FAQs
Yes! In 2022 koalas (Qld, NSW and ACT populations) were listed as Endangered under the Commonwealth Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999).
The following trees are recognised as important koala food trees in South East Queensland:
- Blue Gum (Eucalyptus tereticornis)
- Tallowwood (Eucalyptus microcorys)
- Grey Gum (Eucalyptus propoinqua)
- Red stringybark (Eucalyptus resinifera)
- Swamp mahogany (Eucalyptus robusta)
Other food and habitat species include:
- Scribbly Gum (Eucalyptus racemosa)
- Queensland White Stringybark (Eucalyptus tintaliae)
- Queensland Grey Ironbark (Eucalyptus siderophloia)
- Broad-leaved Ironbark (Eucalyptus fibrosa)
- Gum-top Box (Eucalyptus moluccana)
- Narrow-leafed Ironbark (Eucalyptus crebra)
- Narrow-leafed Redgum (Eucalyptus seeana)
- Mountain Grey Gum (Eucalyptus major)
- Flooded gum (Eucalyptus grandis)
- Swamp mahogany (Eucalyptus robusta)
- Broad-leaved White Mahogany (Eucalyptus carnea)
- Spotted Gum (Corymbia citriodora)
- Pink Bloodwood (Corymbia intermedia)
- Broad-leaved Paperbark (Melaleuca quinquenervia)
- Brush Box (Lophostemon confertus)
It is a myth that koalas get drunk or high on eucalyptus leaves. It requires a lot of energy to digest their toxic, fibrous, low-nutrition diet and sleeping is the best way to conserve energy. Therefore, koalas don’t move a lot and generally sleep up to 20 hours per day.
Koalas are protected, endangered native animals. It is illegal to have a koala as a pet. If you find an orphaned koala you cannot keep it. Koalas require carers who have specialised training and permits.
The word koala is said to come from the Dharug language (whose traditional lands span the area from Parramatta to the Blue Mountains of New South Wales). A word meaning ‘no water’ or ‘no drink’, reflecting the koala’s ability to get most of its moisture from eucalyptus leaves.
Koalas are not bears they are marsupials.
Early European settlers, unfamiliar with marsupials, mistakenly believed they resembled bears due to their appearance, particularly their round ears and big black nose. The scientific name for the koala, Phascolarctos cinereus, actually means “pouched bear”.
On average, koalas live for 10 to 12 years in the wild. However, urban koalas often struggle to get to this age due to habitat loss, disease, vehicle strikes and dog attacks.
In captivity koalas can live longer, often reaching up to 15-20 years. This is mainly due to regular veterinary health checks, and protection from threats like dogs and vehicle strikes.
Due to their low energy diet, and the amount of energy required to break down eucalyptus leaves, koalas sleep up to 20 hours a day.
Most joeys start emerging from the pouch at around 6 months, usually weighing approximately 300-450 grams. These young joeys sit hugging their mother’s bellies. They will move onto mum’s back at approximately 8 months. Joeys will continue to feed from their mum until they’re weaned at approximately 12 months.
Domestic dogs are the main predators of koalas in urban areas. Powerful owls, lace monitors, pythons and wedge-tailed eagles can also prey on koalas.
The koala is transported to one of the wildlife hospitals for assessment and treatment if possible. On completion of treatment, the koala is returned to habitat.
Koalas have an excellent sense of smell, and rely on it to choose what leaves to eat. They are fussy eaters, using their nose to differentiate eucalypt leaf toxin levels and to choose the best quality leaves — wild koalas have been observed to sniff leaves before tasting them.
They also use their sense of smell to detect other koala scent markings on trees.
No, they don’t live in family or social groups.
Apart from mothers and joeys, koalas mostly live a solitary lifestyle in the wild. During breeding season it is not uncommon to see multiple koalas in the same tree. Usually males disputing territory, or a male attempting to mate with a female.
The home range of an alpha male will overlap with females that live in the area. Non-dominant or sub-adult males home ranges may slightly overlap with a section of the alpha males territory.
Yes. There is only one species of Koala in the world. It is the only member of the family Phascolarctidae, whose closest living relatives are the common wombats.