How big are Koalas?

Koalas in the south of Australia are considerably larger and have thicker, often browner fur than

those in the north. These are likely to be adaptations to the colder winters in the south of the

country.

Southern Koalas Northern Koalas

MALE: MALE:
Length: 75-82cm (Average: Length: 67.4-73.6cm (Average:
78.2cm) 70.5cm)
Weight: 9.5-14.9kg Weight: 4.2-9.1kg (Average:
(Average: 12kg) 6.5kg)

FEMALE: FEMALE:
Length: 68-73cm (Average: Length: 64.8-72.3cm (Average:
71.6cm) 68.7cm)
Weight: 7-11kg (Average: Weight: 4.1-7.3kg (Average:
8.5kg) 5.1kg)

Note: 1Kg = 2.2lb, and 2.54cm = 1 inch

A comparatively small brain size

Although the Koala’s head is large in proportion to its body, its brain is smaller in comparison to

other closely-related marsupials (in relation to their size), and has less surface folding and larger

hollows within the brain. It’s been suggested that a smaller brain uses less energy and that this

could be an adaptation to allow the Koala to survive on its low energy diet.

Highly developed hearing and sense of smell

The Koala’s unusually large, leathery nose is one of its most noticeable features. Koalas

rely on their highly developed sense of smell to differentiate levels of toxins in eucalyptus
leaves, to detect the levels of toxicity in the leaves at any particular time. They also need

to smell the scent warnings put on trees by other Koalas. It’s thought that the Koala’s

keen sense of smell is already well developed at birth, leading the blind and immature

newborn joey to the pouch through the scent of the mother’s milk from the teats in the

pouch.

Koalas’ large ears provide a keen sense of hearing, which is necessary for their

socialisation with other Koalas, as they can live in populations where each Koala lives

large distances apart.

Photo: Christine Scheffler

Vision
Koalas’ eyes are relatively small in relation to the size of their other sensory features, such as

their ears and nose. Their eyesight is not particularly highly developed.

Differences between male and female Koalas

Adult male Koalas are larger than adult females, who have a pouch in the centre of their

abdomen with the opening more towards the bottom of the pouch than the top. The

external genitalia are visible on a male Koala.

One of the easiest ways to identify the sex of a Koala is to look for the dark brown scent

gland which is located in the centre of the white chests of mature, breeding males.
Females and young pre-breeding males have a plain white chest. The male Koala is often

referred to as a ‘buck’ and the female as a ‘doe’.

Mature male showing sternal scent gland. Photo: Phillip Wright

The pouch
Female Koalas have been described as having a ‘backward-opening’ pouch like

wombats, as opposed to an upward-opening pouch like kangaroos. However, that’s not

strictly true. When a female Koala first gives birth to young her pouch opening faces

neither up nor down, although it is located towards the bottom of the pouch rather than at

the top. It faces straight outwards rather than ‘backwards’.

It sometimes appears to be ‘backward-facing’ because when the joey is older and leans

out of the pouch, this pulls the pouch downwards or ‘backwards’. The pouch has a strong

sphincter muscle at the opening to prevent the joey from falling out.

Right: The Koala’s pouch appears to be ‘backward-opening’ when the older joey puts its

head out. The opening is towards the bottom of the pouch rather than at the top.
Photo: Wendy Blanshard

Koala body temperature

The Koala’s body temperature is consistently lower than most mammals, at 36.6 degrees C, and

they have a low metabolic rate.

Koala heart rate

The resting heart rate of a Koala is anywhere between 70-140 beats per minute (it will depend on

a range of factors, including the age of the Koala). It can be difficult to measure a resting heart

rate for a Koala as they have a ‘sinus arrhythmia’ which means that their heart rate and breathing

get out of sync. This can cause fluctuations in the heart rate which aren’t a reflection of the actual

heart rate–resting or active.

Koala rib cage

It’s a misconception that Koalas don’t have a rib cage and that is why they don’t like to be picked

up. Of course, they do have a rib cage to protect their internal organs. However, while many

mammals – most marsupials and primates like us – have 13 thoracic vertebrae and therefore 13

pairs of ribs, Koalas have only 11 pairs; the least of any recorded marsupial species. They have

a curved spine and a cartilaginous pad over the end of the spine which may make it more

comfortable to sit on branches and in tree forks. Koalas are sensitive around their abdominal

area and need something to grip onto when being picked up. A Koala should not be picked up

under its arms like a toddler because it’s accustomed to gripping onto branches with its front

paws, and it will feel uncomfortable and vulnerable.