by the tarsal hair tuft during the rub-urination process. In white-tailed deer, the presence and concentration of certain chemical compounds in the urine depend on the season, gender, reproductive status and social rank of the animals. This fact, along with the observation of rub-urination behavior in this animal (at least in the male) indicates that urine probably plays

1140-441: Is one-and-a-half to two years old. Females become sexually mature at about three years of age; in comparison, males reach sexual maturity at about age four, although they can experience spermatogenesis as early as two years. Males do not start marking their scent until they reach sexual maturity, though their chest glands become functional much earlier. Koalas can breed every year if environmental conditions are good, though

1200-427: Is possible that the fluid protects the brain should the animal fall from a tree. The koala's small brain may be an adaptation to the energy restrictions imposed by its diet, which is insufficient to sustain a larger brain. Its small brain limits its ability to perform complex behaviours. For example, it will not eat plucked eucalyptus leaves on a flat surface, which does not match its feeding routine. The koala has

1260-465: Is provided free of charge to members of the public when they are trying to produce scientific proof that koala habitat could be destroyed if development and industry projects are approved.    The AKF believes that existing laws, like the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 ( EPBC Act ) are inadequate to protect the koala and feel that the federal government

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1320-609: Is that koala was an aboriginal name from the Hawkesbury River district near Sydney. Adopted by white settlers, the word "koala" became one of hundreds of Aboriginal loan words in Australian English , where it was also commonly referred to as "native bear", later "koala bear", for its resemblance to a bear. It is one of several Aboriginal words that made it into International English alongside words like " didgeridoo " and " kangaroo ". The generic name, Phascolarctos ,

1380-615: Is the largest, with shaggier, brown fur and a wider skull. The geographic limits of these variations are based on state borders , and their status as subspecies is disputed. A 1999 genetic study suggests koalas exist as a cline within a single evolutionarily significant unit with limited gene flow between local populations. In 2016, a comprehensive phylogenetic study did not support the recognition of any subspecies. Other studies have found that koala populations are highly inbred with low genetic variation . Such low genetic diversity may have been caused by population declines during

1440-555: Is wasting time and resources on research at the expense of habitat conservation . In 2016 and 2019 the AFK declared that koalas were "functionally extinct", but those claims were subsequently challenged as untrue by one person and AKF still stands by that view. The claim in May 2019 by the AKF that Australia's koala population was as low as 80,000 animals was challenged by reports that the true population could be more than 300,000.    In 2019

1500-563: The Dharug gula , meaning ' no water ' . Although the vowel "u" was originally written in the English orthography as "oo" (in spellings such as coola or koolah — two syllables), the spelling later became "oa" and the word is now pronounced in three syllables, possibly in error. Related words include "kula" from Georges River to Sydney's south and west, and "kulla" (or kūlla) among southeastern Queensland ’s Dippil people . Another hypothesis

1560-556: The Eocene . The modern koala is the only extant member of Phascolarctidae , a family that includes several extinct genera and species. During the Oligocene and Miocene , koalas lived in rainforests and had broader diets. Some species, such as Nimiokoala greystanesi and some species of Perikoala , were around the same size as the modern koala, while others, such as species of Litokoala , were one-half to two-thirds its size. Like

1620-653: The binomial Lipurus cinereus . Because Phascolarctos was published first, according to the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature , it has priority as the official genus name. French naturalist Anselme Gaëtan Desmarest coined the name Phascolarctos fuscus in 1820, suggesting that the brown-coloured versions were a different species than the grey ones. Other names suggested by European authors included Marodactylus cinereus by Goldfuss in 1820, P. flindersii by René Primevère Lesson in 1827, and P. koala by John Edward Gray in 1827. The koala

1680-493: The koala bear , is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia. It is the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae . Its closest living relatives are the wombats . The koala is found in coastal areas of the island's eastern and southern regions, inhabiting Queensland , New South Wales , Victoria , and South Australia . It is easily recognisable by its stout, tailless body and large head with round, fluffy ears and large, dark nose. The koala has

