The koala has two opposable thumbs on each forefoot.
This unusual arrangement gives koalas a powerful grip while they climb and feed in eucalyptus trees. The first two digits oppose the other three, creating a pincer-like hold. Their hind feet also have a grooming claw formed by two fused digits.
Koalas spend most of their lives in trees and rely on secure gripping to move among branches, rest, and reach leaves. Their fingerprints are also remarkably similar to human fingerprints, although that clue is separate from the structure of their hands.
Koalas are native to eastern and southeastern Australia. They are not bears; “koala bear” is a common but inaccurate nickname. Their closest living relatives are other Australian marsupials, and females carry young in a backward-opening pouch.