What do Koalos eat?

Answer 1

Adult koalas eat eucalytus leaves. Juveniles or joeys drink only milk at first and then they consume milk and what is called pap. It is a substance produced by the mother that gives the joey the microbes it needs to digest eucalyptus leaves. Joeys consume milk and eucalyptus leaves until they are weaned at about one year old.

Answer 2

Koalas live in eucalyptus trees and eat only a few types of gum leaves from which they get all nutrients and water requirements. Koalas have been known to also eat the buds, flowers and bark of these particular species, while dirt also seems to supplement mineral deficiencies.

While there are hundreds of different eucalyptus species in Australia, koalas eat from only about 60 of the species, consuming about half a kilogram of eucalyptus leaves every day. Koalas will not eat all types of eucalyptus, feeding on just 14 species as their primary food source, specifically, the subgenus Symphyomyrphus. Preferred eucalyptus species vary depending on their locality, so that the species eaten by Victoria koalas will be different to those eaten by north Queensland koalas. Koalas have been seen feeding in eucalypt trees such as Manna Gum, Swamp Gum, Blue Gum, Forest Red Gum and Grey Gum.

Answer 3

Whether in the zoo or in their native habitat, koalas must eat certain types of eucalyptus leaves. They cannot eat all types of eucalyptus leaves.