Mammals · Diprotodontia · Phascolarctidae
Phascolarctos cinereus
At high risk of extinction in the wild over the medium term.
An arboreal marsupial that feeds almost entirely on eucalyptus leaves, which also provide most of the water it needs.
Weight
4 kg – 15 kg
Size
60 cm – 85 cm
Life expectancy
15 years
Diet
Herbivore
Feeds mainly on plants.
Activity
Nocturnal
Active mainly at night.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sighting difficulty
Moderate
Estimated population
There is no reliable national census: the state estimates compiled by the IUCN add up to somewhere between 100,000 and 500,000 animals, with a range contraction of around 30% since European colonisation
AI-generated images: illustrations, not photographs.
Sources consulted: Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); ResearchGate (gestational length study); National Geographic Kids; Animal Diversity Web; SeaWorld/United Parks; PBS Nature; Australian Koala Foundation; SDZWA Fact Sheet; IUCN Red List, evaluación de 2020 (e.T16892A166496779): descenso del 28,6 % del tamaño poblacional en tres generaciones || IUCN Red List, evaluación de Phascolarctos cinereus de 2020; Threatened Species Scientific Committee (Australia)
Best time: All year round
The pins mark the parks where its presence is documented.
Parks and dive sites where this species has been documented.
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Koala — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
The koala is classified as vulnerable. Organisations such as Australian Koala Foundation work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programmes is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
Visit the Australian Koala Foundation websiteIt's documented in 7 protected areas — one reason why protecting these places matters for its conservation.
Based on what we already know about koala.
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