Irrawaddy dolphin vs koala

Orcaella brevirostris compared with Phascolarctos cinereus

Key Differences

• Irrawaddy dolphin is Endangered while koala is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Irrawaddy dolphin	koala
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Mammalia (Mammals)	Mammalia (Mammals)
Order	Cetacea (Whales & Dolphins)	Diprotodontia (Marsupials)
Family	Delphinidae (Oceanic Dolphins)	Phascolarctidae (Koalas)
Genus	Orcaella	Phascolarctos (Koalas)
Species	Orcaella brevirostris	Phascolarctos cinereus

Evolutionary Relationship

Irrawaddy dolphin and koala share a common ancestor at the Class level: Mammalia. (Mammals)

Conservation Status

Irrawaddy dolphin

EN — Endangered

koala

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Irrawaddy dolphin	koala
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	15 years
Average Length	—	75 cm
Average Weight	—	10.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Irrawaddy dolphin

Habitat

Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

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.

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.