Animal Facts - Bears
'Bears' that are not bears
There are two animals that people often call bears, but they are not members of the bear family:
- Koala – nickname Native Bear
- Red Panda.
Koalas are found in the wild only in Australia. They live in eucalypt forests on the eastern part of the continent.
Their grey fur has patches of white on the stomach, chest and chin and smells of eucalypt from the leaves they eat.
They have large ears and noses.
Koalas are mammals and marsupials, meaning the females have a pouch where they carry their young.
Their closest relative is the Wombat.
Red Pandas live in cool temperate forests in China and the Himalayan Mountain ranges along the north of Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan and Myanmar.
Their bodies have soft dense fur all over, including the soles of their feet. They have long bushy tails which they use for balancing in trees and to wrap around their bodies when it’s cold.
They eat mainly bamboo, but also eggs, birds, insects and small mammals.
Their red, white and black markings help them to hide among the red mosses and white lichens of the forest.
Tell me about Bear Species again >>