Bear Misconceptions

Koala Bears?

Post by Katie Billing

I have heard the phrase “Koala bear” used on several occasions. The statement is invalid because koalas are not bears at all! Koalas are found throughout Victoria, New South Wales, and Queensland Australia. My previous post about, What Bears Are, stated that bears do not live in Australia. If koalas are not bears, then what are they? Koalas are in fact marsupials because they have a pouch in which they raise their young. A baby koala is known as a “joey,” just like baby kangaroos and wombats (their closest living relative). Newborn koalas are the size of a jellybean. When the joey grows big enough to leave the pouch they cling to the mother’s back for a free journey through the treetops.

Koalas have non-retractile claws for climbing, but they climb trees for a particular purpose! Koalas are incredibly picky eaters. The koala palate can only be satisfied by a particular species of eucalyptus leaves. Adult koalas eat around 1,000 leaves a day! These leaves also are poisonous to other animals. The koala has a special ability to digest the leaves by means of special bacteria that live in their stomachs. Joeys eat food called “pap,” which is actually mother koala feces! This process helps the baby receive the bacteria needed to digest eucalyptus leaves.

I don’t think brown bears would like to survive on a diet of eucalyptus leaves or carry cubs in a pouch! Leave those jobs to the marsupials of Australia!

Pandas are closely related to Raccoons?

In some occasions I have heard people say pandas are closely related to raccoons. This statement is false! According to UC Santa Barbara, “Scientists have used DNA evidence to find out that Giant Pandas are closely related to other bears than raccoons.” Giant Pandas are closely related to the spectacled bear of South America. The red panda, however, is placed in the family Procyonidae that consists of raccoons, coatis, and ring-tails.