Learn about Koala drinking habits
We may be only just recovering from floods, but understanding the value of water for wildlife is always important. It was only a few years ago that the news and social media was flooded with images and videos of koalas being fed water following wildfires across the east and south coast of Australia. Below is some valuable information about the drinking habits of koalas.
A koala is provided with water from a bottle following recent bushfires. If providing water, koalas must be able to lap at the water, as pouring water directly into their mouth can unintentionally result in water entering their airways. Image courtesy of J. Facelli.
The name koala* comes from an Aboriginal word meaning “no drink”. Their unique name comes about because koalas will generally get sufficient water via their diet of eucalypt leaves and are rarely seen to drink water as a result. That's not to say that koalas don't drink at all. Occasionally, koalas will need extra hydration when their water balance needs are influenced by external factors.
Metabolic water loss in koalas begins when the ambient temperature rises above 35 degrees Celsius, but the water loss that occurs on hot days can be replenished from their diet alone, so long as the evening temperature falls below 28 degrees Celsius. If the night time temperature doesn't drop sufficiently then access by koalas to free water is required.
As a side note, koalas can also actively cool down by panting and sitting against tree trunks to cool their bodies.
In some parts of Australia, these temperature differentials are becoming a concern. As a result, the concept of permanent watering points for koalas, known as 'Blinky Drinkers', was developed by researchers at the University of Sydney and experimentally trialed on the Liverpool Plains / Gunnedah area where heat-stress can be a real issue for koalas.
View a short video about Blinky Drinkers: Koalas driven to drink by climate change
Read more about Blinky Drinkers: Ecologist Phil Spark to detail report showing the way to save Gunnedah's koalas | Gunnedah's Project Koala: How drinkers might help save our own Blinky | Koalas are thirsty for your help | Bigger and better 'Blinky Drinkers' to quench koalas' thirst this summer
We often get requests from members of the public to install 'Blinky Drinkers' for our local koala population. In the Clarence Valley, it is believed to be unlikely that local temperature differentials will force koalas to seek free water, even under future climate change scenarios.
The original Blinky Drinker trials were interesting but identified that a downside of the 'Blinky Drinkers' is that they not only attracted koalas, but also attracted predators such as foxes. There were, as a result, some concerns that the cure (access to free water) might be worse than the initial problem (Ie. if the koala attending the drinker consequently gets killed by a fox).
There is also a risk that if a Blinky Drinker is provided and the animal gets used to receiving water, but it is not managed in perpetuity, then the koala/s will be negatively impacted as a consequence. As a result, local ecologists and koala experts generally do not support the installation of Blinky Drinkers east of Great Dividing Range.
Given the recent habitat loss through wildfire, access by koalas to sufficient browse, and therefore water, may be impacted. Therefore, they may be seen seeking out free water while the landscape recovers.
It isn't encouraged that permanent watering points are established, however temporary watering stations may be provided in crisis scenarios as a short-term measure. Koalas must be able to lap at the water, as pouring water from a bottle can unintentionally result in water entering their airways, and access to water sources by household pets must be avoided. Mount the supply safely, inspect it daily, and replace the water often to prevent the spread of disease. Any installed water stations should be removed when natural water sources become available.
Download fact sheets about providing water for wildlife: Wildlife drinking stations | Providing water for koalas
Find more information about providing help to koalas after wildfire: NSW Government - Helping wildlife in emergencies | Koala Country - Help NSW Koalas
If you feel a koala is in need of assistance, contact your local wildlife carers: NSW Wildlife Information, Rescue and Education Service Inc. (WIRES) on 1300 094 737 or go online.
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TL/DR: Heatwaves and droughts change the moisture content of the koala's eucalypt leaf diet, increasing their need to seek water.
*Many unique names have been identified, including Cullewine, Koolewong, Colo, Coloo, Coola, Colah, Koobor, Koolah, Kaola, Karbor, Boorabee, Goribun and Koala.
