![]() These are likely to be adaptations to the colder winters in the south of the country. ![]() Koalas in the south of Australia are considerably larger and have thicker, often browner fur than those in the north. The rump’s white speckled appearance makes Koalas harder to spot from the ground. The fur on the Koala’s rump is densely packed and provides an inbuilt ‘cushion’ for the hard branches it sits on. Mature males are recognisable by the brown scent gland in the centre of their chest which they rub on the tree trunks to deter other Koalas, especially other males, from entering their home trees. Koalas have patches of white fur inside the ears, on their chin, chest and neck, inside the front limbs and sometimes on the back of the hind limbs, and usually in patches on their rump. These variations are gradual changes from north to south, and there are some differences of opinion amongst scientists as to whether the variations mean that there are separate sub-species of the koala. Koalas in the south generally tend to have fur which is darker and thicker (and sometimes browner) than those in the north. ![]() The fur varies in colour from light grey to brown. Koalas have thick, woolly fur which protects them from the extremes of both high and low temperatures, and which also acts like a ‘raincoat’ to repel moisture when it rains. The Koala’s fur – a protective “raincoat” The second and third digits are fused together to form a double-clawed digit which is used for grooming purposes, such as for removing ticks. On the hind paw, there is no claw on the biggest digit, which is opposable to the others for gripping. It was noted that each Koala has a different fingerprint from other Koalas. A scientific study compared human and Koala fingerprints, finding that the Koalas’ are easily distinguishable from humans’, but there are some similarities. Koalas are the only other animal besides primates that have individual fingerprints like humans. ![]() Distinctive parallel Koala scratch marks on tree trunks are due to this particular characteristic. This allows the Koala to grip more securely. Each paw has five digits on the front paw, two digits are opposed to the other three–rather like a human’s thumb–so they are both able to be moved in opposition to the other three. Rough pads on the palms and soles help it to grip tree trunks and branches, and both front and hind paws have long sharp claws. The Koala’s paws are specially adapted for gripping and climbing. The front and hind limbs are nearly equal in length and much of the Koala’s climbing strength comes from the thigh muscle, which joins the shin much lower than in many other mammals. With a lean, muscular body, and comparatively long, strong limbs, the Koala can support its weight when climbing. ĭespite having no tail, the Koala has an excellent sense of balance. The Koala’s closest relative is the common wombat. However vestiges of a tail are still present in the skeletal structure of the Koala, indicating that at some time in its evolutionary history an external tail was present. Unlike other arboreal marsupials such as the tree kangaroo, the Koala does not have an external tail. The Koala is well suited to its life in the trees.
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