South Carolina Zoos, Aquariums and Wildlife

Koalas aren't bears as many people are led to believe. They aren't even related to bears. The koala is a marsupial mammal which makes it related to the kangaroo and the wombat.

The reason the koala is called a koala bear is simply because it looks like a sweet little teddy bear.

The wombat is the closest relative to the koala. They both have pouches which open towards the rear. This is fine for the wombat, but koalas need strong muscles to hold the pouch tight to keep the young one from falling out.

There are only 2,000 to 8,000 koalas in the wild! Although not officially classified as endangered, the population of Australian koalas has dropped by 90% in less than a decade. This is due to the destruction of the koala's natural habitat, which is a narrow crescent on the eastern coast of Australia.

Logging, agriculture and urban development have not only reduced the area available to them, but added other dangers. Roads have been built crossing the koala's habitat which has resulted in many killed along the roads.Frequently, Koalas have been attacked and killed by neighboring pet dogs. Koalas are also dying from disease.