Common name: Koalas
Scientific name: Phascolarctos cinereus
Distribution: Australia
Koala facts
The koala is an iconic Australian marsupial. They have thick fur which can be brown or grey in colour, large ears, a black nose and no tail.
Koalas are well adapted for life in the trees, with sharp claws for climbing.
They can be found mostly across the eastern states of Australia.
The adult males weigh between 6-12kg and females between 5-8kg. During breeding, males make loud snarling coughs and bellows.
Koalas have a specialised diet, eating only a few of Australia’s 600 types of eucalyptus tree species and showing strong personal preferences for specific types of eucalypt leaves.
Naturally solitary animals, koalas live within a network of overlapping home ranges, which allows contact between males and females for mating.
Credit: NOMADasaurus
Other threats
It's heartbreaking to see how koala populations are increasingly affected by disease, deforestation and habitat destruction.
Queensland is a major deforestation hotspot and in just the last decade, tree clearing has tripled in NSW, leaving important koala habitats fragmented or destroyed.
With no trees to go to, koalas are exposed to the dangers of the ground and at risk of being hit by cars, attacked by dogs, and falling ill from stress-induced diseases.
Koalas are now endangered in NSW, QLD and the ACT, and their numbers keep declining.
Many koala populations are also vulnerable to the infectious disease Chlamydia, which can cause blindness and reproductive tract infections.
How you can help
Many wildlife entertainment venues and theme parks in Queensland like Australia Zoo and Dreamworld offer koala “cuddle” experiences for photos. Reducing visitor demand for cruel koala cuddles is vital to stop wild koalas being bred in captivity for our entertainment and profit.
Call on the Queensland Premier, Annastacia Pałaszczuk, to join other states in banning cruel koala encounters, including koala cuddles and selfies.
