What is the natural habitat of a koala?

The natural habitat of a koala is eucalyptus forest and woodland. Koalas live mainly in eastern and southeastern Australia, where eucalyptus trees provide both food and shelter.

Koalas are highly adapted to an unusual diet: they eat mostly eucalyptus leaves, which contain relatively little energy as well as toxic compounds. Their slow lifestyle helps conserve energy, and they may sleep or rest for up to 20 hours a day. Although often called eucalyptus bears, koalas are marsupials, not bears.

The habitat is not always dense forest. Koalas can occupy open eucalyptus woodlands, coastal forests, and, in drier regions, riparian habitats near creeks and streams. They prefer several dozen eucalyptus species even though hundreds are available. Trees also provide safe resting places and protection from ground predators.

A common mix-up is rainforest: koalas may occur near rainforest edges, but dense rainforest is not their characteristic habitat. Habitat loss, fragmentation, drought, disease, and bushfires threaten many koala populations.