A koala’s only natural habitat is in Australia. So unless you’ve been lucky enough to visit or have seen koalas in wildlife parks and zoos, you might not know much about them. The good news is, you’ve come to the right place as this article explains all you need to know about young koalas - which are called ‘joeys’.

When a joey is first born it is tiny and completely helpless. It climbs into its mother’s pouch and continues to develop until it’s around 6 months old. When it’s slightly bigger it can then ride on its mother’s back and this is where the fun starts to begin for a joey. Here’s what a day in the life of a young koala might look like.

Early Morning (6am to 9am) - Wake Up With Mum

As koalas are mostly nocturnal, the early morning hours are a sleepy, slow time. A joey will typically nuzzle into its mum’s thick fur and stay close while she dozes off in a tree.

Mid Morning (9am to 12pm) - Climbing and Exploring 

If you’ve heard stories about koalas, you’ll know that they’re excellent climbers and spend most of their lives high up in eucalyptus trees. Mid-morning, therefore, is when joeys start to climb on nearby branches and explore - but they always stay close to mum. A mummy koala may also use this time to groom and bond with her joey. The joey will eat something called ‘pap’ which is produced by the mother and prepares its stomach for eucalyptus leaves. 

Afternoon (12pm to 4pm) - Time to Sleep

Believe it or not, koalas sleep between 18 and 22 hours a day! This is because eucalyptus leaves are low in nutrients and take a lot of energy to digest. The joey’s mum is therefore usually sleeping, and the joey will be too. As it’s hot in Australia, koalas find a cool spot high up in the shade of the trees to nap.

Evening (4pm to 7pm) - Feeding Time

As the forest cools, koalas will start to eat. Joeys will mimic their mums by chewing real eucalyptus leaves and if they’re not yet ready for solids, they’ll nurse again. A mummy koala shows her joey which leaves are safe to eat, so this is a time for learning as well as feasting.

Night (7pm to 6am) - Moving Through the Trees

Night time is when koalas are most active. Joeys learn how to live in trees and how to move from branch to branch. During this time, they might also nap, nurse and chew on eucalyptus leaves if they’re old enough. A koala doesn’t live the most adventurous life compared to other animals, but a slow, calm existence is what they prefer. 

If you love koalas, be sure to read The Koala Who Could book by Rachel Bright and Jim Field. This tells the beautiful story of a nervous koala called Kevin and how he’s forced to face his fears with the help of some new friends. The Koala Who Could story has now been adapted for the stage and is currently on a UK tour. Buy your tickets today to see the book brought to life with songs, dancing and puppetry.