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 Often mistakenly called the 'Koala Bear', the Koala is not even related to the bear. The Koala is in fact a marsupial mammal. This means the female Koala has a pouch in which she carries her young.
The Koala has a large round head, large round furry ears, a stout body, short legs, large feet and is covered in thick ash-grey fur. Koala’s grow to a length of 60-85cm. Their bodies are very rounded due to their very large intestines which are needed to digest eucalyptus leaves. Koalas are mainly active during the night, using loud grunts and squeals to communicate. During the day Koalas can spend twenty hours or more of the day just sleeping or resting in gum trees. This is not because the Koala is a lazy animal, it is due to the low amount of energy that Koalas obtain from their leafy diet.
The breeding season of the koala is from October to November. During this time the male Koala calls loudly to attract a mate. Only 35 days after mating one, or occasionally two, Koala joeys are born. The mother has a backwards facing pouch, with strong muscles to prevent the joey falling out.
The Koala joey remains in the mothers pouch for the first 7 months. By 12 months of age the Koala joey is permanently out of its mothers pouch, and by 18-24 months of age the joey is independent and looks for its own home. Koalas live for about 12 years in the wild, and have been known to live for up to 18 years in captivity.
The Koala is found in regions of southern and eastern Australia. It lives in lightly wooded areas containing suitable food trees. Koalas are only suited to certain eucalypt leaves and are generally found in open eucalypt forests. In the inland part of their range Koalas tend to live in trees surrounding watercourses. Koalas will often rest in a fork of a tree during the day in the shade of leaves. In cold and wet weather they may retreat to the thick foliage of low trees for protection. The clearing of land can result in overpopulation of koalas in certain areas and not enough food.
Koalas are fussy eaters and feed almost entirely on eucalypt leaves. An adult Koala eats up to 1kg of leaves each night. Koalas don't eat all eucalypt species, in fact about only 50 of the 500 or more species are suitable for the Koala's diet. At certain times of the year some eucalyptus leaves can be poisonous and Koalas will often sniff leaves first to see if they are suitable to eat. Koalas seldom drink as they obtain enough water from their leafy diet and the dew they find on leaves in the morning . The word ‘koala’ actually comes from the aboriginal word meaning 'no drink animal'. Koalas may also eat a small amount of soil to add nutrients to their diet.The main predator of Koalas are dogs and dingoes. To escape they will attempt to climb trees or scratch with their sharp claws. When Koalas are on the ground the young may also be taken from the tree by owls and wedge-tail eagles. A mating disease called Chlamydia affects the reproductive systems of some Koalas in certain areas.
The biggest concern though to the survival of the Koala is loss of habitat. Clearing of land for building and farming are quickly taking away the Koala's habitat and food supply. Clearing can also lead to overpopulation of Koalas in certain areas and a limited food supply. Bushfires and droughts also affect the Koala's habitat and food supply and can threaten the Koala's survival.
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Animal Fact Sheets - Want to learn more about some of Australasia's unique fauna? Take a look at these fact sheets. Great for school projects! |
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Education Specialist Advisory Group - An overview of ARAZPA and education. Learn about the activities of the ARAZPA Education Specialist Advisory Group. | |
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