Are koalas really bears?

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If you’ve ever seen a koala, then you might have thought it looked like an adorable, cuddly teddy bear! Because of this, koalas are often referred to as “koala bears,” but in truth, koalas aren’t types of bears or relatives of bears at all.

A koala is actually an animal known as a marsupial, which refers to mammals like kangaroos (and koalas!) who carry their babies in a pouch. The koala’s baby is known as a joey, and it spends several months in its mother’s pouch and then clings to her back until it’s about a year old.
 

Koala 101!

In addition to their cute looks and their marsupial pouches, koalas are also famously known for eating eucalyptus leaves. Because these don’t give them a lot of energy, koalas spend a lot of time sitting fairly still or sleeping.

Koalas also mostly live in eucalyptus trees, so they have claws that are strong and good at grasping. This helps it get around in the branches!