Koalas aren't bears at all — they're marsupials, like kangaroos, and carry their babies in pouches. They survive on tough, toxic eucalyptus leaves, which give so little energy that koalas sleep up to 20 hours a day to save power.
📋 Koala at a glance
⚡ Superpower
Koalas eat eucalyptus leaves that are poisonous to almost every other animal — their super-stomachs break down the toxins.
🤩 Amazing Koala facts
Koalas sleep 18–20 hours a day — eucalyptus is hard work to digest.
❓ Common questions about koalas
How big is a koala?
Up to 30 lb (14 kg). Koalas sleep 18–20 hours a day — eucalyptus is hard work to digest.
Where do koalas live?
Koalas live in the wild: eucalyptus forests of eastern australia. They are wild animals and are never kept as pets.
How long do koalas live?
Koalas typically live 10–15 years in the wild.
Can you keep a koala as a pet?
No — Koalas are wild animals that belong in the wild (eucalyptus forests of eastern australia), and keeping one would be unsafe and usually illegal. The closest pet you can actually keep is a chinchilla — see our care guide.
Could you keep a koala as a pet?
No — koalas are wild animals that belong in the wild, and keeping one would be unsafe and almost always illegal. But if koalas are your favorite, here's the closest pet you actually can welcome home:
Meet the ChinchillaBecause no pet is a koala, but for a soft, sleepy, cuddly-looking cutie a chinchilla is a great alternative.
See care guide →
🎬 See koalas in action
Watch kid-friendly videos about koalas on YouTube.
▶ Watch Koala videos on YouTube