Here at Wildlife Habitat Port Douglas, we’re incredibly passionate about Australia’s unique wildlife, and few animals capture hearts quite like the koala. With their sleepy eyes and fuzzy ears, they seem eternally calm, but their lives are a fascinating journey of growth and development. We are all so excited by the arrival of our new koala joey at Wildlife Habitat so let’s take a closer look at the different life stages of these extraordinary marsupials!
The Invisible Beginning – Conception to Birth (around 35 days gestation)
It all begins with a tiny, often unseen, miracle. Koalas have a very short gestation period. After conception, the embryo develops rapidly.
The Peanut in the Pouch – Birth to around 6-7 months (Joey in the Pouch)
Imagine being born the size of a jellybean – blind, hairless, and utterly helpless! That’s a newborn koala, or “joey.” Immediately after birth, this minuscule creature instinctively crawls into its mother’s pouch, a warm, safe haven. Once inside, it latches onto one of two teats, which swells to fill its mouth, preventing it from losing its grip.
For the next six to seven months, the joey lives entirely within the pouch, drinking milk and growing rapidly. This is a critical period of development, hidden from the world. The mother koala is incredibly protective, and you’ll often see her gently adjusting her pouch to ensure her little one is comfortable and secure.
Peek-a-Boo! – Around 6-7 months to 12 months (Pouch Emergence and Back-Riding)
Around the six to seven-month mark, the joey starts to become more adventurous. You’ll begin to see a tiny head poking out of the pouch! Soon after, the joey will start to emerge fully, clinging to its mother’s belly or back. This is a magical moment!
At this stage, the joey still relies heavily on its mother’s milk, but it also begins to supplement its diet with a very special substance: pap. This isn’t just any pap; it’s a soft, semi-digested form of the mother’s eucalyptus droppings, essential for introducing the joey to the microbes needed to digest eucalyptus leaves. Without these gut bacteria, the joey wouldn’t be able to process its future diet.
The joey will spend its days riding on its mother’s back, learning essential skills like climbing, identifying edible leaves.
Growing Pains and Independence – 12 months to 18-24 months (Weaning and Dispersal)
By around 12 months, the joey is quite large and almost fully weaned from milk. It will still spend time with its mother, but it’s becoming increasingly independent. This is a period of rapid growth and learning, as the young koala refines its climbing skills.
Between 18 and 24 months, the young koala will begin to disperse from its mother’s home range. This is a crucial, and sometimes challenging, time as they seek out their own territory.
Adult Koala – 2-3 years onwards (Reproduction and Maturity)
Koalas typically reach sexual maturity around two to three years of age. Females will usually have one joey every year or two, contributing to the next generation of koalas. Adult koalas can live for up to 10-15 years in the wild, though their lifespan can be affected by various factors including habitat loss, disease, and vehicle strikes.
See Our Koalas Up Close at Wildlife Habitat Port Douglas!
Understanding the different life stages of koalas truly highlights their remarkable resilience and unique adaptations. When you visit Wildlife Habitat Port Douglas, you’ll have the incredible opportunity, to take photos with koalas in a safe and controlled environment while YOUR Wildlife Habitat Private Tour provides visitors with the chance to enter the koala enclosure for one-on-one time accompanied by a Wildlife Keeper.
On Thursday the 10th of July 2025 for Wildlife Habitat Day, you can come say hello to our latest joey. This event will be a fun, hands-on, and inspiring day focused on the incredible biodiversity in our region, with a special focus on local threatened species and the conservation work being done to protect them. It will feature interactive activities, informative talks, and we’ll be announcing the winner of our Koala Joey Naming Competition too. Local conservation and environmental organisations will be joining, hosting stalls, sharing their knowledge, and inspiring action. Our dedicated team at Wildlife Habitat works tirelessly to provide the best care for our koalas and educate visitors about the importance of their conservation.
Create Unforgettable Memories – Book Your Koala Encounter today!
