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102-469: The Kwicky Koala Show contained four short segments: Kwicky Koala , The Bungle Brothers , Crazy Claws and Dirty Dawg . Kwicky Koala (voiced by writer Bob Ogle ) is similar to Avery's Droopy , except that Kwicky can escape his pursuer Wilford Wolf (voiced by John Stephenson ), who closely resembles the earlier Hanna-Barbera character Mildew Wolf (to the point that Stephenson impersonates Mildew's voice actor Paul Lynde for Wilford). The difference

204-544: A leaf base where the two sides of the leaf blade are of unequal length and do not meet the petiole at the same place. E. obliqua was published in 1788–89, which coincided with the European colonisation of Australia. Between then and the turn of the 19th century, several more species of Eucalyptus were named and published. Most of these were by the English botanist James Edward Smith and most were, as might be expected, trees of

306-465: 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 Botanist Robert Brown wrote the first detailed scientific description in 1814, although his work remained unpublished for 180 years.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

408-412: A better chance of recovery from damage sustained to its leaves in an event such as a fire. Different commonly recognised types of bark include: Nearly all Eucalyptus are evergreen , but some tropical species lose their leaves at the end of the dry season. As in other members of the myrtle family, Eucalyptus leaves are covered with oil glands. The copious oils produced are an important feature of

510-418: 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

612-467: 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 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

714-399: A dramatic increase in the abundance of Eucalyptus pollen are associated with increased charcoal levels. Though this occurs at different rates throughout Australia, it is compelling evidence for a relationship between the artificial increase of fire frequency with the arrival of Aboriginals and increased prevalence of this exceptionally fire-tolerant genus. Several eucalypt species are among

816-403: 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

918-448: 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

1020-486: A grass fire is insufficient to ignite the scattered trees. In contrast, a Eucalyptus forest tends to promote fire because of the volatile and highly combustible oils produced by the leaves, as well as the production of large amounts of litter high in phenolics, preventing its breakdown by fungi and thus accumulating as large amounts of dry, combustible fuel. Consequently, dense eucalypt plantings may be subject to catastrophic firestorms. In fact, almost thirty years before

1122-408: 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

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1224-468: 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

1326-521: 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

1428-569: 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

1530-468: A range of climates but are usually damaged by anything beyond a light frost of −5 °C (23 °F); the hardiest are the snow gums, such as Eucalyptus pauciflora , which is capable of withstanding cold and frost down to about −20 °C (−4 °F). Two subspecies, E. pauciflora subsp. niphophila and E. pauciflora subsp. debeuzevillei in particular are even hardier and can tolerate even quite severe winters. Several other species, especially from

1632-627: A shrub or small tree with a single, short trunk, that lacks a lignotuber and has spreading, densely leafy branches that often reach almost to the ground. Eucalyptus platypus is an example of a marlock. Eucalyptus trees, including mallets and marlocks, are single-stemmed and include Eucalyptus regnans , the tallest known flowering plant on Earth. The tallest reliably measured tree in Europe, Karri Knight , can be found in Coimbra , Portugal in Vale de Canas. It

1734-459: A single main stem or trunk but many eucalypts are mallees that are multistemmed from ground level and rarely taller than 10 metres (33 feet). There is no clear distinction between a mallee and a shrub but in eucalypts, a shrub is a mature plant less than 1 m (3 ft 3 in) tall and growing in an extreme environment. Eucalyptus vernicosa in the Tasmanian highlands, E. yalatensis on

1836-566: A small amount of ash survived and put out new ash trees as well. Eucalyptus oil is highly flammable and at high enough temperatures the oil expands quickening the spread of wildfires. Bushfires can travel easily through the oil-rich air of the tree crowns. Eucalypts obtain long-term fire survivability from their ability to regenerate from epicormic buds situated deep within their thick bark, or from lignotubers , or by producing serotinous fruits. In seasonally dry climates oaks are often fire-resistant, particularly in open grasslands, as

1938-450: A smaller number are only found outside the continent. Eucalypts have been grown in plantations in many other countries because they are fast-growing, have valuable timber, or can be used for pulpwood , honey production, or essential oils . In some countries, however, they have been removed because of the danger of forest fires due to their high flammability. Eucalypts vary in size and habit from shrubs to tall trees. Trees usually have

