Koalas are known for their cute faces, large ears and fluffy grey-brown fur. Living exclusively in coastal areas of Australia, they are shy animals who spend most of their days eating and sleeping. There’s no such thing as family days out in their world - they are almost entirely solitary, except for in the Australian spring and summer (August to February) when they seek out a mate and breed. But what is life like for a joey growing up? Let’s take a look. 

Life as a newborn

The first minutes of a joey’s life are pretty amazing. Like all marsupials, koala joeys spend their first few months in the outside world growing in a special pouch called a marsupium. When they are first born, baby koalas have no fur or ears and are completely blind. Despite this, they’re able to find their way from their mother’s birth canal to the marsupium located in her abdomen. They do this using a finely tuned sense of smell. 

Once safely inside, a joey will attach itself to one of its mum’s milk teats, which then swells to prevent the joey from losing hold. Baby koalas stay like this for five to six months while their bodies continue to develop: their eyes open, their ears form and they grow fur. 

Venturing out

At around six months old, little joeys will begin to poke their heads out of their mothers’ pouches, taking in the world around them. In addition to milk, they start to eat pap, a special type of poop that is packed with the nutrients and micro-organisms that will enable them to start eating eucalyptus leaves. Eucalyptus leaves are toxic, so the pap prepares joeys for breaking down these toxins. 

Around seven months old, joeys develop teeth and soon after they begin to venture out of the pouch, clinging to their mothers for safety. While they still drink milk, they do so less and less, instead feeding more frequently on eucalyptus leaves. Eventually they stop entering the marsupium and ride on mum’s back.   

Leaving mum

Over the following months, joeys begin to make trips away from their mother, venturing out alone to find food and shade. When they reach between one and two years old, they leave their mums for good, finding their own home range. Koalas are fully grown by the time they reach three to four years of age, and will then start breeding. They usually have one joey each year, but some females give birth only once every two to three years. Koalas typically live until they are 10-12 years old, depending on the quality of their habitat. 

Meet Kevin the koala

If you love koalas and are searching for ‘family activities to do near me’, don’t miss out on the stage production of The Koala Who Could. Based on the picture book by Rachel Bright and Jim Field, it’s a great way to introduce little ones to the magic of the theatre. This family activity is currently touring the UK and is sure to be at a venue near you soon. Book your tickets today!