What do koalas eat?
Koalas eat almost nothing but eucalyptus leaves. Each adult eats about 200 to 500 grams of leaves a day, choosing from a small number of preferred eucalyptus species.
Eucalyptus leaves are tough, low in nutrients and contain chemicals that are toxic to most animals. Koalas have a special digestive system, including a very long gut section called the caecum, about two meters long, filled with bacteria that help break down the leaves and their toxins.
Because their diet provides so little energy, koalas sleep or rest for about 18 to 22 hours a day. Australia has hundreds of species of eucalyptus, but koalas in each area usually eat only a few kinds. They get most of the water they need from the leaves, though they do drink sometimes.
Young koalas
Baby koalas, called joeys, eat a special form of their mother's droppings called pap. It gives them the gut bacteria they need to digest eucalyptus later. Koalas are marsupials, not bears, despite often being called koala bears.
Did You Know?
Koalas have fingerprints very similar to humans, and they are one of the few animals other than primates that have them.