Tami Thomas, 9, of North Enid, Okla., for her question:

CAN YOU TELL ME ABOUT THE KOALA BEAR?

First, the koala is not a bear, although he certainly resembles a teddy bear. The Australian koala is really a marsupial  which means that the female has a pouch for carrying its young.

A koala is about two feet long and stands about 12 inches high at the shoulders. She is covered with thick fur that is gray above and yellowish white below and has only a suggestion of a tail. Her mouth has cheek pouches, and she has a short snout.

The koala feeds only on eucalyptus leaves and buds. She often hangs in trees with her back downward since she can grasp branches easily with her long toes. Mother carries her young cub in her pouch for several months and then on her back when the cub is a bit older.