Cider Gum vs koala

Eucalyptus gunnii compared with Phascolarctos cinereus

Key Differences

Cider Gum is Not Evaluated while koala is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Cider Gum	koala
Kingdom	Plantae (نباتات)	Animalia (حيوانات)
Phylum	Magnoliophyta (كاسيات البذور)	Chordata (حبليات)
Class	Magnoliopsida (ماغنولانية)	Mammalia (ثدييات)
Order	Myrtales (آسيات)	Diprotodontia (ثنائيات الأسنان الأمامية)
Family	Myrtaceae	Phascolarctidae (Koalas)
Genus	Eucalyptus	Phascolarctos (Koalas)
Species	Eucalyptus gunnii	Phascolarctos cinereus

Conservation Status

Cider Gum

NE — Not Evaluated

koala

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Cider Gum	koala
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	15 years
Average Length	—	75 cm
Average Weight	—	10.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Cider Gum

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial habitats from tropical forests to temperate regions.

Range

Found across Europe (9 countries) and South America (Brazil).

koala

Habitat

Typically found in grasslands, forests, and vegetated habitats.

Range

Found in Australia. Currently classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Cider Gum

The cider gum (Eucalyptus gunnii) is a medium to large eucalyptus tree native to the highlands of Tasmania, Australia, where it grows at elevations up to 1,400 meters in subalpine and montane environments. It is one of the most cold-hardy eucalypts, tolerating severe frosts and occasional snow, which has made it widely popular in cultivation far beyond its native range, particularly in Britain, Ireland, France, and other temperate parts of Europe. In Tasmania, cider gum typically grows along the margins of highland lakes and in subalpine moorland and wet sclerophyll communities. The species reaches 15–35 meters in height, with smooth, pale gray-green to white bark that peels in ribbons. Young foliage is distinctive round and silver-blue, aging to more elongated sickle-shaped adult leaves. The name cider gum derives from the practice of Tasmanian Aboriginal people fermenting the sweet sap that pools in natural wounds to produce a mildly fermented drink. The species is classified as Not Evaluated by the IUCN. Eucalyptus gunnii provides habitat for several Tasmanian endemic species and is considered an important component of highland vegetation communities. In its introduced European range, it is a popular ornamental and windbreak tree. Concerns exist about its naturalization in some European countries where it has established self-sustaining populations.

koala

Iconic marsupial of eastern and southeastern Australia, koalas weigh up to 15 kg and spend up to 22 hours daily sleeping to conserve energy from their low-calorie eucalyptus leaf diet. Highly specialized to process toxic eucalyptus compounds that would kill most other mammals, they have gut microbiomes uniquely adapted for detoxification. Listed as Endangered in 2022, with populations decimated by chlamydia disease, habitat clearing, and climate change.