Koala Bear

The life cycle of a Koala bear is pretty simple. Males reach maturity at 3 to 4 years of age, females at 2 to 3 years. Studies show that a healthy female Koala bear can produce one young each year for about 12 years. Gestation (or pregnancy period) is 35 days. Twins in the species are very rare, and the Koala bear mates between December and March (Southern Hemisphere’s summer).

A baby koala bear is called a “Joey” and it is hairless, blind and earless. At birth, it is only a quarter of an inch long. A young Koala bear is known to crawl into the mother’s belly (or pouch) where it can attach itself to one of the two teats. The young Koala bear remain in the pouch, hidden for about six months- feeding only on milk. During the six months, the baby Koala bear grow fur, eyes and ears. After that period, the “Joey” can explore outside of the pouch. At that stage, the young Koala bear will consume the mother’s “pap” which help the baby inoculate its stomach with the microbes necessary to digest the eucalypt leaves. For six months or so, the “Joey” will stay with its mother, and may ride on her back-feeding on both eucalypt leaves and the mother’s milk until at about 12 months age. The young male Koala bear often stay with the mother until they are two or three years old while the young female Koala bear may disperse to other nearby areas.