2040-745: 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,

2142-426: 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

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2244-429: 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

2346-533: Is a Eucalyptus diversicolor of 72.9 meters height and of 5.71 meters girth. Tree sizes follow the convention of: All eucalypts add a layer of bark every year and the outermost layer dies. In about half of the species, the dead bark is shed exposing a new layer of fresh, living bark. The dead bark may be shed in large slabs, in ribbons or in small flakes. These species are known as "smooth barks" and include E. sheathiana , E. diversicolor , E. cosmophylla and E. cladocalyx . The remaining species retain

2448-715: Is almost three times as great as native oak woodland. During World War II , one California town cut down their Eucalyptus trees to "about a third of their height in the vicinity of anti-aircraft guns " because of the known fire-fueling qualities of the trees, with the mayor telling a newspaper reporter, "If a shell so much as hits a leaf, it's supposed to explode." Some species of Eucalyptus drop branches unexpectedly. In Australia, Parks Victoria warns campers not to camp under river red gums . Some councils in Australia such as Gosnells, Western Australia , have removed eucalypts after reports of damage from dropped branches, even in

2550-513: Is also used in a number of industries, from fence posts (where the oil-rich wood's high resistance to decay is valued) and charcoal to cellulose extraction for biofuels . Fast growth also makes eucalypts suitable as windbreaks and to reduce erosion . Some Eucalyptus species have attracted attention from horticulturists, global development researchers, and environmentalists because of desirable traits such as being fast-growing sources of wood, producing oil that can be used for cleaning and as

2652-426: 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

2754-684: Is constrained by their limited cold tolerance. Australia is covered by 92,000,000 hectares (230,000,000 acres) of eucalypt forest, comprising three quarters of the area covered by native forest. The Blue Mountains of southeastern Australia have been a centre of eucalypt diversification; their name is in reference to the blue haze prevalent in the area, believed derived from the volatile terpenoids emitted by these trees. The oldest definitive Eucalyptus fossils are from Patagonia in South America , where eucalypts are no longer native, though they have been introduced from Australia. The fossils are from

2856-482: 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

2958-682: Is high due to its high resin content, increasing the hazard. Eucalypts were introduced from Australia to the rest of the world following the Cook expedition in 1770. Collected by Sir Joseph Banks , botanist on the expedition, they were subsequently introduced to many parts of the world, notably California , southern Europe, Africa, the Middle East , South Asia and South America. About 250 species are under cultivation in California. In Portugal and also Spain , eucalypts have been grown in plantations for

3060-526: Is mostly short wraparounds. A wildcat named Crazy Claws (voiced by Jim MacGeorge impersonating Groucho Marx ) uses his sharp wits and equally sharp claws to evade the fur trapper Rawhide Clyde (voiced by Don Messick ) and his dog Bristletooth (voiced by Peter Cullen ) in a U.S. National Park run by Ranger Rangerfield (voiced by Michael Bell ). A vagrant Labrador Retriever named Dirty Dawg (voiced by Frank Welker impersonating Howard Cosell ) seeks to improve life for himself and his friend Ratso

3162-441: 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

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3264-427: 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

3366-476: Is that Kwicky moves at super-speed, which looks more like vanishing into thin air with an accompanying "beep" sound effect, much like Speedy Gonzales (the animation shortcut used to facilitate this often went to extremes by making Kwicky disappear from one spot and reappear instantly in the next, with no intermediate smear frames). A pair of beagles named George (voiced by Michael Bell ) and Joey (voiced by Allan Melvin ) seek vaudeville stardom. This segment

3468-609: 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 ,

3570-615: 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

3672-503: Is useful to consider where Eucalyptus fossils have not been found. Extensive research has gone into the fossil floras of the Paleocene to Oligocene of South-Eastern Australia, and has failed to uncover a single Eucalyptus specimen. Although the evidence is sparse, the best hypothesis is that in the mid-Tertiary, the continental margins of Australia only supported more mesic noneucalypt vegetation, and that eucalypts probably contributed to

