Koala
I generally don’t go for “cute”, but there is no denying that the koala is by far one of the most adorable animals in the Wild Kingdom. With its diminutive size and cartoonish ears and nose, it is admired and beloved by people worldwide. It was great fun painting this little guy with all it’s quirky little features.
Found only in the Eastern and Southern regions of Australia, koalas live primarily in eucalyptus forests, and their diet consists entirely of the leaves of this tree. They are nocturnal marsupials, typically sleeping 20 hours a day and rarely leaving the trees where they live. 24” - 33” inches in length, and weighing between 9 - 33 pounds, they typically live from 13 - 18 years in the wild. Females give birth to one baby at a time, and the joey, as it is called, remains in its mother’s pouch for the first 6-7 months of its life.
Koalas have few natural predators, but are listed as a vulnerable species due to large scale deforestation and wildfires that severely threaten their habitat. Disease is also a threat to them, primarily chlamydiaceae bacteria, which can infect large numbers at a time. As is almost always the case, humans pose the greatest risk to koalas. Some protections are in place , but for centuries it was hunted for its meat and fur. Much more needs to be done in the way of conservation in order to ensure the survival of this beautiful animal. Let’s hope we are responsible enough to do so!
Found only in the Eastern and Southern regions of Australia, koalas live primarily in eucalyptus forests, and their diet consists entirely of the leaves of this tree. They are nocturnal marsupials, typically sleeping 20 hours a day and rarely leaving the trees where they live. 24” - 33” inches in length, and weighing between 9 - 33 pounds, they typically live from 13 - 18 years in the wild. Females give birth to one baby at a time, and the joey, as it is called, remains in its mother’s pouch for the first 6-7 months of its life.
Koalas have few natural predators, but are listed as a vulnerable species due to large scale deforestation and wildfires that severely threaten their habitat. Disease is also a threat to them, primarily chlamydiaceae bacteria, which can infect large numbers at a time. As is almost always the case, humans pose the greatest risk to koalas. Some protections are in place , but for centuries it was hunted for its meat and fur. Much more needs to be done in the way of conservation in order to ensure the survival of this beautiful animal. Let’s hope we are responsible enough to do so!