KOALA FACT SHEET

STAGE TWO ( Years 2 -4 )

Habitat
Australia is the only country in the world where wild koalas are found. They feature in many legends from the Aboriginal Dreamtime.

Once there were millions of koalas in Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria.
Since 1788, much of the koala’s bushland has been cleared for towns, roads and farms. Now there are far fewer wild koalas.

Appearance
Koalas have thick woolly fur. Healthy koalas are silver grey in colour.
Koalas are not bears. They are marsupials. Their babies grow in a pouch.

Koalas have a keen sense of smell, which they depend on to find food and avoid danger.
Koalas are well adapted to living in trees. They have strong arms, sharp claws and are very good climbers.

Babies
Baby koalas are called joeys. They develop in the mother’s pouch, and drink milk.
At about 6 months of age they begin to investigate their gum tree world. They climb on their mother’s back and learn which leaves are safe to eat.

Diet
Koalas are fussy eaters. In Northern New South Wales koalas prefer Forest Red gum, Swamp Mahogany and Tallow wood leaf. We need to make sure that enough of these trees will be available for koalas to eat.

Clearing of forests for development means all wildlife will suffer from loss of food and homes. Loss of habitat can lead to stressed, sick koalas. Landowners need to plant koala food trees. Friends of the Koala gives out tree seedlings for free!

Predators
A Powerful Owl or Wedge-tailed eagle can attack an adult koala. Babies can be attacked by large goannas or snakes.
Foxes or dogs will attack a koala if it is on the ground. Koalas might be on the ground to move from one tree to another, or to look for a mate.

Behaviour
Koalas sleep for 19-20 hours a day. Gum leaves do not give them much energy. At night they move around their home range looking for fresh gum tips or a mate.

Male koalas mark their territory by rubbing a scent gland on their chest along the trunk and branches. Dominant males do not like to share their ‘home-trees’ with other males.

Koalas communicate with many different sounds, each signals a different message. Mothers and joeys communicate with soft grunts or clicks. Other sounds include burps, squeals, moans or loud bellowing.

How to Help
Saving habitat is the only way to ensure that koalas can survive.Plant koalas food trees like: Tallow wood, Swamp Mahogany or Forrest Red Gum.

Keep dogs tied up especially at night.

Ask your parents to drive slowly in koala areas.

Join groups that are concerned about koala care and conservation like:

Friends of the Koala - 6622-1233