The+Koala-luke+ingram

=The DiprotodonThe Koala= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
 * Domain**: Eukarya[[image:http://bioweb.uwlax.edu/bio203/s2007/mundt_meli/sniffing.jpg width="350" height="467" align="right" link="http://www.cs.rit.edu/%7Encs/Australia/Animals/zoo/index.html"]]
 * Kingdom**: Animalia
 * Phylum**: Chordata
 * Class**: Mammalia
 * Infraclass**: Marsupialia
 * Order**: Diprotodontia
 * Family**: Phascolarctidae
 * Genus**: //Phascolarctos//
 * Species**: //Phascolarctos cinereus//

The koala is one of Australia’s most famous animals the marsupial which weighs on average 9kg and is known for its soft, Grey fur. Koalas name comes from the aboriginal word for no drink; this is because koalas normally do not drink water as they receive the majority of their hydration from the eucalyptus leaves which they feed on. The koala’s habitat is in the eucalyptus forests which they stay mainly in the trees. the koalas environment is located in the eucalyptus trees of Australia. These Eucalyptus forests are primarily found around the states of Victoria, NSW and Queensland though t here are a number of forest in the desert outback of Australia. These trees though are being cut down to make room for more space to build homes this will lead to the disappearance of the koalas main habitation and food source.
 * Introduction**
 * Environment**

Aspects of the koalas environment -the first aspect is the abundance of eucalyptus trees in the koalas habitat area this means that the koala does not not need to travel long distances to find food or shelter. The abundance of trees also creates shade which helps prevent the koala from overheating in the day a nd getting to cold during the night. The eucalyptus trees leaves also contain moisture which help keep the koala hydrated -the climate of the koalas habitat means that unlike the desert areas of Australia water can be found far more easily than in other areas of Australia -Australia being an island has lead to the koala having few nat ural predators but with the introduction of other species such as cats and dogs who sometimes attacks younger smaller koalas. The means that to evade these predators the koala spends more times up in the trees. -the koalas habitat is located on the eastern coast of Australia, the eastern coast has a climate much more suited to allowing the eucalyptus forests to grow. Problems with this area is the large urban areas on the east coast including the major cities of Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Canberra these large urban areas are growing into the koalas natural habitat. -the temperature of the east coast of Australia ranges from 13 degrees up to 40 degrees. this means that the koalas fur has had to adapt to the changing temperatures of Australia coasts.

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The koala is one of very few marsupials which have a diet of eucalyptus leaves. The ability to eat these toxic leaves comes from the koala’s low metabolism which allows the koala to keep the energy that comes from the leaves in its system for longer. A side effect of the low metabolism of the koala is its long periods of sleep (up to 18 hours). The koala’s teeth have also adapted to eating the leaves. The front teeth of the koala allow it to nip the eucalyptus leaves from the branch and the back molars allow ed the koala to tear and slice the leaves instead of crushing them. The gap between the molars and incisors allow the koala’s tongue to move the leaves around the mouth. The Koalas digestive tract allows the koala to eat the toxic leaves and have adapted to getting the most energy out of the koalas low energy diet. The digestive system does this by separating the most important nutrients from the food preventing the waste of energy and the nutrients the koala needs. The digestion of the eucalyptus leaves however digest before they reach the normal digestive tract.
 * Major body parts of the koala:**
 * Feeding and Mouth/ digestive systems**




 * Digestive system of the koala**

As stated in the section describing the teeth of the koala the digestive system is one of the highly complex adaptions to the kolas physiological being allowing it to eat and digest the toxic eucalyptus leaves which it eats. The ability to do this has allowed the koala to stay up in the trees for the majority of it’s of life Preventing predators from attacking the koala. Much of the koala’s digestion occurs in the cecum (part of the large intestine) where fermentation occurs to break down the toxic substances in the leaves and receive a greater amount of nutrition from the leaves. This highly advanced digestive system has allowed the koala to have the eucalyptus leaves as its main source of nutrition. Other factors that have allowed the eucalyptus leaves of the koala to be used as a primary source of food is the koalas low metabolism (as stated in the teeth section) causes the koala to sleep for much of the day but allows for a lower level of nutrition compared to most animals an adaption which has allowed it survive up in the trees for so long and prevent the koala from being forced to travel over long distance to find food. A problem with this is the declining of eucalyptus leaves is forcing the koala to have to travel to find food.

Due to the koala’s extensive life in trees the koalas have to be highly skilled climbers, the koala has adapted to a large amount of climbing with an advanced set of paws. As seen in the picture to the right the koala’s frontal paw has two sets of thumbs allowing it to maintain an excellent level of grip around trees. The claws on b oth the front and back pa ws have also helped with the koala’s ability to climb trees. The claws allow the koala to cut into the bark of the trees and lower the energy required to maintain the grip on the tree. Due to the koalas low energy = = levels building a nest in the trees is normally too difficult for the koala. This has led to the koala being highly exposed to the elements the fur of the koala therefore has adapted to this high level of exposure by the fur having a higher level of insulation than any other marsupial this was discovered from a test conducted by Degabriele and Dawson who compared the koalas fur to other marsupials other results from these test show that the koala frontal fur absorbs 52.3% of the solar radiation it receives while the fur on the koalas back receives only 38.3% of the solar radiation it receives. This fur has allowed the koala to maintain its body temperature by changing its body position to a level which absorbs more or less heat.
 * Koala paw and fur**

== **Lifestyle and sleeping patterns**

the koala is seen as being a similar to a nocturnal animal due to its long sleeping patterns though the koala does sleep at night at times and moves during the day. The reason for these sleeping habits is due to the koalas need to conserve the little energy is receives from the eucalyptus leaves which it eats (as they contain little nutrients). And the energy that is conserve is needed to digest the toxic eucalyptus leaves. The koala spends much of its time up in trees this is due to the awkward walking style the koala has on the ground makes its difficult to move. This has lead to the koala being able to leap form tree to tree if they are close enough to them. This lifestyle and habitat has allowed the koala to be safe from the predators which reside on the ground and aid them in storing what little energy they have for the most important uses.

**Solitary animals** unlike other mammals and marsupials the koala spends most of its time on its own. in fact the only time in which two koalas may interact is when there is a mother or a joey or when a male koala and female koala are mating. most of the other times the koala spend alone. this has not proved to be much of a problem for the koala due to its sleeping patterns and low energy levels means that interaction with other koalas may lead to the animal wasting its valuable energy. other reasons include the koala requiring large amounts of the eucalyptus leaves and that sharing the tree with other koalas may quickly cause the food to run out. the koala also can become very stressed such as when humans pick them up the stress can lead to chlamydial infections which can eventually kill the koala. media type="youtube" key="x8oLu7znwQ0" height="349" width="425" K**oalas Welfare 16 November 1995 NSW Parliament** **. Parliament.nsw.gov.au.** ** Retrieved 18 June 2011. ** **Australian Koala Foundation** **(2010).** **[|"Interesting facts about koalas]__[| retrieved form]__**
 * Bibliography**
 * 1.**
 * www.ferngallery.com. [|Australian Koala Foundation]. Savethekoala.com . http://www.savethekoala.com/koalasfacts.html . Retrieved 15 june 2011 . **
 * 2. **
 * 3. **
 * https://www.savethekoala.com/koalasfacts.html retrieved June 20th 2011**

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