The koalas or Phascolarctos cinereus are automatically associated with their food source, which are the eucalyptus leaves But why does the koala eat eucalyptus leaves if they are toxic? Can you eat the leaves of any variety of this Australian tree? Do koalas have any other chance of surviving away from eucalyptus forests?
If you have questions about the koala's diet, in this article on our site we will show you everything you need to know about koala feeding, one of the most loved and admired Australian marsupials in the world. You can not lose this!
Characteristics of the koala and its digestive system
The koala's food specialization already begins in its mouth, with its incisors, the first ones that pinch the leaves and the rear ones that are used to crush them.
Koalas have blind intestine, just like humans and rats. In koalas, the cecum is large, and in it, with its only area of entry and exit of food, the already half-digested leaves remain for several hours in which they are subjected to the action of a special bacterial flora, which allows the koala to take advantage of up to 25% of the energy contained in the vegetable fibers of its food.
What do koalas eat and where do they live?
So what do koalas eat? Although the main food of the koala is the leaves of some eucalyptus varieties, koalas, strictly herbivores, also feed on plant matter from some specific trees that grow in their natural habitat, the eastern part of the Australian continent, which is where they still survive in the wild.
Eucalyptus leaves are toxic to the vast majority of animals. The koala is a special case among vertebrates and therefore has the advantage of not having more competitors for food than its own congeners. However, most varieties of eucalyptus are also toxic to these marsupials. Of some 600 eucalyptus varieties, koalas can feed on only about 50
It has been proven that koalas prefer to eat the leaves of the eucalyptus tree varieties that are most abundant in the environment where they have been raised.
Do koalas drink water?
Nope. And this is one of the most surprising curiosities of these fascinating animals. As a general rule, koalas obtain all the water they need through the food they eat or by sucking raindrops off leaves, so it is very rare to see a koala drinking, except in periods of drought.
In fact, as a fun fact, the name "koala" means "not to drink" in some Australian Aboriginal languages. However, it is said that on occasion, especially in summer, when temperatures reach 40ºC, koalas have been observed drinking from water holes or approaching gardens, swimming pools and humans to access their water bottles.
Do koalas eat bamboo?
In principle, the fact of being able to feed on something that is poisonous to its possible competitors within the same habitat seems like a great advantage. But in the case of the koala, despite being able to ingest other plant material, it has become so specialized that its existence is closely linked to the eucalyptus trees and to a habitat that blames the deforestation problems.
In addition, koalas compete with their own congeners for food and for space. In fact, when many koalas live together in a small area, stress problems and fights arise between them.
Due to their habit of eating on the branches of trees and barely moving from one tree to another, relocation programs of specimens in other eucalyptus forests with less population density have not been successful. Today, the koala has disappeared from many areas that it naturally occupied and its number continues to decline.
How long do koalas sleep?
Koalas spend between 16 and 22 hours a day sleeping or dozing because their diet, strictly herbivorous and based on very not very nutritious, it is also hypocaloric.
The leaves that koalas eat are rich in water and fiber, but poor in essential nutrients Therefore a Koala need to eat between 200 and 500 grams of leaves per day. Let's think that a koala weighs around 10 kg on average, it is surprising that it needs so little amount of such little nutritious food to survive.
For more information, check out this other article on our site about How long does a koala sleep?
Is the koala endangered?
The koala is a vulnerable species, due in part to forest deforestationof eucalyptus, but in past decades it also suffered a strong population decline due to hunting Koalas were hunted for their fur. Today, although protected, many koalas living near urban centers die as a result of accidents.
