Dozy Koala sits in a tree fork – snoozing, scratching, yawning – then off to sleep again
- 4 years ago
Koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) are not bears, but are large, iconic, tree-living, herbivorous marsupials that are found in eastern Australia.
Koalas have stout, tailless bodies, a large head with a flat black nose and large fluffy ears. Koalas live in open eucalypt woodlands and are very particular as to which types of eucalyptus they eat. Eucalyptus leaves are tough and hard to digest and have low nutritional and energy content.
Koalas spend most of their time sleeping – up to 20 hours per day. This captive Koala was sitting in a forked tree branch, sleeping, waking up to scratch itself, yawning, then dozing off again in an enclosure at Yanchep National Park north of Perth in Western Australia. Note that it seems to have two thumbs, with two fingers directed backward. This arrangement of its fingers helps it climb and to grasp eucalyptus leaves to eat. (August 5, 2020)
Koalas have stout, tailless bodies, a large head with a flat black nose and large fluffy ears. Koalas live in open eucalypt woodlands and are very particular as to which types of eucalyptus they eat. Eucalyptus leaves are tough and hard to digest and have low nutritional and energy content.
Koalas spend most of their time sleeping – up to 20 hours per day. This captive Koala was sitting in a forked tree branch, sleeping, waking up to scratch itself, yawning, then dozing off again in an enclosure at Yanchep National Park north of Perth in Western Australia. Note that it seems to have two thumbs, with two fingers directed backward. This arrangement of its fingers helps it climb and to grasp eucalyptus leaves to eat. (August 5, 2020)