At a Glance
Weight
12 kg
Length
80 cm
Population
~330,000
Trend: Declining
About
Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)
A tree-dwelling marsupial famous for spending most of its life dozing in eucalyptus trees and feeding almost exclusively on their leaves.
Physical Characteristics
Koalas are stocky, tailless marsupials with dense grey fur, a large rounded head, and sharp claws suited for climbing. Adults typically weigh between 4 and 15 kilograms, with males larger than females.
Habitat and Distribution
Koalas live in eucalyptus woodlands along the eastern and southern coasts of Australia. They depend almost entirely on eucalyptus trees for both food and shelter, rarely descending to the ground.
Diet and Feeding
Koalas feed almost exclusively on eucalyptus leaves, which are toxic to most other animals and extremely low in nutrition. Their slow metabolism and extended sleep help conserve the limited energy this diet provides.
Conservation Status
Koalas are classified as Vulnerable, with populations declining due to habitat clearing, bushfires, vehicle strikes, and disease. Conservation efforts focus on protecting remaining eucalyptus forest corridors and treating disease in wild populations.
Fun Facts
- 1Koalas sleep up to 20 hours a day to conserve energy from their low-nutrient diet.
- 2A koala fingerprint is so similar to a human fingerprint that it could confuse a crime scene.
- 3Koalas rarely need to drink water, getting most of their moisture from eucalyptus leaves.
- 4Baby koalas, called joeys, eat a substance from their mother called "pap" to build gut bacteria.
Behaviors
- •Nocturnal and solitary
- •Spend nearly all their time in trees
- •Sleep most of the day
Threats to Survival
- •Habitat loss from land clearing
- •Bushfires
- •Disease such as chlamydia
