Koala

The koala is a tree-dwelling marsupial native to Australia, instantly recognizable by its round face, large fluffy ears and stocky, tailless body covered in grey to brown fur. It feeds almost exclusively on the leaves of certain eucalyptus species, which are toxic and low in nutrition for most animals, and its digestive system, sluggish metabolism and long sleeping hours, often around eighteen to twenty hours a day, are adaptations to this specialized diet. Koalas are generally solitary and spend nearly all their time in trees, and although once widespread across eastern Australia, habitat destruction, bushfires, disease and vehicle and dog strikes have caused sharp population declines, leading to the species being classified as endangered in parts of its range.