Do Koalas Like to Cuddle?

Do koalas like to cuddle? Can I cuddle a koala? Where can I cuddle a koala? These are definitely the first thoughts that pop into my head when I see pictures of people holding this adorable Australian marsupial. But more recently I’ve been wondering, should I actually be allowed to cuddle a koala?

This is likely up to the individual koala. Some may enjoy it, some may be less keen to interact with humans. However, World Animal Protection state that overall the experience is stressful for koala bears and causes them to become sleep deprived (in the wild koalas sleep for around 20 hours a day!). I suspect they also likely prefer to cuddle each other rather than being passed around for random humans to hold. In fact, the reason koalas hug trees is actually to cool down their body temperature. Hugging a human will not have the same effect.

Where can i cuddle a koala in Australia?

Cuddling a koala is famous as being a bucket list item for visitors to Australia. This includes famous celebrities and politicians. Even Putin has been snapped holding a koala bear. But the practice is actually outlawed in some Australian states now. Queensland, South Australia and Western Australia are the states where you’re still allowed to hold a koala. They have strict restrictions on how long each koala is allowed to work for (30 minutes a day / capped at 180 minutes a week) and the Queensland premier, Steven Miles even joked that koalas are the best unionized workers in the state! (Jokes aside – so they should be! They can’t speak for themselves.).

In other states such as Victoria and New South Wales, the experience is more hands-off. It’s illegal to hold and physically support the weight of a koala. Instead, visitors can just observe and learn about the koalas. Sometimes you’re allowed to pat them but this is strictly regulated.

Why is holding koalas banned?

Allowing people to hold wildlife drives forward an expectation that this is how we should expect wild animals to interact with us, with little regard for their welfare. One zoo may offer these interactions in a responsible way, but as soon as there is money to be made, this will cue a whole host of less reputable organisations to offer the same encounter in a more exploitative way. The best way to protect wildlife is to lead by example. Animals should not suffer for the sake of a bucket list experience.

Can I see koalas in the wild?

Yes you can see these eucalyptus-munching cuties in the wild in Australia. I’ve seen koalas along the Great Ocean Road, and there are many other spots across the country where they can be seen.

Sadly, wild koala numbers are thought to have halved in the last 20 years, mainly due to habitat destruction and climate change. The black summer bushfires of early 2020 completely razed a large swathe of koala habitat. In 2022 they were reclassified from vulnerable to endangered.

There is talk of creating a Great Koala national park in New South Wales by connecting publicly-owned state forests to existing National Parks. This should give koalas and other wildlife a safe place to live. It would also attract a lot of tourism, benefiting the local area. However, there is still logging going on in the area.

What do koalas eat?

The most effective way to protect koalas is to protect their habitat. And where they live comes down to what they eat. Koalas like to eat eucalyptus trees. Unfortunately, these trees generally grow in lush coastal forest areas of Australia, and that land is popular for logging and housing developments.

So – do koalas like to cuddle and can I hold one? Yes you can, but if you really care about them maybe think twice.