Did you know the 3rd of May is best known as Wild Koala Day?
International Wild Koala Day is observed on May 3 in the honor of koalas. Koalas, the majestic representative of the wombat family, are mainly found in remote parts of Australia. Recognizable by their large heads, fluffy ears, and tailless body, koalas are considered to be the symbol of Australia. It’s been a rough couple of years for the koalas. Yearly wildfires and rampant deforestation have exterminated more than 10 million koalas within a decade.
International Wild Koala Day raises awareness and fights for their survival. Wild Koala Day is an opportunity to celebrate koalas and to protect their habitat, which is rapidly vanishing. Within 10 years, the koala has gone from no listing to endangered – and that’s a terrible plummeting of numbers.
Koalas need forests.
To recognise and care for koalas, our Echidnas children carefully and thoughtfully planted their very own tree with the help of our very handy Educators and together we discovered 3 fascinating facts:
1. Koala means ‘No Drink’
The word “koala” is thought to originate from one of the Australian Aboriginal languages, Dharug, which roughly translates to ‘no drink’ or ‘no water’. And this might explain why. In the Australian bush, koalas rarely drink water as the majority of their water intake comes from eating fresh eucalyptus leaves. Koalas drinking water is uncommon in the wild, although they can do so if necessary, especially during heat waves, droughts or bushfires.
2. Koalas can sleep up to 18-20 hours a day!
The koala may sleep or rest for up to 18-20 hours every day while being tucked into the fork of the tree. Their extraordinary sleeping habit is believed to be an adaptation to their leaf-based diet, as they get very little energy from just eating leaves. Hence, koalas need more rest and sleep than most mammals to conserve their energy in dry environments such as the Australian bush.
3. A Koala is the only surviving member of it’s family
There is only one species of Koala in the world. It is the only extant member of the family Phascolarctidae, whose closest living relatives are the common wombats. There wild numbers are estimated to be around 300,000 mature individuals, but showing a declining population trend. Koalas are currently listed as vulnerable by the IUCN.
We look forward to the many learning opportunities we will continue to share with our Inspired children.
