Ready for the lowdown on one seriously cute creature? Then join National Geographic Kids as we check out ten fascinating koala facts!

Facts about koalas

Koala Facts

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1) Koalas are found in the eucalyptus forests of eastern Australia. They have grey fur with a cream-coloured chest, and strong, clawed feet, perfect for living in the branches of trees!

2) Cuddly critters, koalas measure about 60cm to 85cm long, and weigh about 14kg.


 
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3) Although you may have heard people call them koala ‘bears’, these awesome animals aren’t bears at all – they are in fact marsupials. A group of mammals, most marsupials have pouches where their newborns develop.

4) When an infant koala – called a joey – is born, it immediately climbs up to its mother’s pouch. Blind and earless, a joey uses its strong sense of touch and smell, as well as natural instinct, to find its way.

Koala Facts

5) A joey grows and develops in the pouch for about six months. Once strong enough, the youngster rides around on its mother’s back for a further six months, only using the pouch to feed.

6) Koala’s grow up to become big eaters, shifting up to one kilogram of eucalyptus leaves in a day! They are fussy, too, and will select the most nutritious and tastiest leaves from the trees where they live.

7) These magnificent mammals get their name form an Aboriginal* term meaning, ‘no drink’. It’s believed this is because koalas get almost all their moisture from the leaves they eat, and rarely drink water.

8) But check this out – eucalyptus leaves are super tough and poisonous! Luckily for koalas, they have a long digestive organ called a cecum which allows them to break down the leaves unharmed.

Koala Facts

9) Enjoy having a snooze? Well so do our furry friends! Koalas don’t have much energy and, when not feasting on leaves, they spend their time dozing in the branches. Believe it or not, they can sleep for up to 18 hours a day!

10) Although these beautiful creatures are protected by law, and not classed as an endangered species, their habitat is under threat. Sadly, around 80% of koala habitat has been lost to human homes, drought and bushfires.

* The Aboriginals are the indigenous people of Australia.

What do you think of our koala facts? Let us know by leaving a comment, below!

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COMMENTS

  • Cookies

    Awesome facts, 100% would read these different facts all day long if I could.

  • FlamingLion

    Save the koalas!

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    I never new about these awsome facts!

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    wildlife is cool!!!

  • National Geographic Fan

    Very interesting'

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    awesome

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    coool

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  • wow

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    I need more information.

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    I need more information ℹ️.

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    I love these facts about animlas

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    thank you for more and more info on interesting animals :)

  • awesome

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    SO CUTE!!!!!!!!!

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    So cool

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    I love to do this when I come back to school

  • Evelyn

    Koalas are so cute.

  • milla

    I love Koalas they are so so soft

  • milla

    koalas are so cool. I learned lots about koalas from Milla

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    hi i love koalas

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    I LOVE this 10 out of 10

  • I love koalas!!!!!!

  • Flippy

  • cute

  • Shayli

  • Shayli

    I love the koala facts because koalas are my favourite animal.from shayli 6 years old

  • Shayli

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  • Hi

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    I love how you research and put all the interesting facts together from Bella, 8 years old

  • bb

    this is cool

  • bb

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    I love Koalas there so cuddly and fuzzy, I even whach a show about koalas, its called izzys koala world!

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  • can't wait

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    this mammal's are so cute

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    IM A KOALAAAAA

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    wow so cool

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    I love koalas. I am very sad the they are endangered :(

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    coool

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    thanks it helped with my homework

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    A

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    thanks i needed this for my homework

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    My name is BOBBY

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    awesome never knew thanks

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    cool facts & thanks

  • love it

  • no

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  • Ian

  • shahir

    i love this

  • aarya

    koalas are my favorite animals and i am very sad to hear about them dying from home the eucalyptus forest dying because of bushfires these are bad i dont even want them huted 1000 get killed each year koala are not endengerd does not mean they can be hunted mother koalas keep dying

  • beast

    pretty good son

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  • JOY

    why does a joey have to stay in its mothers punch can it come out

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    it would be cool to have my dog talk

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    Thanks helped me with my school work

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    AMAZING

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    you guys are the best

  • Mannat

    I never knew there are only 80% of Koalas left! Thank you for writing these amazing facts!

