Adaptations
Opposing digits and rough pads help grip branches, while strong limbs and claws support climbing. An enlarged cecum and associated microbes help break down fibrous leaves and manage some plant compounds.
Behavior and daily life
Koalas are mostly solitary and use overlapping home ranges. Males produce low bellows, and individuals move between selected food and shelter trees, sometimes crossing the ground where roads and dogs create risk.
Conservation
Current profile labelVulnerable globally, endangered in parts of Australia
Land clearing, fragmented habitat, vehicle strikes, dog attacks, disease, drought, heat, and severe fire affect koala populations differently across their range. Regional status should be checked with the relevant Australian authority.
Koalas select among eucalyptus species and individual trees rather than treating every eucalyptus leaf as equal food.
