March 17 Happy St. Patricks Day! Koalas & Kangaroos

March 12 – Koalas & Kangaroos

Australia’s greatest ambassador is definitely not a bear; he’s a marsupial.  The Aborigines were the ones who gave this furry creature his name, which in their language is translated from a description that is much less cuddly.  It means, “one who doesn’t drink”.

And the koala doesn’t.  He survives entirely on the leaves of certain eucalyptus trees.  He’s a sleepy, eucalyptus-munching marsupial in a teddy bear costume.  He sleeps the daylight hours away with his bottom wedged into the fork of a gum (eucalyptus) tree.  At night, he climbs from branch to branch eating as he goes.  And, like all marsupials, his young are raised in the mother’s front pouch before graduating to the piggy-back position atop Mom.

The kangaroo is the earth’s largest marsupial and can spring from his powerful hind legs and tail and leap close to 30 feet in one jump. Even with her “joey” in her pouch, a female kangaroo can “boing” along at 25 miles per hour for a short distance.  The largest is the Red Kangaroo. The male can stand 6 feet 7 inches tall and weigh around 200 pounds.  Next in size would be the Eastern Grey, then the Western Grey; the male weighing in close to 120 pounds.  At long distances their hopping speed can be from 13-16 mph, but can do up to 44 mph for short distances. Slightly smaller, is their cousin the Wallaroo followed by the smallest, the Wallabie.  They are the most recognizable symbol of Australia and at included along with the Emu on the Australian Coat of Arms.

A couple we met on our cruise captured the following great pictures of the Koalas and we passed a field of Western Grey Kangaroos on our way back for the Valley of the Giants.

Enjoy…Cheers!