Koalas going with the flow

The 2019 drought, and the hot smokey summer that followed, threatened many koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) populations with overheating and dehydration. We have seen pictures of koalas approaching cyclists for a drink of water from their water bottles, and Kulin people tell of the koala taking control of the water in the country when it is mismanaged. During the drought, some koalas were forced to leave their dry Eucalyptus trees to hydrate and cool themselves down by means other than sweating. Suppose you braved the forest during the drought; a unique behaviour in the journey of koala thermoregulation may have been witnessed. Suppose you did manage to spot the solitary animal without the help of Global Positioning System tracking. In that case, the koala may have been observed spreading its limbs and belly across a large cool branch close to the ground, allowing heat to be drawn away into the bark. ‘Tree-hugging’ is a behaviour used during high air temperatures, above approximately 30°C, along with increased panting and shade seeking to lower the body temperature.