The koala has fingerprints remarkably similar to human fingerprints. Its fingerprints contain loops and ridges that can look so alike that they may be difficult to distinguish from human prints without close examination.
Koalas are marsupials native to eastern and southeastern Australia. They spend most of their lives in eucalyptus trees, where they use their hands and feet to grip branches. Their opposable digits and textured pads help them climb and hold leaves securely.
The similarity is an example of convergent evolution: unrelated animals can independently develop similar traits when those traits are useful. Koala fingerprints did not arise because koalas are closely related to humans; koalas and primates belong to very different mammalian lineages.
The popular claim that koala fingerprints have solved crimes should be treated carefully. The resemblance is scientifically real, but investigators would consider the circumstances and other evidence rather than assume a koala was responsible for an unexplained print.