3774-563: 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

3876-658: The Endeavour River in northern Queensland , E. platyphylla ; neither of these species was named as such at the time. In 1777, on Cook's third expedition, David Nelson collected a eucalypt on Bruny Island in southern Tasmania . This specimen was taken to the British Museum in London , and was named Eucalyptus obliqua by the French botanist L'Héritier , who was working in London at

3978-556: 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

4080-511: The Nullarbor and E. surgens growing on coastal cliffs in Western Australia are examples of eucalypt shrubs. The terms " mallet " and " marlock " are only applied to Western Australian eucalypts. A mallet is a tree with a single thin trunk with a steeply branching habit but lacks both a lignotuber and epicormic buds . Eucalyptus astringens is an example of a mallet. A marlock is

4182-536: The Oakland firestorm of 1991 , a study of Eucalyptus in the area warned that the litter beneath the trees builds up very rapidly and should be regularly monitored and removed. It has been estimated that 70% of the energy released through the combustion of vegetation in the Oakland fire was due to Eucalyptus . In a National Park Service study, it was found that the fuel load (in tons per acre) of non-native Eucalyptus woods

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4284-490: The Peruvian Andes , despite concerns that the trees are invasive in some environments like those of South Africa . Best-known are perhaps the varieties karri and yellow box . Due to their fast growth, the foremost benefit of these trees is their wood. They can be chopped off at the root and grow back again. They provide many desirable characteristics for use as ornament , timber, firewood and pulpwood. Eucalyptus wood

4386-612: The Philippines . Of the 15 species found outside Australia, just nine are exclusively non-Australian. Species of Eucalyptus are cultivated widely in the tropical and temperate world, including the Americas , Europe , Africa , the Mediterranean Basin , the Middle East , China , and the Indian subcontinent . However, the range over which many eucalypts can be planted in the temperate zone

4488-672: The Rat (voiced by Marshall Efron ) while staying ahead of a police officer named Officer Bullhorn (voiced by Matthew Faison). A VHS release of the series was issued by Worldvision Home Video during the late 1980s, and several episodes were released on DVD by Warner Home Video as part of Saturday Morning Cartoons: The 1980s Collection, Volume 1 on May 4, 2010. The episodes on this set are "Dry Run", "Robinson Caruso", "High Roller", "The Claws Conspiracy", "Hat Dance" and "Dirty's Debut". On October 11, 2016, Warner Archive released The Kwicky Koala Show: The Complete Series on DVD in region 1 for

4590-643: The Sydney region. These include the economically valuable E. pilularis , E. saligna and E. tereticornis . The first endemic Western Australian Eucalyptus to be collected and subsequently named was the Yate ( E. cornuta ) by the French botanist Jacques Labillardière , who collected in what is now the Esperance area in 1792. Several Australian botanists were active during the 19th century, particularly Ferdinand von Mueller , whose work on eucalypts contributed greatly to

4692-447: The bark (e.g., scribbly gum ). The generic name is derived from the Greek words ευ ( eu ) "well" and καλύπτω ( kalýpto ) "to cover", referring to the operculum on the calyx that initially conceals the flower . There are more than 700 species of Eucalyptus and most are native to Australia; a very small number are found in adjacent areas of New Guinea and Indonesia . One species, Eucalyptus deglupta , ranges as far north as

4794-653: 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

4896-412: 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

4998-697: The tallest trees in the world. Eucalyptus regnans , the Australian 'mountain ash', is the tallest of all flowering plants ( angiosperms ); today, the tallest measured specimen named Centurion is 100.5 m (330 ft) tall. Coast Douglas-fir is about the same height; only coast redwood is taller, and they are conifers ( gymnosperms ). Six other eucalypt species exceed 80 metres in height: Eucalyptus obliqua , Eucalyptus delegatensis , Eucalyptus diversicolor , Eucalyptus nitens , Eucalyptus globulus and Eucalyptus viminalis . Most eucalypts are not tolerant of severe cold. Eucalypts do well in

5100-464: 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 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

5202-614: 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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5304-592: 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

