Why do koalas eat Gum Tree leaves?

Koalas eat mainly eucalyptus leaves (gum leaves). Occasionally they will eat the leaves from some other native Australian trees, and they also use certain trees just for resting in. Koalas live in tall open eucalypt (gum tree) forests. The areas of bushland where they like to live are called their HABITATS. read more

Koalas are specially adapted to eat gum leaves, or eucalyptus. Other animals do not compete for the koala's food. Koalas occupy a unique niche in the Australian bush ecosystem. read more

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. read more

Koalas eat mainly eucalyptus leaves (gum leaves). Occasionally they will eat the leaves from some other native Australian trees, and they also use certain trees just for resting in. Koalas live in tall open eucalypt (gum tree) forests. read more