Koalas 

We have all heard, if not seen our koalas who have made the Granite Belt their home. These tree-dwelling marsupials are always a delight to see, sleeping peacefully nestled in the fork of a tree branch, or clinging precariously to the slightest sapling. The cute and cuddly koala (Phascolarctos cinereus = ash-coloured pouch bear) has adapted successfully to life here on the Granite Belt. 

Description

The koala has woolly light to dark grey fur with brown and white patches over a cream belly. It has a broad head with small eyes, large furry ears and a rectangular hairless nose. A tail is not visible. 

Males grow to between 70 - 80 cm long, weigh between 9 - 14 kg and have a distinctive dark brown stain on it's chest indicating the position of the scent gland. 

Females grow to between 60 - 70 cm long, weigh between 7 - 11 kg and have two teats.

Habitat

Koala mainly live in tropical to temperate eucalypt forest and woodland found mainly up the east coast of Australia extending inland.  Koalas establish a home range of about 3 hectares which is why you might see the same koala come visiting from year to year.

Food

Koalas are herbivores which means their food is of vegetative origin. Koalas are very selective in their food choices, and whilst known to nest in many a gum tree, actually only consume the leaves of only a select few species for which it has built up a chemical tolerance. The koala is one of the few mammals able to eat eucalypt leaves. A single koala must eat more that 1 kilogram of eucalypt leaves a day to meet it's energy needs.

Lifespan

Female koalas can live up to 18 years, males several years less. 

Seasonal Behaviour

In spring - summer, koalas mate from September to February. The male koalas are very agressive and vocal at this time emitting bellowing calls and grunts. He also marks the ground and tree trunks in his territory with urine and secretations from his chest gland.

Breeding

35 days after mating with a male in the tree tops a female will give birth to one joey. Koalas (like wombats) have a rear opening pouch and the joey finds it's way into the pouch and latches on to a teat. After 5 months, the joey emerges and starts to finds it's way in the outside world.  At this time the female expels material (pap) that the joey needs to consume, to give it the gut bacteria necessary to consume a eucalypt leaf diet.

After 7 months the joey will leave the pouch to cling to it's mother's back when awake and mobile, and curl up in her lap when asleep. 

Distribution

View a Koala Distribution Map.

Conservation Status

Vulnerable in the SE Qld bioregion, Common in the rest of the state.

Threats

Threats to the survival of the koala include: 

• removal of habitat
• bushfires
• cars
• predators such as dingos, goannas, foxes, powerful owls, wedge-tailed eagles dogs, pythons
• disease
• dieback of gum trees due to land degradation or change to the vegetative status
• man (shooting, trapping, poisoning)
• limited populations on the Granite Belt
• limited knowledge about the koala populations on the Granite Belt

Did you know ...

The koala can leap up to 2 metres from one tree to another.

The koala's closest relative is the wombat.

Koala's can swim.

 

Granite Belt Wildlife Carers and Koalas

Granite Belt Wildlife Carers receive between 20 - 30 calls per year concerning koalas. The main ailment affecting koalas on the Granite Belt is the chlamydia virus which produces a number of different symptoms including:

• Conjunctivitus in the eyes which can cause blindness
• Pneumonia
• Urinary tract infections and
• 'Wet bottom' or 'Dirty tail'

The organism manifests itself in times of stress which can occur during drought or other extreme climatic conditions, land degradation or loss of habitat.

Other signs that a koala may be in distress include:

• Dribbling saliva from the mouth
• Fur that appears constantly wet or matted
• Weakness
• Unusual behaviour
• Remaining in the same tree for more than a few days
• Not using all four limbs normally while walking
• Very skinny and emaciated appearance
• Signs of trauma such as cuts or blood on the fur

     

              Koala with sore eyes                    In cage ready for transport             Examination

Once into veterinary care, an assessment of the koala will be made to determine the cause of it's ailment and whether it's treatable or not.

The DNA of koalas that cannot be saved is kept and sent to the Moggill Koala Hospital for research

However, koalas that can be saved, usually undergo a course of antibiotics and kept in care for 3-4 weeks prior to release back in their home territory.

  

 At last, I'm out .....                             and up the tree......              and happy!.

 

Links

https://www.savethekoala.com/