Zoo InternQuest is a career exploration program for high school students. For more information see the Zoo InternQuest Journals. For more photos see the Zoo InternQuest Photo Journal.

The Zoo interns got a special treat last week: we toured the marsupial area and koala complex. Led by Jennifer Tobey, a behavioral researcher who studies koalas, we learned about many fascinating facets of a koala’s life and behavioral enrichment.

Koalas are famous for their sloth-like behavior, sleeping between 19 and 22 hours daily. Although many people think that this behavior stems from pure laziness, it is actually attributed to the combination of a low energy diet of nutrtient-depleted eucalyptus leaves and an especially slow metabolism. With this knowledge of lethargy in mind, it was all the the more special when one of the koalas actually decided to wake up, scratch itself, switch branches, and then eat. We even observed it drinking! Koalas almost never drink water because most of their water supply comes from the leaves they eat; in fact, its name derives from the Aboriginal word for “no drink”.

Koala mating is another intriguing topic. The levels of their reproductive and stress hormones increase dramatically during the breeding season and cause these sluggish creatures to disperse in order to find a mate. Unlike humans, the females do not have menstrual cycles, but instead release eggs upon copulation. The gestation period is only a little over a month, during which a tiny, quarter-of-an-inch-long “joey” is born. It then climbs into its mothers pouch for its 12-month development.

For behavioral enrichment, Mrs. Tobey works with two nifty gizmos: a motion sensor and a shotgun-shaped recorder/amplifier. The motion sensor is used to limit the time a researcher must watch the koalas. Since koalas sleep most of the day, the sensor saves valuable reseach time by alerting the researcher when koalas become active. The recorder is useful in recording the vocalizations of the koalas. Most people think koalas are mute, cuddly creatures, but their vehement bellows completely shatter this image. Recording these calls allows for the matching of behavior patterns with vocalization patterns.

From our experience with koalas, we transcended the stereotypes that surrounded koalas, obtaining a deeper understanding of their behavior. Hopefully this blog will allow people to have a greater understanding of these amazing creatures, too.

Clark - Photo Team

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