Koalas were first seen in Australia. European settlers were responsible for this. Before, there was a common notion that only monkeys and bears were tree-climbing animals. Even until right now, there are individuals out there who incorrectly dub these koalas as koala bears. However, koalas are said to be marsupials. They have always been connected to that of kangaroos and wombats. There are still various Koala facts for kids that are owe to be discovered by pupils. What are these?

Female koalas, like kangaroos, also have pouches on their belly. These pouches are utilized as a place where the young stay. They would be there until they reach full development. But then, as compared to the pouches of kangaroo, where the opening was found on top, koala pouches are seen in their body’s bottom. This may also be open outward. What is even fascinating is that they are unlikely to fall off from the pouch. This is the case because mother koala can always be utilized through a strong sphincter muscle. This is a way for the pouch to be maintained closed.

There are physical characteristics of these koalas which are known to be real special. They use to complement the tree-dwelling lifestyle. Their forepaws have two opposable digits as well. These have always been well-adapted. So with this, koalas can grip braches which makes it easy to pick eucalyptus leaves. This is a way for them to stay nourish. Their skin on the other hand is tough textured. This is normally found on the sole of their own feet. They can do this because their claws are sharp. These can provide strong traction for them. Their climbing is also aided through strong thigh muscles. Their bottoms have extra thick fur. They also have a cartilaginous pad which serves as the base of their spine. This acts as a cushion so that it will be easy for koalas to sit comfortably on tree branches even for long hours. They also come with curved backbone. They resemble that of most mammals because of their ribs. However, they have fewer ones. They usually build a twisted skeletal structure. This is suited for the forks of the trees.

Apart from the aforementioned, koalas also come with special adaptations. These usually enable them to feast on a lot of eucalyptus leaves. They are quite sensitive because they do not just eat everything they stumble upon. They would use their sense of smell so that they end up with the most excellent tasting leaves. Their favorite is eucalyptus tree. There are 600 types of these trees. Normally, koalas can limit diet. They can just stick two to even three favorite kinds. As an addition to this, these eucalyptus leaves are rich in poison and fiber.

There are bacteria found in their stomachs. These would always break the toxic oils and fiber. This is why almost ¼ of the nutrients can be absorbed that way. For them to survive, they need to be on a low-calorie diet.