Understanding dietary selection is an important consideration when selecting species and managing food plantations for koalas. Providing captive koalas with a variety of different Eucalyptus species and foliage maturity ensures that they can select species and nutrients that they require. Photograph by Steve Withnall.

This article belongs to the Collection Koala Feeding and Stress Since the 2019/2020 Australian Bushfires.

Many Eucalyptus species produce epicormic regrowth after fire. The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) relies on eucalypt foliage; however, it is unknown whether they can consume epicormic regrowth. We conducted a feeding trial with captive koalas to determine if they would consume epicormic foliage from different eucalypt species and found consumption was dependent on both the species and subgenus. Photograph by Murraya Lane.

This article belongs to the Collection Koala Feeding and Stress.

The iconic koala population in Australia faces alarming decline due to human-induced threats. This study analyses koala admissions to the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital, revealing that dangerous areas and motor vehicle accidents account for almost half of the cases. Additionally, diseases like chlamydia pose a significant risk, particularly for mature koalas. Urgent action is needed to address these anthropogenic impacts, emphasising public education, reporting, and disease management. These findings provide crucial insights to conserve and protect this beloved Australian species. Photograph from https://www.britannica.com/animal/koala.