Koalas don't hug trees because they love them. Trees keep koalas cool, scientists say.

Many koalas live in Australia, which can be hot in summer. A koala's fur is thick. The over-heated koalas don't look for shelter and water can be hard to find.

So how do koalas keep cool in hot weather? A group of scientists decided to find out. They put radio collars on 37 koalas in Australia. They tracked the koalas during winter and summer. In Australia, summer lasts from December to March.

The scientists watched the koalas. They checked whether they liked high or low branches. The scientists also measured the temperature nearby.

They discovered that koalas behaved differently on warm days and hot days. In the summer, the animals stretched out. They hugged tree trunks. They also liked branches that were closer to the ground. In the winter, koalas climbed higher. They also went farther out onto the branches.

Other Animals Also Chill In Trees

Why would koalas prefer different parts in different seasons? To answer that question, the scientists measured the temperatures of four kinds of trees. Three of the trees were eucalyptus trees. One was an acacia tree.

The trunks were cooler than the branches or tops. The trunks were also cooler than the air.

The scientists learned how koalas keep cool. They keep cool by hugging a cool tree. For a koala, that could mean the difference between life and death.

Tree hugging is a good way to chill out. Koalas are not the only animals that do it.

Monkeys, birds and insects use trees to keep cool.

Now people will understand something important. They understand how animals can keep cool in a hot climate.]]>