A koala at Bells Beach, in the state of Victoria, Australia, April 12, 2019. RIC TAPIA/AP
E
veryone knows the koala. More than that, everyone loves the koala. Even during a tense election night in a left-leaning Parisian family, simply mentioning its name is enough to lighten the mood. Its teddy bear face, bewildered expression, and reputation for being peaceful – and therefore vulnerable – make it rather irresistible.
Everyone thinks they know the koala, but that is not always the case. For a long time, for instance, it was believed that this small marsupial was nocturnal. It spent its entire day sleeping upright in a tree, after all. That was until, in 2009, an Australian team had the bold idea of fitting GPS trackers to the placid animal. The result showed that, on average, it moved 53.6 centimeters during the day and 63.3 centimeters at night. Koalas were also thought to be eager eaters of all types of eucalyptus. Yet, out of the 800 known species, koalas – depending on the region – eat only three to five. That is no small feat; the tannins and lignin saturating these leaves make them inedible for nearly every other animal. Still, the koala knows what it likes, and sticks to it.
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