Have you ever met a real koala bear? Well sadly, because of the recent Aussie fires these gorgeous furry marsupials are under threat. We love learning about different animals, and so we thought we would share a few fun koala facts for kids. Learn about what koalas eat, where koalas live and more. Plus, enjoy printable koala theme games and activities too!
FUN FACTS ABOUT KOALAS
AUSSIE KOALAS
Have you ever seen a real koala? We haven’t yet, but it’s on our wish list!
In 2020, like many other Aussie animals, the koalas have lost as much as 30% of their habitat as extreme bushfires went through. You may have heard the media and seen the stories and photos of the courageous people saving these beautiful animals. Now it’s our turn to help!
Let’s learn some interesting facts about these amazing animals. Exactly how do they manage to live in one of the driest parts of the world? Read on to find out more…
FUN KOALA FACTS FOR KIDS
WHERE DO KOALAS LIVE?
Actually, koalas are not found all over Australia. They are only found along the east coast of Australia.
They are arboreal, which means that they live in tall trees in forests. Koalas don’t live in big groups but prefer to live alone.
WHAT DO KOALAS EAT?
Koala food is mainly made up of eucalyptus leaves (gum leaves). Occasionally, they will eat the leaves from some other native Australian trees.
Koalas are fussy about what type of gum leaves they eat, though. There are approx. There are 900 types of eucalypts in Australia, and koalas will eat about 40 to 50 of those, depending on where they live. Then, of the 40 to 50 trees, there are about ten they prefer to eat most of the time.
Koalas can eat up to 2.2 lbs or 1 kg of leaves daily.
ARE KOALAS BEARS?
Koalas belong to a group of animals called marsupials. Kangaroos are another well-known marsupial. A group of mammals, most marsupials have pouches where their newborns develop.
When a baby koala, called a joey, is born, it immediately climbs up to its mother’s pouch. Blind and earless, a joey uses its strong sense of touch and smell, clinging to the hair to find its way to the pouch where it attaches to its mother’s teat.
The joey grows in the pouch for about six months. Once big enough, the young koala rides around on its mother’s back for six months, only using the pouch to feed.
Interesting facts about koalas…
DID YOU KNOW?
It is thought that koala means ‘no drink’ in the Aboriginal language. Koalas get almost all their moisture from the leaves they eat and rarely drink water.
Do you like sleeping? Well, it seems koalas do! When they are not eating leaves, they like to sleep for up to 18 hours a day.
ARE KOALAS ENDANGERED?
In the 1920s, koalas were almost wiped out because of the large number that were killed for their fur. At least 8 million koalas were killed to supply the fur trade in America and Europe between 1888 and 1927.
Public outrage at the slaughter forced governments in all states to declare the koala a ‘Protected Species’ by the late 1930’s.
Today, koalas are in severe decline from the effects of clearing forests, domestic dog attacks, road accidents, and bushfires.
The current koala population was approximately 85,000 animals before December 2019. However, it is estimated that 30% of the New South Wales population and up to 50% of the Kangaroo Island population have perished in the recent bushfires.
How this will affect the future of the koala is currently unknown.
Read on to find out what you can do to help…
LET’S HELP THE KOALAS
Engage your kiddos in conversation about these special animals while enjoying fun Australian animal activities. Let’s work together and help the koalas!
Included in your printable Australian animal pack:
- I-Spy
- Bingo Game
- Board Game
- Secret Message Puzzle
- Matching Game
- Bookmarks to Color
- Animal Movement Cards
- Wordsearch
