They used to kill koalas for their fur; hence these animals are protected. Can’t they shear the koalas like the sheep?

Answer

Unfortunately, these children are now almost in the fourth grade – I hope you can still give them the answer.

Sheep’s wool produces long, woolly fibres, which you can spin into a soft woolen thread. Koala hairs are short and stiff (I think, because I’ve never held a koala before… the keepers in Planckendael would never allow that!). I don’t think you can get koala hair spun, and even if you could, it would never have the same effect as the full fur, which is basically the skin with the hairs on it. Sheepskin, too, is sometimes prepared to make “upside-down sheep” jackets: rather a leather jacket, quite different from a wool sweater.

And, if koalas are bothered by the simple touch of a human, I shudder at what they would think of a shave… Fortunately, there are many much more animal-friendly materials to make jackets from!