Compare And Contrast The Kangaroo And The Koala

Everyone knows about our marvelous marsupials; the koala and kangaroo. But did you know they are related? And much like them, me and my relatives have much in common, although we also have many, many, MANY differences. Which is what we will be reviewing today.

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First we will start with the things that these magnificent mammals have in common. First of all, we all know that both of these animals are absolutely ADORABLE both as adults and babies. But do you know the actual name of a baby kangaroo or koala? Most people know that a baby kangaroo is called a joey. But not a lot of people know that a baby koala is called the same. These animals also can only be found in Australia. (Though this is the same, you will find out more about this in the differences section.)Last but not least, they are both herbivores, meaning, they only feed on plant based foods.

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Now onto the differences. To continue the discussion on how Kangaroos and Koalas both live in Australia... You might be wondering. ‘Why are you writing about this in the differences section if it’s something they have in common?’. Well though they live in the same continent, they have different habitats and need that habitat for different reasons. The Koala needs woodland with many eucalyptus trees they need to stay in the eucalyptus trees to stay safe and away from on-ground predators. They also need the trees to feed on the eucalyptus leaves. Although Kangaroos ALSO need woodland, they also need forests, plains and savannas depending on their species. The reason the Kangaroos need so many different habitats that have very different climates is because like I said, it depends on the species of kangaroo, and some species prefer a more moist environment and others prefer more of a dry environment. Lastly, there’s no doubt that kangaroos are much more active than koalas. You’d think that would help them achieve a longer lifespan than koalas. However Koalas live around 13-18 years in the wild and surprisingly they live longer in captivity than in the wild. In captivity they can live for over 18 years and the longest a koala has ever lived is in a zoo and at 21 years old. But, even though the kangaroo is much more active, in the wild they live for around 8-12 years and up to 20 years in captivity. I hope you enjoyed the differences and similarities of our furry friends.