Koala..

Hi all....A couple of pictures of a Koala who visited us recently....These little guys are in great numbers around this area both along the many creeks and bushland....They grow to about 30 inches high and live in eucalyptus trees....They feed exclusively on eucalyptus leaves...From time to time we get a visit from one wandering to new pastures and they are a delight to watch...This one made a home here for a couple of days before departing back to the bush...

koalas are difficult to spot when they are in the bush, staying up high in Manna Gum trees, their favorite food...They are generally very quiet but big male Koalas make a very loud grunting bellow during mating season...We feel lucky living in an area with such a great diversity of native Australian marsupials....

A couple of pics in our winter garden included for your enjoyment...

Bob..VK3ZL..

THAT is just way too fscking cool. Are they mean? Can you pet them? All we get here is possums and raccoons.

As the forum lets out a collective.. "awwwwww...."

That is really neat!

Marsupials and monotremes are fascinating, Oz has some of the most interesting biodiversity on the planet... like Madagascar, just "out there" and almost alien.

I looove eucalyptus oil, I may be reincarnated as a Koala. :lol:

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Originally Posted by WØTKX

Marsupials and monotremes are fascinating, Oz has some of the most interesting biodiversity on the planet... like Madagascar, just "out there" and almost alien.

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The animal life not being all that different than the people, eh? ;)

I kid.. love Australia. Love Australians. Nothing amuses me more than a society that is so much like America that despises us so much. It's like a form of self loathing by proxy.

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Originally Posted by NA4BH

All we get here is possums and raccoons.

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And skunks, lizards, rats. Cute.

Koalas look so cool on TV. They seem so Zen. They seem so serene.
But beware of the late night talk show guest zoologist koala! It's like feeding a gremlin after midnight!
You have all been warned.

My Daughter got to pet one during her trip to Australia. She said their breath stinks. :lol: :lol:

I could use the eucalyptus to clear my sinuses right now.

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Originally Posted by W4GPL

The animal life not being all that different than the people, eh? ;)

I kid.. love Australia. Love Australians. Nothing amuses me more than a society that is so much like America that despises us so much. It's like a form of self loathing by proxy.

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Had the government paperwork prepared for two seasons to teach skiing "down under" in our off season. I regret not taking the chance. New Zealand would be great too.

They move slowly don't they Bob? Like an opossum, but not as slow as a sloth.

A possum can haul ass when it needs to.

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Originally Posted by NA4BH

A possum can haul ass when it needs to.

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Back in the mid 70s we tent camped in the Allegheny National Forest in NW PA. One night while the Coleman lantern was still lit we noticed an opossum hanging around outside the tent.
I grabbed the lantern and gave chase (it was an area of large trees with very little ground cover other than hundreds of years of dead leaves)
I was able to stay right on it's butt for many minutes, chasing it all over the area. I probably could have jumped on it if I wanted to.

When I get my "Possum Whoopin'" stick after their little scavenging asses, they turn on the afterburners and seem to hit passing gear. When I do get them, I practice catch and release.

I almost got wiped out by a mommy raccoon and offspring while camping on an island in Lake George, NY. I X'ed two of the little ones & felt bad about it later.

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Originally Posted by kc7jty

I almost got wiped out by a mommy raccoon and offspring while camping on an island in Lake George, NY. I X'ed two of the little ones & felt bad about it later.

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Had the situation been reversed and they offed you, would they feel bad? Hell no.

http://www.huntingraccoon.com/Assets/Images/tailcap.jpg

I too make grunting noises during mating season...

To answer a few questions about Koala's....They tend to stink a bit especially in hot weather....They look cuddly and cute but in the wild one would claw you to pieces if you tried to pick it up....They are generally slow moving in the Eucalypt trees and sleep 75% of the day....On the ground they can move remarkably fast..The mating bellows of the male can be heard a couple of miles away..Not good to eat.

My experience trying to move a wild male Koala from a tree here a few years back was a hilarious experience,,,Imagine me 20 feet up a ladder with a long pole trying to faze the Koala and make him come down from the tree....That rat bastard came down real fast, pissing all the way down, drenching yours truly with smelly urine....Jeannie and a couple of other ladies were at the bottom of the tree laughing at me getting drenched...Jeannie yelled to me to keep my mouth closed...Bloody women!!!!:yuck:

Bob..VK3ZL..

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Originally Posted by W4RLR

I too make grunting noises during mating season...

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and when you go potty.

Coincidentally, I've been thinking about Koalas all morning. Isn't that the species that eats shoots and leaves? Guess while grunting? ;)

For grunting, well, actually bellowing, what can match a tortoise?

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Originally Posted by W1GUH

Coincidentally, I've been thinking about Koalas all morning. Isn't that the species that eats shoots and leaves? Guess while grunting? ;)

For grunting, well, actually bellowing, what can match a tortoise?

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Actually you are mistaking the Koala for the Wombat....He eats, roots, leaves and sleeps....Wombat was my nickname..:mrgreen:

Hope this clears that up for you..

Bob..VK3ZL..