Koalas are tree-dwelling plant-eating marsupials. They have a large round head, big furry ears, and a big black nose. Their whole body is covered with grey-brown fur except for the chest, inner arms, ears, and bottom areas with white fur. There is no fur on the nose and palms of their paws. 

Silky Terrier Dog Breed Playing Aro... Silky Terrier Dog Breed Playing Around

The size, color, and shape of Koalas vary slightly across eastern Asia. It is observed that Koalas in Queensland are smaller and lighter in weight than those found in New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia.

What Koalas Look Like?

Koalas can be easily recognized by their tailless body, large round head, fluffy ears, and large spoon-shaped nose. They are approximately 60-85 cm in length and 4-15 kg in weight. Their fur color varies from silver brown to chocolate grey. Koalas inhabiting southern Australia are considerably larger and have thicker brown fur than those living in northern Australia.

Adult male koalas are larger than adult females. Female koalas have a pouch with the bottom opening at the center of their abdomen. Baby koalas develop in their mother’s pouch for about six months. Then they ride on their mother’s back for food and sleep for another six months. The external genitalia is visible on male koalas as a dark brown scent gland located in the center of the white chest. On the other hand, the females have a plain white chest.

Koalas are the only other animal that has got individual fingerprints, just like humans. Each koala has a different fingerprint than the other. Their paws are adapted for climbing and griping, with each paw containing five digits. It is a misconception that koalas don’t have rib cages. They do have a rib cage with 11 pairs of ribs, unlike 13 pairs of ribs present in mammals. They have got curved spine with a cartilaginous pad over the end.