Editing Koala (section)

{{Short description|Arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia}}
{{Other uses|Koala (disambiguation)}}
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{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Use Australian English|date=February 2025}}
{{Speciesbox
| name = Koala
| fossil_range = {{Fossil range|0.7|0}}<small>Middle [[Pleistocene]] – Recent</small>
| image = Koala climbing tree.jpg
| image_upright = 1.1
| status = VU
| status_system = IUCN3.1
| status_ref =<ref name="iucn status 12 November 2021">{{cite iucn |author=Woinarski, J. |author2=Burbidge, A.A. |date=2020 |title=''Phascolarctos cinereus'' |volume=2020 |page=e.T16892A166496779 |doi=10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-1.RLTS.T16892A166496779.en |access-date=12 November 2021}}</ref>
| genus = Phascolarctos
| species = cinereus
| authority = ([[Georg August Goldfuss|Goldfuss]], 1817)
| synonyms_ref =<ref name=moyal/>{{rp|45}}<ref name = MSW3>{{MSW3 Diprotodontia | id = 11000005 | page = 43}}</ref>
| synonyms =
  {{plainlist|
* ''Lipurus cinereus'' {{small|Goldfuss, 1817}}
* ''Marodactylus cinereus'' {{small|Goldfuss, 1820}}
* ''Phascolarctos fuscus'' {{small|[[Anselme Gaëtan Desmarest|Desmarest]], 1820}}
* ''Phascolarctos flindersii'' {{small|[[René Primevère Lesson|Lesson]], 1827}}
* ''Phascolarctos koala'' {{small|[[John Edward Gray|J.E. Gray]], 1827}}
* ''Koala subiens'' {{small|[[Gilbert Thomas Burnett|Burnett]], 1830}}
}}
| range_map = Koala Range.jpg
| range_map_upright =
| range_map_caption = Koala range
{{leftlegend|red|Native}}
{{leftlegend|purple|Introduced}}
}}
 	
The '''koala''' ('''''Phascolarctos cinereus'''''), sometimes inaccurately called the '''koala bear''', is an [[arboreal]] herbivorous [[marsupial]] native to Australia. It is the only [[Extant taxon|extant]] representative of the [[Family (biology)|family]] ''[[Phascolarctidae]]''. Its closest living relatives are the [[wombat]]s. The koala is found in coastal areas of the island's eastern and southern regions, inhabiting [[Queensland]], [[New South Wales]], [[Victoria (state)|Victoria]], and [[South Australia]]. It is easily recognisable by its stout, tailless body and large head with round, fluffy ears and large, dark nose. The koala has a body length of {{cvt|60|-|85|cm}} and weighs {{cvt|4|-|15|kg}}. Its [[fur]] colour ranges from silver grey to chocolate brown. Koalas from the northern populations are typically smaller and lighter in colour than their counterparts further south. These populations are possibly separate [[subspecies]], but not all researchers accept this.

Koalas typically inhabit open ''[[Eucalyptus]]'' woodland, as the leaves of these trees make up most of their diet. This eucalypt diet has low nutritional and caloric content and contains toxic compounds that deter most other mammals from feeding on them. Koalas are largely sedentary and sleep up to twenty hours a day. They are asocial; only mothers [[maternal bond|bond]] to dependent offspring. Adult males communicate with bellows that intimidate rivals and attract mates. Males mark their presence with secretions from [[scent gland]]s located on their chests. Like other marsupials, koalas give birth to young known as joeys at a very early stage of development. They crawl into their mothers' [[pouch (marsupial)|pouches]], where they live for their first six to seven months. They are fully weaned around a year old. Koalas have few natural predators and parasites, but are threatened by [[pathogen]]s such as ''[[Chlamydiaceae]]'' bacteria and ''[[koala retrovirus]]''.

Because of their distinctive appearance, koalas, along with [[kangaroo]]s, are recognised worldwide as symbols of Australia. They were hunted by [[Indigenous Australians]] and depicted in [[Australian Aboriginal mythology|myths]] and cave art for millennia. The first recorded encounter between a European and a koala was in 1798, and an image of the animal was published in 1810 by naturalist [[George Perry (naturalist)|George Perry]]. Botanist [[Robert Brown (Scottish botanist from Montrose)|Robert Brown]] wrote the first detailed scientific description in 1814 although his work remained unpublished for 180 years. Artist [[John Gould]] illustrated and described the koala, thereby introducing the species to the British public. Further details about the animal's biology were revealed in the 19th century by English scientists. Koalas are listed as a [[vulnerable species]] by the [[International Union for Conservation of Nature]]. Among the many threats to their existence are habitat destruction caused by agriculture, urbanisation, droughts, and associated bushfires, some related to climate change. In February 2022, the koala was officially listed as [[Endangered species|endangered]] in the [[Australian Capital Territory]], New South Wales, and Queensland.