Koala

Koalas have a very specific diet that mostly includes leaves from certain types of eucalyptus trees, along with some flowers and stems. Although there are over 700 species of eucalyptus, koalas only eat about 50 of them. The leaves are high in fiber, and koalas have a long part of their digestive system called the caecum that helps them break down the tough leaves. These leaves also contain a lot of moisture, which is how koalas intake the water they need.

Eucalyptus leaves are toxic to most animals, but koalas have special bacteria in their stomachs that help them digest these harmful compounds. They are also able to tell which types of eucalyptus are more poisonous and choose to eat the ones that are safer for them.

At the Zoo, koalas are offered a rotating variety of eucalyptus.

This koala subspecies is found along Queensland, Australia's eastern and southern coasts and inland areas.

They live in forests that are primarily made up of different species of eucalyptus trees.

Dingos and humans are the main natural predators of koalas.

The biggest threat to koalas is the loss of their habitat. Urban development and farming destroy their forest homes, which can break these habitats into smaller pieces. When koalas have to travel longer distances on the ground to find forests, they become more at risk for things like being attacked by dogs or getting hit by cars. In addition, more frequent bushfires caused by droughts have recently harmed koala populations.

The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has listed koalas as one of the ten species most at risk from climate change because of their specific needs for habitat and food.

Koalas have stout bodies and large paws. Generally, male koalas are larger than females and possess broader faces. They are covered in thick, woolly fur that can be gray or brown, with white fur found on their chins, chests, rumps, and the inner sides of their forelimbs. Their ears feature long white hairs around the edges.

Koalas have large paws, each with five strong, clawed digits on both their forefeet and hind feet. On their forepaws, the first and second digits are positioned opposite the other three, enabling koalas to grip branches effectively as they climb. Specialized molars help them cut and grind tough eucalyptus leaves.

Breeding takes place during the summer. Typically, the mother gives birth to one baby, called a joey, after a gestation period of about 35 days. When a joey is born, it is very small—less than an inch long, about the size of a kidney bean. Right after it is born, the joey climbs into its mother's pouch and attaches to one of her nipples to start nursing.

Many marsupials, like kangaroos, have pouches that open upwards, but koalas have pouches that open towards their back legs. The muscles at the opening of the pouch help keep the joey from falling out. It will stay in the pouch and develop for approximately six months when it starts making short excursions outside the pouch.

After six months, the joey starts transitioning from drinking milk to eating leaves and a special soft liquid feces from the mother, known as pap. This pap provides the necessary bacteria to help the joey digest eucalyptus leaves. By the time the joey reaches twelve months old, it is fully weaned and no longer relies on its mother's milk.

Juvenile koalas stay close to their mothers for a few months after they become independent. Female koalas usually create a home range nearby and are ready to breed when they are two to three years old. Male koalas leave their birth area and usually mature around two years old, but they have a lower chance of successfully mating until they are four or five years old.

Koalas make many different sounds, including snores, bellows, and screams. Male koalas have a loud call during the breeding season that can be heard from almost a mile away. Additionally, mature male koalas have a special gland on their chest that releases a scent to mark the trees in their territory.

Because they have poor eyesight, koalas generally detect predators by sound. They have a better sense of smell, which helps them select which leaves are best to eat.

Koalas are animals that spend a lot of time sleeping to help them digest their food—up to 20 hours a day! They live in eucalyptus trees, positioning themselves carefully in the forks of branches so they can easily chew leaves and nap without being bothered by predators. Their bodies are ideal for this lifestyle: they have a short tail, a curved spine, and a rounded rear end that helps them stay comfortable in the trees. Sometimes, they do travel on the ground to move between trees or explore new areas.

On hot days, koalas choose to rest in the coolest trees and find shady spots in those trees, such as against the trunk or low branches. On cooler days, they might rest further away from the trunk to soak up warmth from the sun.