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    I need a description not that

  • s

    good job

  • Save our world heehee ;)

  • Lucia

    I like koalas. They are fluffy

  • koala lover

    #SAVE THE KOALA'S

  • emma

    koalas are awesome

  • Beware the drop bear

    Great facts

  • jhonothon

    nice post also SAVE THE KOALAS!!!

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    cool

  • Penny

    I don’t like it

  • Cool

  • Wow

    Wow

  • Chloe

    WOW!

  • Zeenat

    Cool! Quite interesting.

  • Louise

    The last fact is sad and we have to stop it from keep happening.

  • holly

    let us take action

  • Isabel

    Amazing!

  • Jishnu

    nice

  • skylah

    that is so cute! i love koalas! Idid a report on them so i love every little bit even the tiny joeys!

  • sabrina mirza

    Thanks for the koala poster in the newest kids magazine I have had an application for a long time and I have always loved to learn more every month!

  • Shelby

    I have to do a essay on Koalas for a school project and I have been learning more and more every day I search and they are my favorite animal so far! SO CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Charlotte

    I learnt alot

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    I LOVE koalas

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    I searched this site for my homework

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    i love animals so so so much !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! : )

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    Koalas are so cute

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    I love koalas are so cute and my favourite animal.

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    I love koalas too.

  • Good

  • Tobia

    So cute

  • Jalierus

    I love koalas they are so cute and chubby

  • koala wow wow wow cool!COOL

    HOW CAN THEY SLEEP FOR 18 HOURS A DAY WOW I LOVE KOALAS

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    they are sooooo CUTE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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    My favourite animal is a koala

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  • THE EPIC PIZZA KING

    koalas are AWESOME

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    im writing a information report about koalas

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    Omg my friend Hollie LOVES these cute koalas

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    I think I am loving your koala facts so much

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    koalas are such amazing marsupials

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    We need to help koalas

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    There are so interesting facts. I love KOALAS. National geographic is my favorite make for animals or natural things.There are awosome!!!!

  • *Maqui :)

    i think that koalas are an increible animal! thanks for your info.

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    Koalas are so cute and so special.Lets save their habitat. :) :3

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    They are cute and fantastic I love them

  • TOBIAS

    Koalas are awesome, sweet and they sleep a lot! I love koalas! If I were a koala I don`t make anything!

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    They are lovely!! I love them!!

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    The Koalas are beautiful and interesting !

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    I Love Koalas, They are so cute, they are protected by law but the people use their homes for another things. we need to stop them. :)

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    I love koala's.They are so cute

  • so cute!

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    We speak for what is right as WE MUST STOP POLUTION ITS SO STINKY! Help these Cuties!

  • Alex

    these magnificent Koalas cannot be lost and if so... I will be sad the rest of my life!

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    Koalas my favourite animal

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    i know know alot about koalas

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    This so awesome about koalas I want to put it on my school report

  • Carol

    I love the pictures of the koala bears

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    Koalas are animals and we should protect them.

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    I love how this website has everything about anything and all the animals are so cute!

  • Jacelyn

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    There ok

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    SAVE THE ANIMALS!!!!

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    Thank you so much for all your ten fun facts they have helped me and made me very proud of myself

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    I love KOALAS!!!!!

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    This was a great educational website for children in year 5 to use for their nature documents in English. Mrs Biddle Class 5

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    Amazing and cool to read on my iPad.

  • elizabeth

    Thank you this is helpful!

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    i'm doing a research project on koalas!!!

  • Isabella

    We saw 9 Koalas at Raymond Island, Paynesville at Easter!

  • not suppose to tell my name online.

    Thanks

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    I am doing a paper on koalas for school

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    I love your koala facts about koalas.

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    WE love Koalas

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    Koalas are cute

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    I love Koalas!

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    koalas are so cute,I wish that I had a pet koala,WOW

  • -Koala man

    Cool koala facts I really enjoyed them thanks ngkids again

  • Courtneyduell

    Amazing, I understood it QUICKER than i thought!!!

  • Fredward

    AMAZING! We need to stop cutting forests down. :+)

  • CJ8

    This is great, but we need to start giving animals the respect they deserve.:)

  • ammey

    love koalas helped me on my homework cool

  • tinky

    I Love animals and the facts are amazing! And the koalas are so so cute !