1740-703: The nasal glands (located inside the nostrils), the interdigital glands (located between the toes), the preputial gland (located inside the foreskin of the penis), the metatarsal glands (located outside of the hind legs), the tarsal glands (located inside of the hind legs ), and the inguinal glands in the lower belly or groin area. Like many other species of Artiodactyla, deer have seven major external scent glands distributed throughout their bodies. Deer rely heavily on these scent glands to communicate with other members of their species, and possibly even with members of other species. For example, male white-tailed deer ( Odocoileus virginianus ) are often seen working over

1800-412: The shinbone , increasing its climbing power. For a mammal, the koala has a disproportionately small brain , 60% smaller than that of a typical diprotodont , weighing only 19.2 g (0.68 oz) on average. The brain's surface is fairly smooth and " primitive ". It does not entirely fill the cranial cavity , unlike most mammals, and is lightened by large amounts of cerebrospinal fluid . It

1860-614: The 19th century by English scientists. Koalas are listed as a vulnerable species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature . Among the many threats to their existence are habitat destruction caused by agriculture, urbanisation, droughts, and associated bushfires , some related to climate change. In February 2022, the koala was officially listed as endangered in the Australian Capital Territory , New South Wales, and Queensland. The word "koala" comes from

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1920-535: The AKF expressed grave concerns over the EPBC Act , claiming it did not go far enough to protect koalas. The 2019–20 Australian bushfire season had a devastating impact on koala habitat and populations. The AFK has lobbied for a specific federal koala protection act, akin to the United States' Bald Eagle Endangered Species Act, which has protected its fauna emblem, the bald eagle, since 1973. The AKF created "Save

1980-557: The Koala Month", held annually each September, to raise funds for its work and to ensure that people around the world can celebrate the koala.   Deborah Tabart has headed the Australian Koala Foundation for 33 years. She is the author of The Koala Manifesto , which tells the story of the koala, and offers steps we can take to save the koala. The Koala Manifesto calls for ten key actions that will need to happen to save

2040-592: The Queensland koala ( Phascolarctos cinereus adustus , Thomas 1923), the New South Wales koala ( Phascolarctos cinereus cinereus , Goldfuss 1817), and the Victorian koala ( Phascolarctos cinereus victor , Troughton 1935). These forms are distinguished by pelage colour and thickness, body size, and skull shape. The Queensland koala is the smallest, with silver or grey short hairs and a shorter skull. The Victorian koala

2100-562: The cecum, is more liquid than regular faeces, and is filled with bacteria. A nine month old joey has its adult coat colour and weighs 1 kg (2.2 lb). Having permanently left the pouch, it rides on its mother's back for transportation, learning to climb by grasping branches. Gradually, it becomes more independent. The mother becomes pregnant again after a year, when the offspring reaches around 2.5 kg (5.5 lb). She permanently severs her bond with her previous offspring and no longer allows it to suckle, but it remains nearby until it

2160-1056: The disappearance of several giant animals in the late Pleistocene . A 2008 study questioned this hypothesis, noting that P. cinereus and P. stirtoni were sympatric during the mid-late Pleistocene, and that their teeth morphology displayed the major differences. The fossil record of the modern koala extends back at least to the middle Pleistocene. Vombatidae (wombats) Phascolarctidae (koalas) Acrobatidae Tarsipedidae (honey possum) Petauridae ( wrist-winged gliders and allies) Pseudocheiridae (ringtail possums and allies) Macropodidae (kangaroos, wallabies and allies) Phalangeridae ( brushtail possums and cuscuses ) Burramyidae (pygmy possums) Thylacoleonidae (extinct marsupial lion and allies) Vombatomorphia (wombats and fossil relatives) Priscakoala lucyturnbullae Madakoala spp. Perikoala robustus Nimiokoala greystanesi Litokoala dicksmithi Litokoala kutjamarpensis Phascolarctos cinereus Three subspecies have been described:

2220-517: The female's two teats and suckles it. The female lactates for as long as a year to make up for her low energy production. Unlike in other marsupials, koala milk becomes less fatty as the joey grows. After seven weeks, the joey has a proportionally large head, clear edges around its face, more colouration, and a visible pouch (if female) or scrotum (male). At 13 weeks, the joey weighs around 50 g (1.8 oz) and its head doubles in size. The eyes begin to open and hair begins to appear. At 26 weeks,

2280-399: The foliage of over 600 species of Eucalyptus is available, the koala shows a strong preference for around 30. They prefer plant matter with higher protein than fibre and lignin . The most favoured species are Eucalyptus microcorys , E. tereticornis , and E. camaldulensis , which, on average, make up more than 20% of their diet. Despite its reputation as a picky eater,

