Wildari Planet
A fluffy grey mother koala munches on green eucalyptus leaves while clinging to a tree trunk. A small joey with soft fur and wide eyes hitches a ride on her back, nestling closely into her dense coat.
AustraliaMammalsEndangered

Koala

Where Koalas Live

Continent: Australia

Eucalyptus forests and woodlands across coastal eastern and southern Australia, including Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia.

The koala is one of Australia's most iconic marsupials, a tree dwelling folivore that spends nearly its entire life among eucalyptus branches. Despite its cuddly appearance, it is not a bear at all, and its closest living relatives are wombats. Its diet of toxic eucalyptus leaves would poison most other mammals, but a specialized digestive system lets it thrive on almost nothing else. Habitat loss, disease, and climate change have pushed the species toward extinction risk in parts of its range.
The silhouette of Australia map on the white background.

Australia

Quick Facts

Length icon
Length60 to 85 cm (24 to 33 in)
Weight icon
WeightUp to 14 kg (31 lb) in the south, about half that in the north
Lifespan icon
Lifespan10 to 15 years wild, some females up to 18
Speed icon
SpeedSlow moving, active only about 4 hours a day
Diet icon
DietAlmost exclusively eucalyptus leaves
Clutch icon
Clutch1 joey per birth, gestation only about 35 days
Population icon
PopulationUncertain, but declining, facing possible extinction in NSW by 2050
Range icon
RangeCoastal eastern and southern Australia

Conservation Status

EXExtinct
EWExtinct in the Wild
CRCritically Endangered
ENEndangered
VUVulnerable
NTNear Threatened
LCLeast Concern
NENot Evaluated

How Koalas Survive in the Wild

A close-up side profile of a koala munching on vibrant green eucalyptus leaves. The shot focuses on its dark nostrils, coarse gray-and-white fur, and slightly open mouth catching a bit of leaf between its teeth.
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Digesting Toxic Leaves

Koalas have digestive systems specially adapted to neutralize the toxic compounds in eucalyptus leaves, which would poison most other mammals.

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Social Lives of Koalas

A portrait of a fluffy gray koala clinging to a tree trunk with its sharp claws. A bright green leaf partially covers the left side of its face, revealing a large black nose and round brown eyes looking forward.
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A Mostly Solitary Life

Koalas are largely solitary, only interacting closely during the breeding season.

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Photo Gallery

Multiple koalas scattered across eucalyptus branches at varying heights, each displaying characteristic gray woolly coats and rounded silhouettes, some alert with ears perked, others resting, set against a canopy of blue-green leaves.A koala positioned high on a branch surveying its surroundings, head turned slightly with alert dark eyes scanning, large textured nose prominent, thick gray fur ruffled by breeze, expansive eucalyptus forest stretching into soft focus below.A side-angle close-up photograph of an adult koala holding onto a branch while carrying a small, fluffy joey riding on her back. The adult koala faces left in profile with thick gray fur and a prominent dark leathery nose, while the joey peers forward with round, attentive eyes.A close-up side profile of a koala munching on vibrant green eucalyptus leaves. The shot focuses on its dark nostrils, coarse gray-and-white fur, and slightly open mouth catching a bit of leaf between its teeth.A mother koala curled up asleep against a thick, fibrous tree trunk with her eyes closed and paws tucked in. A small, fuzzy joey rests on top of her back, looking toward the camera with wide dark eyes.A mother koala and her small joey positioned close together in a tree canopy filled with green leaves. Both are captured in profile facing left, with the tiny joey holding a thin eucalyptus leaf in its mouth.Two koalas perching at different heights along slender wooden branches amidst eucalyptus leaves. The upper koala is curled into a ball asleep in a narrow fork, while the lower koala sits upright, gripping the branch and gazing toward the viewer.A portrait of a fluffy gray koala clinging to a tree trunk with its sharp claws. A bright green leaf partially covers the left side of its face, revealing a large black nose and round brown eyes looking forward.A koala resting peacefully along a thick, angled tree branch with its head resting against the wood and eyes closed. Its front paws and back legs dangle loosely on either side of the branch against a soft-focus green leaves background.A front-facing, close-up photograph of a koala perching in a tree, bathed in warm golden sunlight. The light highlights its thick, brownish-gray fur, large round ears, dark leathery nose, and small dark eyes, with green eucalyptus leaves framing the left side.A koala perching on a thick horizontal wooden beam while wrapping its front limbs around a slender, textured tree trunk. It turns its head to gaze to the left with an attentive expression against a background of foliage and warm light.An adult koala seated on a wooden branch while gripping an upright tree trunk with one paw. A small, fluffy joey clings tightly to her back, both animals looking off to the right side of the frame.

Flashcards