you can see how the water runs off koala fur for the most part - it has been raining for like 10 or so days straight. Koalas do not make any attempt to seek shelter of any kind, they just fill their bellies and curl up tight.
thank you for the seriously awesome comments and questions on my photos
@shutterbug49 it's a challenge to get any photos in the rain and the low light for sure! I have to watch the weather and race out when I can and sometimes do the property loop in a couple of separate runs :)
@sugarmuser being arboreal, they stay in the trees, though they often shelter in non-food trees. But you are right, they won't be far from their food trees either.
@s4sayer luckily Jordan is wearing the proper gear hahaha
@beryl keeping the head down tends to fix that so the water runs off the outside of the ears - I doubt they would like water getting in their ears one bit!
@fbailey they are now protected in that you can't shoot them for their pelts. that law was passed in 1930. however the decimation of the population, combined with the continued destruction of their habitat means they aren't as protected as they need to be. we can't 'kill' one, but their forests can be decimated.
@fbailey yes, they are listed as vulnerable to extinction. however we believe this rating needs to be taken up a level to endangered. most authorities believe they will be extinct in the wild by 2050. some feel it will be sooner.
Some populations are completely extinct, and many have lost as many as 80% of the population over the past 50 years alone.
Here where I live we have one of the highest rates of koalas being rescued in Australia and we manage to save around 25% of those we bring in.
What is happening on my property is not the norm - colony stabilising, population expanding and extremely high level of health. But it is proof that the answer is to simply provide their habitat. Not rocket science really, but it does not fit our governments agenda I'm afraid.
@koalagardens you are a wealth of information and I thank you for sharing it with us all. This is another great photo. I love your enthusiasm and can do attitude. We live right near a protected area for wildlife and therefore get lots of native animals on our property also, however no koalas. We get wallabies, possums, wombats, echidnas and Tassie devil's to name a few. I wish people could learn to share their land and embrace the animals that visit or live their too.
With so dense a coat, perhaps they are oblivious to the rain! I should think the wet leaves that they eat would be that much tastier, but not being a koala myself, that's only a guess!
@Weezilou oh so nice to see you here! yes the name 'koala' derives from aboriginal words for drought or as they called drought 'no drink'. Koalas generally do not drink free flowing water unless there is great necessity - so wet leaves is a boon for them!
@s4sayer luckily Jordan is wearing the proper gear hahaha
@beryl keeping the head down tends to fix that so the water runs off the outside of the ears - I doubt they would like water getting in their ears one bit!
Some populations are completely extinct, and many have lost as many as 80% of the population over the past 50 years alone.
Here where I live we have one of the highest rates of koalas being rescued in Australia and we manage to save around 25% of those we bring in.
What is happening on my property is not the norm - colony stabilising, population expanding and extremely high level of health. But it is proof that the answer is to simply provide their habitat. Not rocket science really, but it does not fit our governments agenda I'm afraid.