  • Ellie1256

    Those 10 facts about koalas were really interesting! The best thing about is koalas is that their my favourite animal and love to learn about them so l get national geographic magazines that has animals in it!

  • 12Whitney

    Kolas are the best

  • Soni

    Save the koalas

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    Koalas rule

  • Victor

    So sad for the koalas

  • BRY-BRY

    I LOVE KOALAS!!!!!!!!!!!

  • 64groovyseal

    Im doing a special project at school. I chose to do koalas because i think they are one of the cutest animals ever! Im making a power point with cool affects that is all about koalas (i used your website). I also play your awesome game, Animal Jam. I am 64groovyseal is youre wondering. (It says so on my name!) Thanks again!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • Leah

    Great things to know about koalas!!!!!

  • Nevaehlynn

    This was the very best article

  • ella may 1234

    thanks for all these facts they have helped me a lot about koalas for my big project and the are very interesting facts! thanks again! xx

  • Suggest

    You have really good deatalls

  • Kasper

    I love em! good.

  • Deysigomes4@

    this page is realy good but it does not give the information i want

  • Miraya

    I read the article it was awesome and cool.You know koalas are my favorite animal.I have a art progect about koalas.

  • galllie

    CCCCCOOOOOOLLL!!!!!!!!!

  • Lily1

    Thats sad

  • Lol

    Wow

  • Koala

    This is a good website

  • EmilyLovesSharks

    I love koalas and these facts made me love them even more!!!

  • Noob

    Cool

  • SALCAL

    I need some fun facts

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    LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!

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    i now love koalas

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    do not stop

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    this is cool!!!

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    I think I need a poo!!!!!!!!!

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    this helped me with my homework

  • Koala girl123

    I ??

  • trixie-x0x

    This really helped me with my homework!!!

  • Emalee

    Lol i love koalas

  • k

    this realy helped, ill probibly use this website again!!!

  • SugarSpice

    Great

  • nasseem

    moooo

  • armannur

    stupid

  • nasseem

    wow

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    lol

  • Julia1-Martinez

    THIS IS AN AWESOME ARTICLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • adelehello

    live saver

  • Keli-Leigh

    Exoplanetay

  • Rihanna1207

    I really

  • Mi1ky03

    it really helped me to finish my paper :)

  • alyssaj4

    koala bears are so cute

  • fjhfbg

    these animals are useless

  • koalasaremyfavoriteanimalever

    this article is totally awesome! i love koalas. They are my favorite animal. My second favorite animal, is the raccoon. They are pretty cool as well. But koalas are very cool and grey-t!!!!! hahahaha

  • Jer

    I think it is amazing so I am writing it all down and nosing it for school. I wanted to now more about them now.

  • TEOBEAR1

    KOALAS THE CUTES THANKS FOR INFO !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :]

  • TEOBEAR1

    KOALES ARE THE CUTIES OF THE EARTH! Thanks for the helpful info. :]

  • PinkBear

    I thought it was very helpful, but I would like more information next time. :]

  • Feran

    I like your website its super cool

  • turtle999

    I like turtles

  • fluffyflippers

    cool koalas

  • EmmyBear

    I loved it it helped me so much I will consider using this website agian it was very helpful for my school Sa

  • qwerghjiopasdfghjklzxcvbnm,

    i love koalas and your website

  • blank

    koalas are so cute i wish they are not endangered

  • sri908

    how cute are they

  • memz

    koalas are cute

  • anais

    you era smart

  • tomek

    more facts

  • tomek

    do more facts

  • Dfjdfuhsdugesbjncdghk

    SO COOL HELPED ME WITH MY HOMEWORK LOADS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • rainbowunicornzforever624

    i searched up drought & this came up i was a bit disappointed : (

  • JordanP

    KOALAS ARE AWESOME

  • JordanP

    KOALAS ROCK!! Thank you lots to koalas for helping me research for I have a project at school when I have to research about koalas.

  • Iris22222

    koalas are so cute!

  • Iris22222

    koalas are so cute! their my favorite animal!

  • Iris22222

    koalas are the best!!! so cute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • AJplayer

    Is this one reason why koalas are in Animal Jam?

  • Alissa-Watters

    I love Koalas and this helped me ALOT because i am doing research on this animal for a school project!

