Koala

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/koala

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Phascolarctos cinereus
2. What is the habitat?Eucalyptus woodlands and forests in eastern and southeastern Australia
3. Why do koalas sleep so much?Because their food is low in protein and hard to digest, koalas need a low metabolism and spend 18-20 hours sleeping to conserve energy.
4. How do koalas eat eucalyptus leaves?Koalas have a special long cecum full of helpful microbes that break down the tough, toxic leaves so they can get the nutrients they need.

Arboreal Marsupial: A mammal that lives in trees and carries its young in a pouch.
Specialized Diet: Consuming only a very limited range of food items, like koalas and eucalyptus.
Habitat Fragmentation: The breaking up of large natural areas into smaller, isolated patches of land.
Altricial Young: Offspring born in a very immature state, requiring extensive parental care.