Jacqui Cleijne . Wildlife Artist

Enjoy viewing some of my older works painted over the past few years.
For newer works, please visit the Wildlife Gallery 1 on the previous page.

Scientific name: Phascolarctos cinereus ( = ash-coloured pouched bear)

Medium dog sized tree marsupial. The Koala has big bellied body, round face, round furry ears, flattened nose and strong limbs. Fur is grey-brown and woolly.
Found in remaining eucalypt forest in eastern Australia. Southern Koalas, found in Tasmania are larger than northern ones. Once hunted for fur (to extinction in some areas). Vunerable to dogs when changing trees at night. Also threatened by disease and bushfires. Koalas are night active and solitary. They sleep 20 hours out of every 24 due to the low energy content of eucalypt leaf diet.
Female carries 1 young in rear opening pouch for 6 months, then on her back for a further 6 months.
Common but disappears with habitat.