koala facts

About The Koala

Koalas are one of Australia's most recognised and endearing native animals.

The scientific name for the koala is Phascolarctos cinereus, roughly translated as pouched bear with ash colouring.

The history of koalas in Australia has not only been littered with natural disasters such as bushfires, but also millions were slaughtered by humans for the fur trade, almost leading to their extinction. 1927 Redland letter calling "for destruction of native bears to be stopped".

Redlands forms a large part of the Koala Coast and is now home to an estimated 1500 koalas (2008), many living in suburban yards, local parks, schools and remnant bushland areas. Previous surveys in 1996 and in 2005-06 estimated koala numbers at 4050 and 3000 respectively.

To view the EPA Survey Report in its entirety click here EPA and click on 2008 Koala Population Koala Coast.

The koala is a mainly nocturnal, arboreal marsupial which lives almost entirely on eucalypt leaves, one of its favourite being the Queensland Blue Gum (Eucalyptus tereticornis). An adult koala may eat up to a kilogram of leaves per day. Sufficient moisture is usually obtained from the leaves but koalas will drink from streams or water containers if thirsty due to drought conditions or illness.

The koala is specially adapted to climbing trees having a powerful grip, sharp claws on its three fingers and two opposable thumbs and a granular palm on each hand. Its feet consist of a clawless thumb like digit and four other clawed digits, the first and second of which are partly fused together to form a comb for grooming.

Koalas have a rudimentary tail that allows them to sit for long periods of time on tree branchs. While their fur is an extremely efficient insulator against heat and cold, koalas will stretch out on a fork in hot weather and curl up its body in cold weather.

Many koalas live in their own areas called home ranges. The size of the home range depends on the species, number and quality of trees and may vary in area from several hundred square metres to a few hectares. The illustration of Reserve 250 (see Home Range map below) beside Redland Bay Road, Capalaba shows that several home ranges can overlap with each other and may extend across roads and private properties. This means that these koalas regularly cross this main road to feed and mate in the trees that form part of their home range. If a koala loses one or more of its home range trees, understandably it causes a great deal of stress and confusion for them as can be seen in the adjacent photograph. In this case the home owner believed that removing this tree would stop koalas from crossing a busy road, but in fact this mother and baby will now have to travel even further to find another tree.

Click Here for a map of Home Range

Each animal tends to have its own trees and, unless mating or a female with an offspring (called a joey), it is unusual to see two koalas in the same tree.

Fully grown males at 8 to 10kg are about two kilograms heavier than their female counterparts and can be recognised by a dark vertical stain in the middle of their chest. Females have a more rounded forehead and nose outline when viewed from side on. Koalas in southern states can be up to two kilograms heavier than their Queensland counterparts and have thicker fur.

The normal mating season for koalas is between August-December during which time the animals become quite active. Males may fight vigorously for territorial possession, bellowing or grunting quite loudly to proclaim their presence.

Thirty five days after a successful mating a baby emerges from its mothers cloaca or birth canal and proceeds unaided to the pouch where it attaches to a teat. At birth the jelly bean sized joey is undeveloped , hairless and blind. It becomes fully furred at about four months and emerges from the pouch around five to six months.

For the next couple of months the young will alternate between the pouch, its mothers front and eventually her back. It then becomes more independent until around twelve months, when about the size of a football and weighing almost 2.5kg the juvenile will disperse to eventually find its own territory. Young koalas may appear disorientated at this time.

The life span of a wild koala is generally less than ten years while koalas in captivity have been known to live longer.

The greatest threat to koalas is loss of habitat. Fewer trees means extended time is spent on the ground where they are vulnerable to traffic and dogs. Chlamydia, considered to be a stress related disease due to habitat loss, is a major killer of koalas. One of its forms, conjunctivitis, affects the eyes and can lead to blindness. Early treatment has a high success rate. Another form of chlamydia, cystitis, affects the urinary tract and is characterised by a wet bottom or "dirty tail". This more sinister form is generally fatal unless treated very early.

The most important thing you can do to help koalas and other native wildlife to survive is to provide the habitat they need for food and shelter.

Habitat loss is the biggest threat to our koalas. For tree protection advice call 07 3829 8704 or click on Tree Protection

To find out more information click the link: Favourite Koala Food Trees in the Redlands