A LITTLE WILDLIFE PERSPECTIVE
How tall is a koala?
Compare your height to a koala.
Southern koalas average around 72–78 cm in head-and-body length. A koala sitting in a tree looks shorter than this stretched-out measurement.
A LITTLE PERSPECTIVE
Koala
next to the average.
Average U.S. adults, side by side.
- Average man (U.S.)5 ft 8.9 in
- Koala1 ft 11.6 in
- Average woman (U.S.)5 ft 3.5 in
How do you measure up?
Enter your height to stand beside a koala.
Side by side
- Koala1 ft 11.6 in
- Your placeAdd your height
The animal is an example adult in the pose shown. Its full outline is scaled to 60 cm. Shoulder height and body length are explained below.
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GET TO KNOW THE ANIMAL
Small facts. Big discoveries.
Koala · Phascolarctos cinereus
A koala’s body is suited to gripping branches. Its strong hands and feet help it hold on while thick fur insulates it against changing weather.
Koalas are selective leaf-eaters: only certain eucalyptus species make up most of their diet, and preferred trees differ between northern and southern populations. Broad grinding teeth help break down the fibrous leaves, making a suitable food tree as important as a branch that can support them.
- Males are generally larger than females.
- Koalas in cooler southern areas tend to have longer, thicker fur than northern koalas.
How big do adults get?
- Male
- Southern average: 78 cm; 11.8 kg
- Female
- Southern average: 72 cm; 7.9 kg
These are averages for southern populations, not maximums. Northern koalas are smaller; size also varies between individuals.
Height, length, or weight?
Standing height runs from the ground to the top of the animal. Shoulder height stops at the top of the shoulders. Length runs along the body; it is not how tall an animal stands. Weight tells us how heavy it is.
Explore the science: Animal Diversity Web · University of Michigan ↗