Characteristics and adaptations

Characteristics and adaptations
File:Koala grooming.ogv
Scratching and grooming

The koala is a stocky animal with a large head and vestigial or non-existent tail.[29][30] It has a body length of 60–85 cm (24–33 in) and a weight

of 4–15 kg (9–33 lb),[30] making it among the largest arboreal marsupials.[31] Koalas from Victoria are twice as heavy as those from Queensland.[22] The species is sexually dimorphic, with males 50% larger than females. Males are further distinguished from females by

their more curved noses[31] and the presence of chest glands, which are visible as hairless patches.[32] As in most marsupials, the male koala has a bifurcated penis,[33] and the female has two lateral vaginas and two separate uteri.[29] The male’s penile sheath con

tains naturally occurring bacteria that play an important role in fertilisation.[34] The female’s pouch opening is tightened by a sphincter that keeps the young from falling out.[35]