What does koala mean?<\/h2>\n
\u2018Koala\u2019 is thought to mean \u2018no drink\u2019 in the Aboriginal language, although there are many different languages spoken by Aboriginal people throughout the country.<\/p>\n
What is the scientific name of the koala?<\/h2>\n
The scientific name for the koala is Phascolarctos cinereus<\/em>.<\/p>\n Phascolarctos<\/em> is derived from the Greek words \u2018phaskolos<\/em>\u2019 meaning pouch, and \u2018arktos<\/em>\u2019 meaning bear, cinereus<\/em> means ash coloured (grey).<\/p>\n Although some people mistakenly call them koala bears, koalas are not actually bears.<\/p>\n When the koala was given its scientific name by European scientists,\u00a0the closest mammals they could relate the koala to at that time were bears.<\/p>\n Among the scientific community there are differing opinions regarding the actual number of subspecies of koalas. Some are of the opinion there are three subspecies, while others claim there are only two and some ask are there any subspecies at all.<\/p>\n Currently the three named subspecies are:<\/p>\n The New South Wales subspecies being the most debated.<\/p>\n The taxonomy of these three subspecies is based on differing physical characteristics. The main differences are that koalas in the south are larger than those in the north and also their fur differs in that it is thicker, fluffier, and often darker. Because the winters in the south are colder than those of the north it is likely that the koalas either evolved or adapted to the climatic conditions.<\/p>\n The koalas in between fall somewhere in between these two different sets of characteristics. The distribution of the three subspecies has not yet been defined but has been delineated by the state boundaries.<\/p>\n <\/p><\/div> <\/section> There are around 200 marsupial species found in Australia, including\u00a0bilbies, kangaroos (including tree kangaroos), numbats, phascogales, quokkas, quolls, Tasmanian devils, wallabies, and wombats.<\/p>\n The closest relative to the koala from the Australian marsupials is the wombat.<\/p>\n \u2018Habitat\u2019 refers to the types of bushlands that Koalas like to live in. They are found in a range of habitats, from coastal islands and tall eucalypt forests to low inland woodlands.<\/p>\n Today they do not live in rainforest, although it is thought that millions of years ago the ancestors from which today\u2019s Koalas evolved lived in the rainforests which covered much of Australia at that time.<\/p>\n Koala populations only occur if suitable habitat is available. The two most important factors which make habitats suitable are:<\/p>\n Research shows that socially stable Koala populations occur only when there are primary (or favourite) tree species present.<\/p>\n Even if a selection of tree species known to be used by koalas occurs within an area, it will not support a koala population, or at least the koala population will not use it, unless one or two favourite species are present.<\/p>\n Koalas live in societies, just like humans, so they need to be able to come into contact with other koalas. Because of this they need to have areas of suitable eucalypt forest which are large enough to support a healthy koala population and to allow for expansion by maturing young koalas.<\/p>\n Koalas are found in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and ACT.<\/p>\n Their range extends from the Atherton Tableland west of Cairns in Queensland to islands off the coast of Victoria and South Australia in the south, and west to central and western Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and ACT.<\/p>\n Populations are fragmented throughout this range and many populations are seriously at risk.<\/p>\n Please note that external videos may contain ads:<\/em><\/p>\nHow many subspecies of koala are there?<\/h2>\n
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What is the closest relative to the koala?<\/h2>\n
What is the koalas\u2019 habitat and their distribution?<\/h2>\n
![\"""\"](\""https:\/\/images.immediate.co.uk\/production\/volatile\/sites\/23\/2022\/07\/sleeping-koala-GettyImages-1376124579-151171b.jpg?quality=90&resize=619%2C413"\" "\\"\"\"\\"\/")
<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>Habitat<\/h3>\n
Distribution<\/h3>\n
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