Here are some interesting facts about Koalas.

Koalas are not bears. They are Marsupials, which means that they carry their young in a pouch.

Koalas have two thumbs on each of their front paws – to help them climb, hold onto trees and grip their food.

Koalas have a keen sense of smell, and acute hearing, but relatively poor eyesight.

Koalas are mostly nocturnal animals. This means that they sleep in the day time, and move around and feed at night. They are territorial animals that stay within the same area of the bush.

Because they store little or no fat, Koalas must adopt strategies that conserve energy. Sleeping is one of them. Koalas are not drugged out on gum leaves.

The fur of the koala differs throughout the geographic regions of Australia. In the southern parts of Australia it is longer and shaggier than in the north, in order to keep them warm in the cold southern winters.

The male Koala has a dark scent gland in the centre of his chest. He rubs this on the tree in order to mark his territory.

Koalas communicate with each other by making a noise like a snore and then a belch, known as “bellow”.

Koalas usually only have one young each year. Older females may only have one young every two years.

Koala young are known as ‘joeys’. To denote relative age, scientists refer to ‘pouch young’ or ‘back young’.

When Koalas are born, they are only two centimetres long, which is about as big as a jellybean.

At birth, Koala joeys have no fur and their eyes and ears are still closed.

The Koala joey rides in its mothers ‘backward facing’ pouch for about 5 or 6 months, and drinks milk from its mother’s nipple. After that, it rides on its mothers back until it leaves home to take care of itself at about one year old.

Koalas are fully grown by their third or fourth year.

Koalas do not live in rainforest or desert areas. They live in tall eucalypt (Gumtree) forests and low eucalypt woodlands.

There are about 600 varieties of eucalypts. Koalas Australia-wide eat only about 120 of these. Koalas in a specific area would prefer to eat only about four to six different types.

An adult Koala eats about ½ to 1 kilo of leaves each night.

Koalas don’t normally need to drink as they get all the moisture they need from the gum leaves. However, they can drink if necessary, such as in times of drought.

Like pasture for sheep, a forest can only support a limited number of Koalas. If there are too few trees in an isolated area of bushland, the Koalas may eat more leaves than the trees can regenerate and the trees may die. Then, of course, the Koalas may starve.

Eucalypts (gumtrees) are both food and homes for the Koalas.

Koalas are protected by law, but their homes and food aren’t.

When Koalas become upset and worried (stressed) by the loss of their homes, they may get a disease called “Chlamydia”.

Chlamydia (a sexually transmitted bacterium) is not the greatest threat to the Koala. Strains of Chlamydia found to affect Koalas include Chlamydia pecorum and Chlamydia pneumoniae.

Dogs and cars kill many Koalas each year.

The greatest threat facing wild Koala populations today is the destruction and fragmentation of their habitat. Their bushland (or habitat) is being cut down to make way for houses.

Since white settlement of Australia approximately 80% of the Koala’s habitat has been destroyed. Of the remaining 20% almost none is protected and most occurs on privately owned land.

Stopping trees from being cleared in the first place and protecting existing Koala habitat is the most effective way to conserve Koalas.

Probably around 100,000 Koalas remain in Australia. Most of their habitat has already been lost. This makes it very important to preserve what is left.

Feel free to tour our Australian wildlife and conservation video tour map, you will see some interesting videos.