5406-405: The arrangement reverts to decussate by the absorption of some of the leaf-bearing faces of the stem. In those species with opposite adult foliage the leaf pairs, which have been formed opposite at the stem apex, become separated at their bases by unequal elongation of the stem to produce the apparently alternate adult leaves. The most readily recognisable characteristics of Eucalyptus species are

5508-562: 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

5610-1052: The characteristics of buds, fruits, leaves and bark. Over 700 species of Eucalyptus are known. Some have diverged from the mainstream of the genus to the extent that they are quite isolated genetically and are able to be recognised by only a few relatively invariant characteristics. Most, however, may be regarded as belonging to large or small groups of related species, which are often in geographical contact with each other and between which gene exchange still occurs. In these situations, many species appear to grade into one another, and intermediate forms are common. In other words, some species are relatively fixed genetically, as expressed in their morphology , while others have not diverged completely from their nearest relatives. Hybrid individuals have not always been recognised as such on first collection and some have been named as new species, such as E. chrysantha ( E. preissiana × E. sepulcralis ) and E. "rivalis" ( E. marginata × E. megacarpa ). Hybrid combinations are not particularly common in

5712-426: The cup-like base of the flower; this is one of the features that unites the genus. The woody fruits or capsules are roughly cone-shaped and have valves at the end which open to release the seeds, which are waxy, rod-shaped, about 1 mm in length, and yellow-brown in colour. Most species do not flower until adult foliage starts to appear; E. cinerea and E. perriniana are notable exceptions. The genus Eucalyptus

5814-424: The dead bark is retained in the lower half of the trunks or stems—for example, E. brachycalyx , E. ochrophloia , and E. occidentalis —or only in a thick, black accumulation at the base, as in E. clelandii . In some species in this category, for example E. youngiana and E. viminalis , the rough basal bark is very ribbony at the top, where it gives way to the smooth upper stems. The smooth upper bark of

5916-452: The dead bark which dries out and accumulates. In some of these species, the fibres in the bark are loosely intertwined (in stringybarks such as E. macrorhyncha or peppermints such as E. radiata ) or more tightly adherent (as in the "boxes" such as E. leptophleba ). In some species (the "ironbarks" such as E. crebra and E. jensenii ) the rough bark is infused with gum resin. Many species are 'half-barks' or 'blackbutts' in which

6018-1056: 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:

6120-433: The distinctive flowers and fruit (capsules or "gumnuts"). Flowers have numerous fluffy stamens which may be white, cream, yellow, pink, or red; in bud, the stamens are enclosed in a cap known as an operculum which is composed of the fused sepals or petals, or both. Thus, flowers have no petals, but instead decorate themselves with the many showy stamens. As the stamens expand, the operculum is forced off, splitting away from

6222-470: The drier vegetation of the arid continental interior. With the progressive drying out of the continent since the Miocene , eucalypts were displaced to the continental margins, and much of the mesic and rainforest vegetation that was once there was eliminated. The current superdominance of Eucalyptus in Australia may be an artefact of human influence on its ecology. In more recent sediments, numerous findings of

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6324-622: The early Eocene (51.9 Mya), and were found in the Laguna del Hunco Formation in Chubut Province in Argentina . This shows that the genus had a Gondwanan distribution. Fossil leaves also occur in the Miocene of New Zealand, where the genus is not native today, but again have been introduced from Australia. Despite the prominence of Eucalyptus in modern Australia, estimated to contribute some 75% of

6426-490: The face of lengthy, well publicised protests to protect particular trees. A former Australian National Botanic Gardens director and consulting arborist, Robert Boden, has been quoted referring to "summer branch drop". Dropping of branches is recognised in Australia literature through the fictional death of Judy in Seven Little Australians . Although all large trees can drop branches, the density of Eucalyptus wood

6528-517: 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,

6630-406: The field, but some other published species frequently seen in Australia have been suggested to be hybrid combinations. For example, Eucalyptus × erythrandra is believed to be E. angulosa × E. teraptera and due to its wide distribution is often referred to in texts. Renantherin , a phenolic compound present in the leaves of some Eucalyptus species, allows chemotaxonomic discrimination in

