Koalas are generally solitary animals, preferring to live alone among a selection of eucalyptus trees referred to as their ‘home range’. Depending on the quality of their habitat and the number of koalas living nearby, these territories range from 2.5 acres to 247 acres in size. But in the spring and summer months (August to February in Australia) adult koalas are on the lookout for a mate. Here are five things you might not know about the koala breeding season.

1. Breeding season is risky

If you’ve ever read a koala bear book, it may seem like the lives of these fluffy marsupials are pretty danger-free. But when koalas are looking for a mate they tend to travel further than normal, often heading down to the ground in their search. This puts them at risk of road accidents, dog attacks and predation by dingoes and other wild dogs. Koalas tend to make their way down from the trees at dawn or dusk when it’s cooler, meaning motorists sadly don’t always see them. 
 

2. Koalas bellow for mates

When male koalas are on the lookout for a female, they make a loud noise called a bellow. A female uses this unique call firstly to decide if she thinks the male will be attractive, and secondly to identify whether she has mated with him before. Research shows females try to mate with different males each year. If you’re in koala country you’d most likely hear them bellowing at night, since this is when koalas are most active. 

3. Males need to get big enough to compete

Although male koalas reach breeding age at about two to three years old, they often won’t mate until they are four or older. That’s because they aren’t yet large enough to compete with older males. Often, females choose a mate based on the quality of his bellow - perhaps the younger males just don’t have the volume and richness to their voices yet. 

4. Females ovulate after mating

Many female mammals release an egg during a specific time in their hormonal cycle. Koalas, however, ovulate as a result of mating. This has an evolutionary benefit in animals that are largely solitary and do not necessarily mate every year. 
 

5. Fights break out in breeding season

Breeding season is when you’re most likely to come across koalas fighting. Males become very territorial while looking for a mate and conflicts occur if one strays into another’s home range. There may also be fights between males and females if the female has a joey and a male tries to breed with her. 

Book tickets to The Koala Who Could

If you love Rachel Bright and Jim Field’s koala bear story The Koala Who Could, why not book tickets to see it on the stage this summer? The theatre adaptation is touring the UK, using puppetry, songs and dance to retell the tale of Kevin as he learns to embrace change. Search ‘fun family activities near me’ to snap up some seats. At just 55 minutes long with no interval, the show is perfect for kids aged three and up.