Physical Adaptation
Koalas have large noses and really rely on their sense of smells. They also have big, padded claws. with long fingernails. The big padded claws help with climbing trees.Here is a picture of a Koalas paw stretched out while climbing the tree.
Koalas have thick, heavy fur. This helps from rain. Their coat colors depend on where they live. In south, it is usually darker and thicker than in the North. Coat colors also will help with camouflage. Koalas have white patches of fur on their chins, chests, bottoms, and inside their ears. The main reason for having it on their bottom is because they are constantly sitting on harsh bark.
Behavioral Adaptation
Males will have a brown scent glands that give off scent to mark their territory. Koalas are territorial. They sleep 18-22 hours at a time because they have low energy. They have low energy because of their hard to digest food.
Koalas rarely get on the ground. They usually hop around from tree to tree. They only come down if two trees are too far apart or if it is mating season. Once they are on the ground, they are open for prey. So, Koalas use this technique to not get eaten. Koalas are also fast runners so that if they are on the ground and their predator is coming towards them, they can run away. Koalas can survive living in trees because that is where there food is. They are well equipped to live in their environment.
Even though they are well equipped to live in their environment, there population is decreasing to this day. I am going to be centering my information about the Koalas in Australia. In 2012 Australia declared that the Koalas are vulnerable. That means that they are likely to become endangered if the things killing them don't stop or improve. There are many limiting factors for these animals. Habitat destruction is one them. Habitat destruction is when something or someone harms where they live, which is in trees. People are starting to cut them down to use their wood for things. Dog attacks, bush fires, and roadside accidents (cars running over the animal) are also some limiting factors. The AKF, Australian Koala Foundation, says that 4,000 Koalas have been killed because of dogs and roadside accidents. Australian government said that there are less than 80,00 Koalas left in the wild. Four states in Australia, Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia, have Koalas in them. Australia's government left it up to the states to decided what they want to do about about Koala protection. Most states ask the local government to make decisions about the Koalas habitat. The AKF states that the Koalas should be listed as critically endangered but no status has been changed to that. Internationally, Koalas are listed as potentially vulnerable because the Victorian government states that they are doing well with their Koalas and that they are stable. The AKF does not agree with them. However, in 2000, the Koalas were listed as threatened, a step below endangered.
Here is a picture that I got off of the AKF website explaining where the Koalas are.