Scoops pages 7, 8, 15

from Bear Essential News October 2021, Tucson Edition

by Bear Essential News

Pages 16

B

Get the Scoop!

Continued from page 7

Working to Save the Koala

by Reporter Zahra Rafiyath BASIS Oro Valley Primary

Koalas are marsupials that live in Australia’s forests. Koalas also stay up in trees to keep cool in hot weather. Read on for more about their appearance, habitat, diet and other interesting facts.

Most people think koalas are bears, but they are actually marsupials! Koalas have silvery gray fur and sharp claws. They also have a thin body, small eyes, and a cushioned bottom to sit on rough branches. Koalas live in eucalyptus trees. They can live in cool or tropical weather. They can live in low woodlands on coastal islands as long as they find food. They are herbivores and their diet is eucalyptus leaves. Koalas are picky eaters who have a good sense of smell to choose which leaves are best. Did you know when baby koalas are born they are the size of a jelly bean? Sometimes koalas eat dirt to help them digest. Koalas need to sleep 18 to 20 hours. Another interesting fact is that koala means “no water.” Also, males live up to 10 years and females live up to 17 years.

Koalas’ endangered status is “threatened.” Up to 80 percent of their habitat has been destroyed. Some reasons why koalas are endangered are that koalas are dying from traffic deaths and attacks from dogs. People also cut down their forests to make buildings. There are less than 100,000 left in the wild. September is Save the Koala Month. You can help koalas by planting a eucalyptus plant online or adopting a koala. Let’s do our part to save these tree-dwelling marsupials!