Its limbs are quite long, the fingers opposable and the claws are sharp; all excellent adaptations for climbing trees which are often large in girth, or with smooth bark. As is well known, the diet of the koala is fairly restricted. Much of its diet is made up of Eucalyptus leaves and of the hundreds of these species only a dozen or so are targeted. Of these, only a few species in each different region is preferred; however, there have been many observations of Koalas using many other Eucalyptus, and even non-Eucalyptus, trees. This restricted diet dictates much of the lifestyle and physiology of the koala. Because of this poor diet, the koala spends much of it’s time digesting, and thus may sleep for up to 20 hours a day. It does not sleep in a tree hollow or build itself a nest, but sleeps in the open, often perched in odd positions in the forks of trees. Its grey or brown fur and immobile state means it is quite well camouflaged, even in the open gum tree canopy.

Koala