6732-582: The first comprehensive account of the genus in George Bentham 's Flora Australiensis in 1867. The account is the most important early systematic treatment of the genus. Bentham divided it into five series whose distinctions were based on characteristics of the stamens, particularly the anthers (Mueller, 1879–84), work elaborated by Joseph Henry Maiden (1903–33) and still further by William Faris Blakely (1934). The anther system became too complex to be workable and more recent systematic work has concentrated on

6834-621: The flower buds. The type specimen was collected in 1777 by David Nelson , the gardener-botanist on Cook's third voyage . He collected the specimen on Bruny Island and sent it to de Brutelle who was working in London at that time. Although eucalypts must have been seen by the very early European explorers and collectors, no botanical collections of them are known to have been made until 1770 when Joseph Banks and Daniel Solander arrived at Botany Bay with Captain James Cook . There they collected specimens of E. gummifera and later, near

6936-399: 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,

7038-616: 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,

7140-408: 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

7242-428: 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

7344-698: The genus Eucalyptus have bark that is either smooth, fibrous, hard, or stringy and leaves that have oil glands . The sepals and petals are fused to form a "cap" or operculum over the stamens , hence the name from Greek eû ("well") and kaluptós ("covered"). The fruit is a woody capsule commonly referred to as a "gumnut". Most species of Eucalyptus are native to Australia, and every state and territory has representative species. About three-quarters of Australian forests are eucalypt forests. Many eucalypt species have adapted to wildfire , are able to resprout after fire, or have seeds that survive fire. A few species are native to islands north of Australia, and

7446-489: The genus. Although mature Eucalyptus trees may be towering and fully leafed, their shade is characteristically patchy because the leaves usually hang downwards. The leaves on a mature Eucalyptus plant are commonly lanceolate , petiolate , apparently alternate and waxy or glossy green. In contrast, the leaves of seedlings are often opposite , sessile and glaucous . But many exceptions to this pattern exist. Many species such as E. melanophloia and E. setosa retain

7548-408: The half-barks and that of the completely smooth-barked trees and mallees can produce remarkable colour and interest, for example E. deglupta . E. globulus bark cells are able to photosynthesize in the absence of foliage, conferring an "increased capacity to re-fix internal CO 2 following partial defoliation". This allows the tree to grow in less-than-ideal climates, in addition to providing

7650-799: The high plateau and mountains of central Tasmania such as Eucalyptus coccifera , Eucalyptus subcrenulata and Eucalyptus gunnii , have also produced extreme cold-hardy forms and it is seed procured from these genetically hardy strains that are planted for ornament in colder parts of the world. An essential oil extracted from Eucalyptus leaves contains compounds that are powerful natural disinfectants and can be toxic in large quantities. Several marsupial herbivores , notably koalas and some possums , are relatively tolerant of it. The close correlation of these oils with other more potent toxins called formylated phloroglucinol compounds ( euglobals , macrocarpals and sideroxylonals ) allows koalas and other marsupial species to make food choices based on

7752-475: 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

7854-444: The juvenile and adult phases. In all except a few species, the leaves form in pairs on opposite sides of a square stem, consecutive pairs being at right angles to each other (decussate). In some narrow-leaved species, for example E. oleosa , the seedling leaves after the second leaf pair are often clustered in a detectable spiral arrangement about a five-sided stem. After the spiral phase, which may last from several to many nodes,

7956-471: The juvenile leaf form even when the plant is reproductively mature. Some species, such as E. macrocarpa , E. rhodantha , and E. crucis , are sought-after ornamentals due to this lifelong juvenile leaf form. A few species, such as E. petraea , E. dundasii , and E. lansdowneana , have shiny green leaves throughout their life cycle. Eucalyptus caesia exhibits the opposite pattern of leaf development to most Eucalyptus , with shiny green leaves in

8058-480: 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

8160-406: 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

8262-480: 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

8364-492: 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

8466-497: The long dependence of the young usually leads to year-long gaps in births. Eucalyptus Eucalyptus ( / ˌ juː k ə ˈ l ɪ p t ə s / ) is a genus of more than 700 species of flowering plants in the family Myrtaceae . Most species of Eucalyptus are trees, often mallees , and a few are shrubs. Along with several other genera in the tribe Eucalypteae , including Corymbia and Angophora , they are commonly known as eucalypts or "gum trees". Plants in

