The thick of fur of a koala is not really an asset during a hot day in Australia. Koalas don’t go under holes to cool off during hot days and water may not be easy to find. Animals even suffer high number of deaths during hot days, reported Biology Letters.

The author of the research came up with the conclusion that koalas have figured out a way to keep cool during the hot weather conditions. The researchers took 37 koalas in the southeastern part of Australia and placed radio collars on the marsupials. The radio collars were able to track their movements from winter in 2009 until the summer of 2010 to 2011.

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Detailed information regarding the activities of the marsupials was recorded including their posture and their choices of tree branches. The scientists who conducted the study observe the koalas through a portable weather station.

Additional 130 koalas that did not have collars were also observed.

Scientists found out that the posture of koalas during hot weather was different from days which are cooler. The animal showed a posture of hugging a tree during summer, exposing their surface area more. Meanwhile, the marsupials go higher above trees during winter season.

The researchers conducted another study to investigate why the different parts of the tree have been appealing during different weather conditions. Four species of trees were taken as samples including one acacia and three eucalyptus during the peak of the summer season.

The team used a thermal imaging software and camera and found out the branches of a tree have higher temperatures than those of the trunks. This explained why koalas stayed closer to the base of the tree during hot days and go up during cold weather conditions.

Among the four tested specimens, the Acacia mearnsii trees were found out to be the coolest. About 29 percent of a koala’s time has been spent in this tree during hot days but only 5 percent of their time was spent here during winter. Scientists also said that the leaves of the trees are edible for koalas however these have been so appealing to the marsupials during hot days.

Tagskoala, Australia, Acacia mernsii, eucalyptus