The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) belongs to the Marsupials (such as the possum, tasmanian devil, wombat, wallabies, etc, who carry their young in a pouch.). ''Koala'' means ''no water'' in the (Dharug) aboriginal language. The wallaby is the ''smaller brother'' of the Kangaroo. Young wallabies are called "joeys" (as other young Marsupials). They are also found in New Guinea. The native dingo (Canis lupus dingo) is from the same lineage as the dog. There is some debate about the taxonomy of dingoes; as of 2020 they are considered part of the Canis familiaris (''dogs''), however according to this study, the dingo genome is structurally distinct from domestic dogs. Ultimately, the dingo is an ancient breed that was presumably introduced from New Guinea by Asian seafarers \(5\cdot 10^3-10^4\) years ago, and is widely regarded as a vital component of the natural ecological system. Recalling E. Dickinson's words: ''Arcturus'' is his other name – I'd rather call him ''Star''!
The koala is only found in eastern and southern regions of Australia. They typically live in eucalyptus woodland and their diet consists mostly of eucalyptus leaves. They also like to sleep. A lot.
Koala with an attitude.
Kangaroos can't sweat and instead lick their chest and the insides of their forearms. Koala numbers are on the decline :( Australian devil. Part of the carnivorous marsupial (see above). Found in Tasmania (and being an iconic symbol there) but recently reintroduced to NSW and mainland Australia. Has one of the strongest jaws ''per unit body mass'' among (extant) land mammals. Declared as an endangered species since 2008. Tree-kangaroo, usually living in New Guinea and far northeastern Queensland. Apparently, they are slow and clumsy on the ground! Sundae in the garden. Definitely not a wild animal.