8568-455: 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

8670-543: The modern vegetation, the fossil record is very scarce throughout much of the Cenozoic , and suggests that this rise to dominance is a geologically more recent phenomenon. The oldest reliably dated macrofossil of Eucalyptus is a 21-million-year-old tree-stump encased in basalt in the upper Lachlan Valley in New South Wales . Other fossils have been found, but many are either unreliably dated or else unreliably identified. It

8772-510: 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 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

8874-484: 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

8976-456: The production of pulpwood . Eucalyptus are the basis for several industries, such as sawmilling, pulp, charcoal and others. Several species have become invasive and are causing major problems for local ecosystems, mainly due to the absence of wildlife corridors and rotations management. Eucalypts have many uses which have made them economically important trees, and they have become a cash crop in poor areas such as Timbuktu , Mali and

9078-400: 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

9180-399: The sections renantheroideae and renantherae and the ratio of the amount of leucoanthocyanins varies considerably in certain species. Eucalyptus is one of three similar genera that are commonly referred to as " eucalypts ", the others being Corymbia and Angophora . Many species, though by no means all, are known as gum trees because they exude copious kino from any break in

9282-433: The seedling stage and dull, glaucous leaves in mature crowns. The contrast between juvenile and adult leaf phases is valuable in field identification. Four leaf phases are recognised in the development of a Eucalyptus plant: the 'seedling', 'juvenile', 'intermediate', and 'adult' phases. However, no definite transitional point occurs between the phases. The intermediate phase, when the largest leaves are often formed, links

9384-431: 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

9486-952: The smell of the leaves. For koalas, these compounds are the most important factor in leaf choice. A wide variety of insects also feed exclusively on Eucalyptus leaves, such as beetles in the genus Paropsisterna . The eusocial beetle Austroplatypus incompertus makes and defends its galleries exclusively inside eucalypts, including some species of Eucalyptus and Corymbia . Fungal species Mycosphaerella and Teratosphaeria have been associated with leaf disease on various Eucalyptus species. Several fungal species from Teratosphaeriaceae family are causal agents in leaf diseases and stem cankers of Eucalyptus in Uruguay , and Australia . Eucalypts originated between 35 and 50 million years ago, not long after Australia-New Guinea separated from Gondwana , their rise coinciding with an increase in fossil charcoal deposits (suggesting that fire

9588-551: 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

9690-473: 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":

9792-509: The time. He coined the generic name from the Greek roots eu and calyptos , meaning "well" and "covered" in reference to the operculum of the flower bud which protects the developing flower parts as the flower develops and is shed by the pressure of the emerging stamens at flowering. The name obliqua was derived from the Latin obliquus , meaning "oblique", which is the botanical term describing

9894-551: 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

9996-457: The very first time, as part of their Hanna-Barbera Classic Collection . This is a Manufacture-on-Demand (MOD) release, available exclusively through Warner's online store and Amazon.com. Koala The koala ( Phascolarctos cinereus ), sometimes called 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

10098-511: 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

10200-651: Was a factor even then), but they remained a minor component of the Tertiary rainforest until about 20 million years ago, when the gradual drying of the continent and depletion of soil nutrients led to the development of a more open forest type, predominantly Casuarina and Acacia species. The two valuable timber trees, alpine ash E. delegatensis and Australian mountain ash E. regnans , are killed by fire and only regenerate from seed. The same 2003 bushfire that had little impact on forests around Canberra resulted in thousands of hectares of dead ash forests. However,

10302-468: Was first formally described in 1789 by Charles Louis L'Héritier de Brutelle who published the description in his book Sertum Anglicum, seu, Plantae rariores quae in hortis juxta Londinum along with a description of the type species , Eucalyptus obliqua . The name Eucalyptus is derived from the Ancient Greek words "eu" meaning 'well' and "calyptos" 'covered', referring to the operculum covering

10404-538: 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

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