A female
koala (
Phascolarctos cinereus), an
arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to coastal regions of eastern and southern Australia. The word "koala" comes from the
Dharuk word
gula. English-speaking settlers from the late 18th century first called it "koala bear" due to its similarity in appearance to
bears, although they are not at all related. Instead, its closest living relative is the
wombat.
Photo: JJ Harrison