Skip to main content

Photoblogging: More Koalas!

Check out the claws on this male (I think?) koala as he rests in the shade during the afternoon heat at the San Diego Zoo’s “Koalafornia” exhibit.

This article was published in Scientific American’s former blog network and reflects the views of the author, not necessarily those of Scientific American


Check out the claws on this male (I think?) koala as he rests in the shade during the afternoon heat at the San Diego Zoo's "Koalafornia" exhibit. The koalas' curved, sharp claws help them to climb trees, and their two opposable digits on their front paws help them grasp branches as they climb. (We humans have only one opposable digit: our thumbs.)

Photo taken in July 2013.

Did you miss last week's koala photoblog?


On supporting science journalism

If you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.


Photoblogging: Snoozing Koala.

Jason G. Goldman is a science journalist based in Los Angeles. He has written about animal behavior, wildlife biology, conservation, and ecology for Scientific American, Los Angeles magazine, the Washington Post, the Guardian, the BBC, Conservation magazine, and elsewhere. He contributes to Scientific American's "60-Second Science" podcast, and is co-editor of Science Blogging: The Essential Guide (Yale University Press). He enjoys sharing his wildlife knowledge on television and on the radio, and often speaks to the public about wildlife and science communication.

More by Jason G. Goldman