The Koalas
1.) The Koala is one of the only animals which can survive on a diet of eucalytus leaves. They are extremely poisionous to most animals. They have special stomaches that help them break down the poison.
2.) Koalas also sleep between 18 and 22 hours each day.
3.) With over 600 types of eucalyptus trees growing all over Australia, Koalas are fussy about the ones that they eat. They will only eat about 35 types of them. Some of them actually only eat 2 or 3 kinds. If they can not find thise they just will not eat.
4.) The fingerprints of Koalas are amazingly like those of human beings - enough to cause confusion.
5.) The closest relative of the koala is the wombat they both have pouches which open towards the rear.
6.) The Koala can run as fast as a rabbit.
7.) When Koalas are first born they are blind, furless, and no ears. Once they make it into their mom's pouch they develop all of that.
8.) Koalas don't live in families, but are solitary animals.
9.) Although koalas obtain most of their water from leaves -- the name koala is thought to mean "no drink" in several native Aborginal tongues -- they do occasionally drink water at the edges of streams.
10.) There are 3 types of Koalas. The New South Wales Koala, The Queensland Koala, and The Victoria Koala. The New South Whales was the First type of Koala to be discovered, to this day is still thought of as the "typical" Koala.
The Pandas
1.)· Giant pandas are biologically unique. They are closely related to bears and have the digestive system of a carnivore, but they have adapted to a vegetarian diet and depend almost exclusively on bamboo as a food source. Not designed to process plant matter, the panda's digestive system cannot easily break down the cellulose in bamboo, so pandas must eat huge amounts
2.) A giant panda can eat up to 88 pounds of Bamboo each day.
3.) Pandas have a special bone in their wrist that allow them to grip bamboo, the same way that we use our thumbs to grip on things.
4.) Giant Panda Bears do not hibernate during the winter. Due to their leaner diets, they do not build up the excess fat needed to hibernate.
5.) The Chinese word for Panda is "Xiongmao" or Giant Cat Bear.
6.) If the pandas don't have any bamboo to eat they will die.
7.) Giant pandas have unusually thick and heavy bones for their size, but they are also very flexible and like to do somersaults.
8.) They seem pretty quiet, but giant pandas can bleat, roar, growl, and honk.
9.) Pupils of the panda's eyes are vertical slits that may be an adaptation for night vision.
10.) There are only about 1000 pandas left in the wild. About 100 are in captivity. Pandas are on the endangered species list.
Alright next weeks animals are kangaroo and a lion. If you have any facts that you want to share. Just leave me a message and I will be happy to post it. Thanks.
1 comment:
I love reading these..almost as much as reading about your day with your boys.;-)
Post a Comment