Giant Koala
Encyclopedia
The Giant Koala was an arboreal marsupial
which existed in Australia
during the Pleistocene
epoch. Phascolarctos stirtoni was about one third larger than the contemporary Koala
, and has had an estimated weight of 29 lb (13.2 kg), which is the same weight as a large contemporary male Koala. Although considered a part of the Australian megafauna
, its body mass excludes it from most formal definitions of megafauna
. It is best described as a more robust koala, rather than a "giant"; whereas a number of Australian megafauna, such as Diprotodon
and Procoptodon goliah
, were unambiguously giants.
The two koala species co-existed during the Pleistocene, occupying the same arboreal niche. The reason for the extinction of the larger of the two about 50,000 years ago is unknown.
Marsupial
Marsupials are an infraclass of mammals, characterized by giving birth to relatively undeveloped young. Close to 70% of the 334 extant species occur in Australia, New Guinea, and nearby islands, with the remaining 100 found in the Americas, primarily in South America, but with thirteen in Central...
which existed in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
during the Pleistocene
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
epoch. Phascolarctos stirtoni was about one third larger than the contemporary Koala
Koala
The koala is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia, and the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae....
, and has had an estimated weight of 29 lb (13.2 kg), which is the same weight as a large contemporary male Koala. Although considered a part of the Australian megafauna
Australian megafauna
Australian megafauna are a number of large animal species in Australia, often defined as species with body mass estimates of greater than 30 kilograms, or equal to or greater than 30% greater body mass than their closest living relatives...
, its body mass excludes it from most formal definitions of megafauna
Megafauna
In terrestrial zoology, megafauna are "giant", "very large" or "large" animals. The most common thresholds used are or...
. It is best described as a more robust koala, rather than a "giant"; whereas a number of Australian megafauna, such as Diprotodon
Diprotodon
Diprotodon, meaning "two forward teeth", sometimes known as the Giant Wombat or the Rhinoceros Wombat, was the largest known marsupial that ever lived...
and Procoptodon goliah
Procoptodon
Procoptodon was a genus of giant short-faced kangaroo living in Australia during the Pleistocene epoch. P. goliah, the largest known kangaroo that ever existed, stood approximately 2 meters tall. They weighed about ....
, were unambiguously giants.
The two koala species co-existed during the Pleistocene, occupying the same arboreal niche. The reason for the extinction of the larger of the two about 50,000 years ago is unknown.