2340-616: The forest. Koalas may bellow at any time, particularly during the breeding season , when it serves to attract females and possibly intimidate other males. They also bellow to advertise their presence when they change trees. These sounds signal and exaggerate the male's body size; females pay more attention to bellows by larger males. Female koalas bellow, though more softly, in addition to making snarls, wails, and screams. These calls are produced when in distress and when making defensive threats. Younger animals squeak and older ones squawk when distraught. When another individual climbs over it,

2400-408: The former are mostly adult females and the latter are males. Resident males appear to be territorial and dominant . The territories of dominant males are found near breeding females, while younger males must wait until they reach full size to challenge for breeding rights. Adult males occasionally venture outside their home ranges; when they do, dominant ones retain their status. As a male climbs

2460-428: The fully furred animal resembles an adult and can look outside the pouch. At six or seven months, the joey weighs 300–500 g (11–18 oz) and fully emerges from the pouch for the first time. It explores its new surroundings cautiously, clutching its mother for support. Around this time, the mother prepares it for a eucalyptus diet by producing a faecal pap that the joey eats from her cloaca. This pap comes from

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2520-475: The individual, a koala can walk to the end of a branch or must stay near the base. Each day, koalas eat up to 400 grams (14 oz) of leaves, spread over four to six feeding periods. Despite their adaptations to a low-energy lifestyle, they have meagre fat reserves . Their low-energy diet limits their activity and they sleep 20 hours a day. They are predominantly active at night and spend most of their waking hours foraging. They typically eat and sleep in

2580-424: The insides of its legs and onto its tarsal glands. The tarsal glands have a tuft of hair which is specially adapted to extract certain chemical compounds from the animal's urine . For example, in the black-tailed deer ( Odocoileus hemionus columbianus ), the major constituent of the tarsal gland secretion is a lipid , (Z)-6-dodecen-4-olide . This compound does not originate in the tarsal gland itself, but rather it

2640-577: The koala and its habitat, and change our relationship with nature. A current project of AKF is the Koala Kiss Project. AKF has coined the term "kiss point" to describe the point in the landscape where areas of koala habitat are connected. In some areas koala habitat comes close to each other, but remain separated by divisions of cleared land. AKF is undertaking a huge project to identify and connect these crucial points of habitat. Koala The koala ( Phascolarctos cinereus ), sometimes called

2700-480: The koala is denser on the back. Back fur colour varies from light grey to chocolate brown. The belly fur is whitish; on the rump it is mottled whitish and dark. The koala has the most effective insulating back fur of any marsupial and is resilient to wind and rain, while the belly fur can reflect solar radiation. The koala has curved, sharp claws well adapted for climbing trees. The large forepaws have two opposable digits (the first and second, which are opposable to

2760-406: The koala is more generalist than some other marsupial species, such as the greater glider . The koala does not need to drink often as it can get enough water from the leaves, though larger males may additionally drink water found on the ground or in tree hollows. When feeding, a koala reaches out to grab leaves with one forepaw while the other paws hang on to the branch. Depending on the size of

2820-480: The largest for an animal of its size. Koalas can retain food particles for longer fermentation if needed. They are more likely keep smaller particles as larger ones take longer to digest. While the hindgut is relatively large, only 10% of the animal's energy is obtained from digestion in this chamber. The koala's metabolic rate is only 50% of the typical mammalian rate, owing to its low energy intake, although this can vary across seasons and sexes. They can digest

2880-492: The late Pleistocene. Rivers and roads limit gene flow and contribute to the isolation of southeast Queensland populations. In April 2013, scientists from the Australian Museum and Queensland University of Technology announced they had fully sequenced the koala genome . The koala is a robust animal with a large head and vestigial or non-existent tail. It has a body length of 60–85 cm (24–33 in) and

2940-558: The leaves of these trees make up most of their diet. This eucalypt diet has low nutritional and caloric content and contains toxic compounds that deter most other mammals from feeding on it. Koalas are largely sedentary and sleep up to twenty hours a day. They are asocial, only mothers bond to dependent offspring. Adult males communicate with bellows that intimidate rivals and attract mates. Males mark their presence with secretions from scent glands located on their chests. Like other marsupials, koalas give birth to young known as joeys at

