Snoring is a funny thing. Since it happens while you are asleep, you only know you’re doing it if someone tells you. Even then, it’s hard to believe. It isn’t very pleasant for those around you, but you’d have no idea unless someone told you. The animal kingdom isn’t so different in this regard. In this YouTube Video, a person holds a microphone up to the mouth of a snoring koala.
Koalas have gained a reputation for some peculiar behaviors, not least of which are the unique sounds they make. Be it low, bellowing grunts, rhythmic chants like a car engine, or simply snoring, koalas have quite the vocal range. But why do they snore? Is it dangerous? Let’s learn more about koalas and the reason they snore.
All About Koalas
Koalas lack real predators but are threatened by natural pathogens like Chlamydia.
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Koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) are the last living members of the family Phascolarctidae. They are characterized by a round, tailless body, a large, dark nose, and big, fluffy ears. They live exclusively in Australia, inhabiting the country’s southern and eastern regions. While their closest living relative is the wombat, koalas are the only surviving members of their family. Their exclusivity to Australia and recognizable appearance have made them a potent symbol of the country’s wildlife worldwide.
Across Australia, koalas usually live in eucalyptus forests. These trees make up the majority of their diet. Despite eucalyptus leaves being toxic to many mammals and having a low nutritional content, Koalas eat them with ease. When they aren’t slowly munching on eucalyptus leaves, Koalas sleep, often for up to twenty hours a day. Either way, they don’t move much. When they do, they take it pretty slow.
Koalas aren’t very social; only mothers bond with their dependent offspring. Males are generally solitary, except when confronting rivals or seeking a mate. Like other marsupials, koalas give birth to their joeys at a very early stage. The joeys then crawl into their mother’s pouch, where they remain for over half a year. Koalas might move slowly, but they don’t have to worry about too many natural predators. Their single biggest threat is habitat loss and fragmentation due to human activities, with diseases like Chlamydia also posing significant risks to their populations. In this YouTube Video, a koala’s snoring makes it seem like it needs a CPAP machine. Let’s learn more about koala snores, their causes, and how common they are.
Sawing Logs
Strictly speaking, only mammals can snore due to soft tissues in their upper airways.
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In this charming YouTube video, someone holds a microphone up to a sleeping Koala. It’s fast asleep, but it’s snoring loudly. You may think it needs a CPAP machine like a chronically snoring human, but snoring is actually quite common among animals. Snoring is caused by membranous tissues vibrating in a creature’s upper airways when relaxed. These tissues include the tongue, soft palate, and tonsils. While there is often a genetic component to snoring, animals with large tongues, receded chins, or flat snouts are more likely to snore because of the configuration of these soft facial tissues. Considering that koalas have big, flat snouts and sleep up to 20 hours a day, it’s not surprising that they can snore.
Sleeping position also contributes to snoring. The aforementioned koala has its already flat snout pressed up against a tree limb, which increases its tendency to snore. Obesity, too, can contribute to snoring. While koalas aren’t obese, they are rather portly. The extra skin and fat around their necks likely contribute to their loud snoring. Overall, snoring is pretty common in mammals.
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