Context-Australia is in the grips of a nationwide bushfire emergency which has severely affected wildlife.

Koalas are among the first animals to perish in wildfires because the slow-moving creatures can’t outrun the flames.

About Koalas

• IUCN Status: Vulnerable
• Endemic to Australia. Koalas are found in the eucalyptus forests of eastern Australia.
• It is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia.
• Koalas typically inhabit open eucalypt woodlands, and the leaves of these trees make up most of their diet. Because this eucalypt diet has limited nutritional and caloric content, koalas are largely sedentary and sleep up to 20 hours a day.
• Koalas get almost all their moisture from the leaves they eat, and rarely drink water.
• Eucalyptus leaves are super tough and poisonous! Luckily for koalas, they have a long digestive organ called a cecum which allows them to break down the leaves unharmed.