  • Naimah Miah

    Love it cool

  • lexi-bug

    thx i got a B on my home work

  • Everty Educate

    Year 6 love koalas! We think that they are very fluffy and cute- but we do know that they can become threatened and dangerous. Year 6 would love to travel to Australia and meet these koalas i their natural habitats. We could go and visit them in zoos over here in the UK- England (and some of us have already met them.) Most of us here have never seen a koala in real life form, but are very close with them. Thank you National Geographic Kids for sharing this information. We cant wait for more!!!

  • Shiloh

    Nice

  • Leonia

    Koalas are super-duper cute

  • Ben

    great facts

  • Hoya

    I love koalas they are so cute

  • Koalabearlovoer101

    Wow this helped me ALOT I never knew so many things about them!!!Great Job!!!

  • fizzfizzlol

    i love koalas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • JackMaz22

    omg theyre lazy

  • jimmythedude

    cool facts mates! supa groovy, i love kolas

  • Mb1

    cool

  • Mb1

    Since Im from Australia, I occasionally see them. Its quite hard to see them as the eucaliptus trees are so tall in the forests! There arent that may in the country, as animals - theyre my fav!! If you go to Australia ( the Eastern Side), dont go thinking that your going to find one because you might not. Since the eucalyptus treres are so tall, the koalas prefer to be up high. This gives you less of a chance to see them, but remember NEVER GIVE UP! Bring biocluars if you want to look up high in the tree tops for them! Mb1

  • Sharkygirl

    Woooow! Koalas eat A LOT of food!

  • meghan

    fun! I love this site

  • lol895

    I like koala / there cute

  • enrique

    they are so cute

  • Puffin25

    These are cool!

  • 13andstillcrazyaboutanimals2

    ME + KOALAS = OTP!!! GIVE ME MORE AMAZING FACTS PLEASE!!

  • Simi

    Great facts.They helped me alot!

  • alura

    the 10 fact is horrible.

  • Hanah

    Does the whole pouch thing with the Joey mean that Koalas are part of the Kangaroo family???

  • Nacho man

    I love koalas #

  • Ellisha

    I like the facts!

  • 13andstillcrazyaboutanimals

    Wackadoo! Great facts! my dad often calls me a koala but I dont care coz I think they are great! p.s could you do some facts on sloths? they are my favs for sure and id love to find out more!!

  • abc123

    i never new these things about koalas

  • troid360

    this really helped my on my homework

  • sniperandthewiffin5567

    WOW! #ilovekoalas ! dont know what id do withouht this website. IT IS MY LIFE!

  • Ellie-mae

    I love Animals

  • kikipuppykisses

    this is my favorite site ever .....

  • tan1234

    never knew this is cool !

  • josiah d

    koalas are sooooooooooo COOL and wierd

  • josiah d

    koalas are theBEST!

  • teddy2

    GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  • ElianaG

    Theyre SO Adorable!

  • ElianaG

    Koalas are SO Cute!

  • ElianaG

    Koalas are SO Adorable!

  • anna2323454

    asome I love koala

  • True twilight

    Cuuuuuuuuttttttttteeeeeeeee

  • EmilyL

    Thanks, helped with my nocturnal animals homework.

  • Happykoala1

    I love koalas!!!!!! :

  • portugal

    aww sooooo cute!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! and sooooo sweet

  • Charlotte

    I love koalas this good infmashonð

  • Nikki-Richards

    Cute

  • Alizaaa

    these are very interesting facts about koalas!

  • Roseberryapple

    I love koalas, i wish i had a pet koala But i have enough pets i have three dogs called molly misty and rosy rosy is my dog and one of my rabbits passed away so we have three now.

  • Omrao

    I love koalas, theyre like giant teddy bears.

  • Emily

    Wow!

  • Hanana

    Wow I never knew sooooooooooooooo much about kolars

  • marilyn

    lol nice

  • Henry

    Awesome! I somehow wish I was a Koala, because I love sleeping!

  • dogsarecute0067

    I love these cuddly bears!

  • freddie

    thanx

  • fashion

    Love Love Love Koalas !!!!!!!!!!!

  • Molly

    amazing i have to do a presantation on koalas this was very helpful

  • Sachaprice123

    Im doing a class assembly on koalas

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