Australia is home to two subspecies of koalas. Southern koalas live along the southern coast, while Northern koalas are found further north. Southern Koalas are generally larger and have thicker fur than their northern counterparts, an adaptation that helps them withstand the cooler temperatures.
Koalas spend most their time sleeping because of their low-energy diet. Usually solitary, these arboreal (tree-living) marsupials live in overlapping home ranges, males having larger territories than females. The first and second digits of their padded front paws are opposed, like our thumbs, to assist in gripping and climbing. The second and third digits of the hind paws are partial fused to form a grooming claw for removing ticks.
Males are larger than females and have a chest gland that produces scent, which they use to mark trees in their territory. Koalas have a special cheek tooth that grind fibrous, highly toxic eucalyptus leaves into a fine paste.
Formerly common throughout woodlands, population numbers fluctuate greatly and they often live in high densities in isolated patches of habitat.
