Why does Koala bear not always drink water but now they often do?

The reason is really sad, because it relates directly to us.

The image of the Koala is probably no stranger to us. Gray hair, big fat, round ears and big nose - wouldn't be too much if they were considered one of the cutest animals in the world.

Not only because of his lovely appearance, Koala also makes many people surprised by their extremely special life behavior.

Koala bears almost never drink water.

An interesting feature of this lovely animal is that they almost never drink water. Since ancient times, their ancestors often avoided searching for rivers, lakes or streams because this place was very vulnerable to predators. It's really easy to understand, since they have "targeted" them, they rarely have the chance to escape, because Koala's movement speed is quite slow.

The name "Koala" in Australian native language also means "not drinking".

Their lives seem to be associated with a certain eucalyptus tree: the tree is both a place to live and give them something to eat. And it is these leaves that provide enough water that Koala needs to live.

However, in recent times, it has been seen that Koala uncles are "struggling" with dehydration - something that has never been worrisome for this animal. Researchers at the University of Sydney have tried to understand and eventually they have the answer.

The answer is climate change .

A Koala bear eating eucalyptus leaves.

Basically, Koala bears only need to drink more when faced with severe weather conditions such as droughts or forest fires. But due to the hot weather, the amount of water in the leaves has decreased significantly.

The corollary is that Koala's demand is no longer fully met. If previous studies have shown that they will not eat leaves with water content below 55-65%, they are now forced to accept.

There was no other option, they were forced to find new sources of water. In some areas like Gunnedah, Australia - which is considered the capital of Koala in the world, people also have to install small water supply stations on them. They have seen children drink up to 10 minutes non-stop - an extraordinary phenomenon.

Koala drinks water at an artificial container.

Protect the environment, protect Koala.

Although the government has tried to overcome the disadvantages of accommodation as well as the source of food for these animals, their efforts alone are not enough. The number of Koala is declining, and sadly, many cases are caused by people. In particular, the leading causes are loss of shelter due to deforestation, accidents caused by stabbing, dog attacks, illnesses.

And now it is the loss of water due to climate change.