Leslie Massey
Eucalyptus, commonly known as gum trees, are an iconic part of the Australian landscape. These evergreen flowering trees and shrubs are native to Australia and provide food and shelter to many native animal species. Despite their abundance, only a few species rely on eucalyptus as a food source due to the toxicity and low nutritional value of their leaves. However, some animals, such as koalas, have evolved to specialise in consuming eucalyptus leaves, and their digestive systems are adapted to withstand the harsh chemical composition. In addition to koalas, other animals that eat eucalyptus include the greater glider and the common wombat.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Animals that eat eucalyptus | Koalas, possums, birds |
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What You'll Learn
Koalas eat eucalyptus
Koalas are native to Australia and are known for their love of eucalyptus leaves, which they extract from the trees using their sharp front incisors. An adult koala eats between 200 to 500 grams of leaves each day, and they are very selective about the types of eucalyptus leaves they eat. In fact, there are over 600 types of eucalypts in Australia, but koalas will only eat a small proportion of these. They also occasionally eat leaves from other native Australian trees, such as wattle, tea tree, or paperbark.
The koala's diet consists primarily of the tips of eucalyptus leaves, which contain the highest concentration of sugars and help to reduce the amount of poison ingested. Eucalyptus leaves contain toxic compounds similar to cyanide, and koalas require a lot of energy to break them down. This is why koalas sleep or rest for up to 20 hours each day—their bodies need to conserve energy for digesting the leaves.
Koalas have a specialized organ called a caecum that helps them digest the fibre in eucalyptus leaves. The caecum is a long, fibre-digesting organ containing millions of bacteria that break down the fibre into substances that can be more easily absorbed. However, even with this adaptation, koalas are only able to absorb about 25% of the fibre they consume. They also absorb water from the leaves, which means they rarely need to drink.
Interestingly, baby koalas are unable to digest the toxins in eucalyptus leaves because they lack the necessary gut bacteria. To overcome this, they consume their mother's faeces to obtain the bacteria required for digestion. This behaviour is observed in other animal species as well.
The preference for eucalyptus leaves varies among koalas in different regions of Australia. For example, koalas in Victoria may prefer different types of gum trees from those favoured by koalas in Queensland. This is due to the variation in species of eucalypts that grow in different parts of the country.
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Possums eat eucalyptus
Possums are omnivores, consuming both plant and animal matter. They are mostly herbivores, with the bulk of their diet being plant-based. Possums are known to eat eucalyptus leaves, which are their primary source of sustenance. They have an impressive ability to discern between high and low-quality foliage, even when intertwined with other plants.
Common Brushtail Possums typically eat plant matter, occasionally adding bird eggs, fledglings, and some insects. They scavenge for food in the forest canopy, lower levels, and on the ground. In urban environments, they adapt to a more diverse diet, including fruits and bread. They also eat select shrubs (particularly wattles), herbs, blossoms, and fruit.
Common Ringtail Possums will eat their faeces to get the maximum nutrients available from the eucalyptus leaves. Possum joeys or baby possums eat milk from sucking on the teat within the female possum's pouch. Like all mammal babies, they need milk to grow strong and healthy. This initial nourishment helps prepare them for their eventual switch to solid foods.
It is important to note that possums are protected, and feeding them poison or foods that can harm them is illegal. This includes sweets, junk food, and raw meat. Possums have an extremely low metabolism, so their caloric needs are easily met with simple plants. Fruits are more caloric and provide an easy source of energy, but possums can easily become overweight, so these foods are more of a treat than a main course.
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Birds eat eucalyptus
Eucalyptus trees, or gum trees, are an iconic feature of the Australian landscape, providing food and shelter for many native animals, including birds. While koalas are often the first animal that comes to mind when we think of eucalyptus, various bird species also feed on different parts of the tree.
Parrots, for example, are known to enjoy chewing on eucalyptus leaves, flowers, flower buds, stems, bark, and nuts. The leaves of the eucalyptus tree contain flavonoids, essential oils, eucalyptol, and cineole, which have medicinal properties and can help stimulate a bird's immune system. In the wild, parrots and cockatoos have been observed stripping the bark off gum trees and creating holes in the trees to access the sap. The birds often return to these holes to reuse them.
