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Watch Our Animals online: Episode 8 Koalas

They are mammals but they are not bears. Males are a bit bigger than females. Koalas can't see very well. They rely mostly on their hearing and smell. They are herbivores. They mainly eat leaves from gum trees – and only a few varieties. The others could be poisonous. Koalas have their own territory to live in. Each koala marks its territory with its own smell. Baby koalas are called joeys. When joeys are born they are pink and the size of a jellybean. Because young joeys live in their mother's pouch drinking her milk koalas are marsupials. At about 6 months they start to come out of the pouch and nibble gum leaves. When they are about a year old they leave their mums and have to look after themselves. Koalas are great climbers, leapers, excellent swimmers and can run quickly on the ground but they prefer to spend most of their time in the trees. When they are on the ground they can be attacked by dogs or if they have to cross a road they could get hit by a car. Gum trees provide food and homes. The biggest problem for koalas is their bushland is being cut down.

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