Home › Mammalia › Phascolarctidae › Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)

SPECIES PROFILE

Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)

Phascolarctos

IUCN STATUS

Vulnerable

Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) — Eastern Australia, from Queensland to Victoria and South Australia

CONSERVATION STATUS

Vulnerable

CLASS

Mammalia

GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE

Eastern Australia, from Queensland to Victoria and South Australia

DIET

Herbivorous

HABITAT

Eucalyptus forests and woodlands

🔬 Classification

PHYLUM

Chordata

CLASS

Mammalia

ORDER

Diprotodontia

FAMILY

Phascolarctidae

GENUS

Phascolarctos

📋 Description

SIZE

60-85 cm tall; weighs 4-15 kg, depending on region and sex

COLORATION

Grey fur with white patches on chest, ears, and chin; thick and woolly

ADAPTATIONS

Strong limbs and claws for climbing, specialized digestive system for eucalyptus

🌿 Ecology

HABITAT

Eucalyptus forests and woodlands

DIET

Herbivorous

GEOGRAPHIC RANGE

Eastern Australia, from Queensland to Victoria and South Australia

REPRODUCTION

Single joey born after a 35-day gestation, stays in pouch for 6 months, then rides on mother’s back

DIET DETAILS

Feeds almost exclusively on eucalyptus leaves, which are low in nutrients

⚠️ Threats & Conservation

PRIMARY THREATS

Habitat loss, disease (chlamydia), and vehicle strikes

💡 Interesting Facts

1

Leaf Specialists: Koalas consume 1 kg of eucalyptus leaves daily, their gut detoxifying toxins in Great Otway’s forests, sleeping 20 hours to conserve energy. This diet, supporting 80,000 koalas, faces threats from deforestation, with only 20% of original habitat remaining.

2

Dreamtime Icons: Revered in Indigenous stories as wise tree-dwellers, koalas at Lone Pine Sanctuary symbolize conservation, their fluffy fur endearing them globally. Chlamydia, affecting 40% of populations, drives captive breeding efforts to protect this marsupial from extinction.

🔭 Sighting Guide

📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT

Great Otway National Park in Victoria along Great Ocean Road has Kennett River and Cape Otway eucalyptus forests for koala sightings

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Queensland Brisbane offers close-up views with wild koalas in nearby Toohey Forest

Raymond Island in Victoria near Paynesville East Gippsland has a thriving wild koala population in eucalypt trees

🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT

April-October. Cooler months make koalas more active in eucalyptus forests for feeding.

🎯 SIGHTING TIPS

Look for koalas in eucalyptus trees at midday with guides.