The Koala site: http://www.thekoala.com/koala

The Koala

What is a koala?

The koala is a small bear-like, tree-dwelling, herbivorous marsupial which averages about 9kg (20lb) in weight. It's fur is thick and usually ash grey with a tinge of brown in places.

The koala gets it's name from an ancient Aboriginal word meaning "no drink" because it receives over 90% of it's hydration from the Eucalyptus leaves (also known as gum leaves) it eats, and only drinks when ill or times when there is not enough moisture in the leaves. ie during droughts etc.

The koala is the only mammal, other than the Greater Glider and Ringtail Possum, which can survive on a diet of eucalyptus leaves.

Habitat & Diet

'Habitat' refers to the types of bushland that koalas like to live in. They are found in a range of habitats, from coastal islands and tall eucalypt forests to low woodlands inland.

Koalas today are found in Queensland , New South Wales , Victoria and South Australia .

Koala sleeping on a tree top

A koala climbing up a tree. Taken on the 28th of J...

Female Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) at Billabong...

Their range extends from the Atherton Tableland west of Cairns in Qld to islands off the coast of Victoria and South Australia in the south, and west to central and western Qld, NSW and Victoria.

Koalas live in societies, just like humans, so they need to be able to come into contact with other koalas. It is because of this they need to have areas of suitable eucalypt forest which are large enough to support a healthy koala population and to allow for expansion by maturing young koalas. Koalas are highly territorial and in stable breeding groups, individual members of koala society maintain their own "home range" areas.

A 'home range' consists of a number of 'home range trees' and 'food trees' which comprise the long-term territory of the individual koala. These trees provide...