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Description
Species Name: Koala
Latin Name: Phascolarctos cinereus
Native To: Australia
Conservation Status: Vulnerable
Taken At: Healesville Sanctuary

The closest relative of the Koala is the Wombat, this species of tree dwelling herbivorous marsupial eat mainly eucalyptus trees. Due to the low nutritional and caloric content of the leaves Koalas are mostly sedentary spending most of their days sleeping (up to 20 hours a day approximately). The species is currently listed as vulnerable for various reasons. Throughout the 20th century the animal was hunted extensively for their fur, the animals numbers have also dropped recently due to bushfires. Droughts have also contributed to the animals declining number, an example being a severe drought in the 1980's which caused the eucalyptus leaves to dry up which resulted in 63% of the koala population in Southwestern Queensland dying out. Due to the flammable nature of the eucalyptus trees and the animals slow nature many of their numbers have declined. One example is that in the 2019-2020 bushfire season it is approximated that 30% of the koala population were lost. Various conservation efforts have been made to preserve the animals numbers.

Description
Species Name: Koala
Latin Name: Phascolarctos cinereus
Native To: Australia
Conservation Status: Vulnerable
Taken At: Healesville Sanctuary

The closest relative of the Koala is the Wombat, this species of tree dwelling herbivorous marsupial eat mainly eucalyptus trees. Due to the low nutritional and caloric content of the leaves Koalas are mostly sedentary spending most of their days sleeping (up to 20 hours a day approximately). The species is currently listed as vulnerable for various reasons. Throughout the 20th century the animal was hunted extensively for their fur, the animals numbers have also dropped recently due to bushfires. Droughts have also contributed to the animals declining number, an example being a severe drought in the 1980's which caused the eucalyptus leaves to dry up which resulted in 63% of the koala population in Southwestern Queensland dying out. Due to the flammable nature of the eucalyptus trees and the animals slow nature many of their numbers have declined. One example is that in the 2019-2020 bushfire season it is approximated that 30% of the koala population were lost. Various conservation efforts have been made to preserve the animals numbers.