When early European settlers first encountered koalas in Australia, they thought the tree-climbing animals were bears or monkeys. Even today people still incorrectly refer to koalas as “koala bears.” But koalas are actually marsupials, closer related to wombats and kangaroos.

MM

As marsupials, female koalas have pouches where their young stay until fully developed. Unlike kangaroo pouches, which open towards the top, koala pouches are located towards the bottom of their bodies and open outward. The baby koala, or joey, won’t fall out of the pouch because the mother koala uses a strong muscle to keep the pouch closed.

MM

Koalas have special physical characteristics that complement their tree dwelling lifestyle. Their forepaws are well-adapted to gripping branches and picking eucalyptus leaves, their main form of nourishment. Tough textured skin on the soles of their feet along with long sharp claws provide traction, and strong thigh muscles aid in climbing. Extra thick fur on their bottoms and a pad made of cartilage at the base of their spines provide cushioning so koalas can sit comfortably on branches for hours. They also have a curved backbone and two fewer pairs of ribs than most mammals (11 instead of 13) creating a curled skeletal structure that fits well into the forks of trees.

Source: animalfactguide.com

Images: Believed to be in the Public Domain or used with permission