Koala

The phalanger (Phascolarctos cinereus, or, inaccurately, phalanger bear) is associate degree arboreal phytophagous marsupial native to Australia. it's the sole existing representative of the family Phascolarctidae and its nighest living relatives square measure the wombats. The phalanger is found in coastal areas of the mainland's japanese and southern regions, inhabiting Australian state, New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia. it's simply identifiable by its stout, acaudal body and huge head with spherical, flossy ears and huge, spoon-shaped nose. The phalanger encompasses a linear unit of 60–85 cm (24–33 in) and weighs 4–15 metric weight unit (9–33 lb). hair color ranges from silver to chocolate brown. Koalas from the northern populations square measure usually smaller and lighter in color than their counterparts more south. These populations presumably square measure separate race, however this is often controversial.

Koalas usually inhabit open eucalyptus tree woodlands, and also the leaves of those trees structure most of their diet. as a result of this eucalyptus tree diet has restricted biological process and caloric content, koalas square measure mostly inactive and sleep up to twenty hours each day. they're asocial animals, and bonding exists solely between mothers and dependent child. Adult males communicate with loud sound that intimidate rivals and attract mates. Males mark their presence with secretions from scent glands placed on their chests. Being marsupials, koalas offer birth to underdeveloped young that crawl into their mothers' pouches, wherever they keep for the primary six to seven months of their lives. These young koalas, referred to as joeys, square measure totally weaned around a year previous. Koalas have few natural predators and parasites, however square measure vulnerable by numerous pathogens, like family Chlamydiaceae bacterium and also the phalanger animal virus, likewise as by bushfires and droughts.

Koalas were afraid by autochthonal Australians and portrayed in myths and cave art for millennia. the primary recorded encounter between a ecu and a phalanger was in 1798, and a picture of the animal was revealed in 1810 by naturalist St. George Perry. plant scientist plant scientist wrote the primary careful scientific description of the phalanger in 1814, though his work remained unpublished for a hundred and eighty years. widespread creator John Gould illustrated and delineated  the phalanger, introducing the species to the final British public. more details concerning the animal's biology were unconcealed within the nineteenth century by many English scientists. attributable to its distinctive look, the phalanger is recognised worldwide as an emblem of Australia. Koalas square measure listed as of Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of  Nature. The Australian government has enlisted  populations in Australian state and New South Wales as Vulnerable. The animal was afraid heavily within the early twentieth century for its fur, and large-scale cullings in Australian state resulted in a very public outcry that initiated a movement to shield the species. Sanctuaries were established, and translocation had an  efforts moved  to new regions koalas whose environment had become fragmented or reduced. the most important threat to their existence is environment destruction caused by agriculture and urbanisation.