Name: Koala

Scientific Name: Phascolarctos cinereus

Diet: Herbivore

Size: 23.5 to 33.5 inches

Weight: 20 pounds

About Koalas

Koalas are Australia’s iconic animal, along with kangaroo. They have a big round face with fuzzy ears and a curved black nose. Residing in an eucalypt forest, they live on top of the trees that are native to this ecosystem and to stay away from predators. Koalas are a herbivore that eats only eucalypt leaves. Every day they eat about 1.5 pounds of leaves. Since eucalypt leaves do not have many nutrients, they are usually low in energy. Thus, most of their day is spent sleeping and eating. They sleep for an average of 18 to 20 hours per day and are most active at night.

Fun Fact

Although we commonly call koalas, “koala bears”, they aren’t bears. They are marsupial, also known as pouched mammals. They give birth to incompletely develop youngs that will further develop in their pouch.