3000-429: The long dependence of the young usually leads to year-long gaps in births. Scent gland The even-toed ungulates (Artiodactyla) have many specialized skin glands, the secretions of which are involved in semiochemical communication. These glands include the sudoriferous glands (located on the forehead, between the antlers and eyes), the preorbital glands (extending from the medial canthus of each eye),

3060-558: The modern species, prehistoric koalas had well developed ear structures, which suggests that they also made long-distance vocalisations and had a relatively inactive lifestyle. During the Miocene, the Australian continent began drying out, leading to the decline of rainforests and the spread of open Eucalyptus woodlands. The genus Phascolarctos split from Litokoala in the late Miocene, and had several adaptations that allowed it to live on

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3120-484: The other three) that allow them to grip small branches. On the hind paws, the second and third digits are fused , a typical condition for members of the Diprotodontia , and the attached claws (which are still separate) function like a comb. The animal has a robust skeleton and a short, muscular upper body with relatively long upper limbs that contribute to its ability to climb. The thigh muscles are anchored further down

3180-400: The same tree, possibly for as long as a day. On warm days, a koala may rest with its back against a branch or lie down with its limbs dangling. When it gets hot, the koala rests lower in the canopy and near the trunk, where the surface is cooler than the surrounding air. It curls up when it gets cold and wet. It resorts to a lower, thicker, branch during high winds. While it spends most of

3240-431: The small intestine, which digests the eucalyptus leaves to provide most of the animal's energy. A koala sometimes regurgitates the food into the mouth to be chewed a second time. Koalas are hindgut fermenters , and their digestive retention can last 100 hours in the wild or 200 hours in captivity. This is made possible by their caecum —200 cm (79 in) long and 10 cm (3.9 in) in diameter—possibly

3300-551: The states of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia . The koala was introduced to several nearby islands. The population on Magnetic Island represents the northern limit of its range. Fossil evidence shows that the koala's range stretched as far west as southwestern Western Australia during the late Pleistocene. They were likely driven to extinction in these areas by environmental changes and hunting by Indigenous Australians . Koalas were introduced to Western Australia at Yanchep in 1938 but that population

3360-473: The time in the tree, the animal descends to the ground to move to another tree, with either a walking or leaping gait. The koala usually grooms itself with its hind paws, with their double claws, but sometimes uses its forepaws or mouth. Koalas are asocial and spend just 15 minutes a day on social behaviours. In areas of higher density and fewer trees, home ranges are smaller and more clumped. Koala society appears to consist of "residents" and "transients":

3420-551: The toxic plant secondary metabolites , phenolic compounds and terpenes due to their production of cytochrome P450 , which neutralises these poisons in the liver . The koala replaces lost water at a lower rate than species such as some possums. It maintains water by absorbing it in the caecum, resulting in drier faecal pellets packed with undigested fibre. The koala's range covers roughly 1,000,000 km (390,000 sq mi), and 30 ecoregions . It ranges throughout mainland eastern and southeastern Australia, including

3480-511: The vocal tract and can be pulled further down. They possess unique folds in the velum (soft palate), known as velar vocal folds, in addition to the typical vocal folds of the larynx. These features allow the koala to produce deeper sounds than would otherwise be possible for their size. The koala has several adaptations for its low nutrient, toxic, and fibrous diet. The animal's dentition consists of incisors and cheek teeth (a single premolar and four molars on each jaw) that are separated by

3540-538: Was reduced to 4 individuals by 2022. Koalas can be found in both tropical and temperate habitats ranging from dense woodlands to more spaced-out forests. In semi-arid climates , they prefer riparian habitats , where nearby streams and creeks provide refuge during times of drought and extreme heat. Koalas are herbivorous , and while most of their diet consists of eucalypt leaves, they can be found in trees of other genera, such as Acacia , Allocasuarina , Callitris , Leptospermum , and Melaleuca . Though

3600-446: Was shown to have antibiotic activity against some skin pathogens. These compounds are absent from white-tailed deer interdigital glands, which contain a number of 2-Methylcarboxylic acids. The tarsal gland appears to operate by a different mechanism than the other external scent glands. A behavior called rub-urination is central to this mechanism. During rub-urination, the animal squats while urinating so that urine will run down

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