Some budgie breeders also use dried or fresh crushed gum leaves or fresh leaves as nesting materials to help keep their chicks safe from mites and other parasites. Wild budgies have been observed lining their nests with crushed gum leaves for the same purpose.
It is important to note that there is a common misconception that eucalyptus trees kill birds. This myth was started by an article written by Rich Stallcup, a knowledgeable birder but not a scientist, who based his claim on the observation of two dead birds in two different eucalyptus forests over several years. However, ornithologists and scientific literature have refuted this claim, stating that a sample size of two is too small to extrapolate a general rule about bird mortality in eucalyptus forests. Furthermore, volunteers working with small birds in facilities have not encountered any cases of birds' passages being blocked by natural resins from eucalyptus trees, which would have prevented them from eating or breathing.
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Insects eat eucalyptus
Eucalyptus trees, also known as gum trees, are iconic in Australia. They provide food and shelter for many native animals, including koalas, possums, and birds. The flowers of many eucalyptus species contain nectar, which is valuable to the beekeeping industry. The trees also attract bees, other pollinating insects, and caterpillars.
The eucalyptus leafroller is a caterpillar that feeds on the leaves, buds, shoots, and flowers of the eucalyptus. The damage done by these insects is quite distinct; the caterpillar strips the surface of the leaf, leaving behind brown skeletal-looking leaves, branches, and flowers, with only the veins remaining. These veins also shrivel and die. The caterpillars excrete silk threads, which they use to bind the leaves together tightly to form shelters. Eggs are laid on the underside of the leaves and hatch within about a week. An infestation of leafroller caterpillars can kill young trees and cause significant damage to older ones.
Another insect that eats eucalyptus is the eucalyptus sucker, which is similar in appearance to an aphid. The eucalyptus sucker feeds on the shoots of the tree, leaving them sticky with honeydew, on which sooty moulds can grow. This insect overwinters as adults and lays eggs on the shoot tips from February onwards, with two or three generations a year. While the eucalyptus sucker can cause leaf damage, it does not usually affect the growth or vigour of the plant, and control is not necessary.
Eucalyptus trees are also targeted by the eucalyptus longhorned borer, a type of beetle that eats the wood of the tree, particularly if it has been weakened by weather, stress, or disease. These beetles create holes in the bark as they chew through the wood, compromising the tree's structural integrity and leading to leaf loss and wilt.
Other insects that eat eucalyptus include the red gum lerp psyllid and the leaf-eating beetles, which can cause significant defoliation.
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Humans eat eucalyptus
Humans do consume eucalyptus, though not in the same way that koalas, possums, and birds do in Australia. Eucalyptus leaves are not safe for humans to eat, but eucalyptus oil and tea are used for flavouring in small amounts in foods. Eucalyptus oil is highly flammable and toxic in high doses, and even in small amounts, it is potent and can be dangerous. It is important to consult a doctor before consuming eucalyptus or any supplement containing it.
Eucalyptus oil is widely known for its medicinal properties. It is used in medicines, cleaners, antiseptics, flavourings, fragrances, cosmetics, and insect repellents. It is also used to help clear congestion and colds and appears in some topical creams for arthritis. The eucalyptol in eucalyptus oil is often added to toothpaste and mouthwash to combat plaque and gum disease, and it can also be added to chewing gum to fight bad breath.
Leaves of certain eucalyptus species are soaked in water to make a healing tea, and the oil is used for spiritual cleansing by Australian indigenous populations. The wood and bark of the tree are used to make tools, spears, shields, and musical instruments. The bark is also used to make canoes.
Eucalyptus is grown in plantations in many countries because of its fast growth rate, valuable timber, and use in pulpwood, honey production, and essential oils. The flowers of many eucalyptus species contain nectar valuable to the beekeeping industry. About 10 species are grown for their oils.
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Frequently asked questions
Koalas, possums and birds all eat eucalyptus leaves in Australia. Koalas are even specialised to eat eucalyptus, with five-fingered paws that have opposable thumbs to aid in gripping branches.
Eucalyptus leaves contain toxins and have low nutritional value, which is why so few species have evolved to use them as a food source.
Koalas eat the leaves of the eucalyptus trees.
The greater glider, a small nocturnal marsupial found in eastern Australia, eats the young leaves and flower buds of white mahogany eucalyptus.
