vs Koala

Bacillus thuringiensis compared with Phascolarctos cinereus

Key Differences

• is Not Evaluated while Koala is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank		Koala
Kingdom	Bacteria (Bacteria)	Animalia (Tier)
Phylum	Firmicutes (Firmicutes)	Chordata (Chordatiere)
Class	Bacilli (Bacilli)	Mammalia (Säugetiere)
Order	Bacillales (Bacillales)	Diprotodontia (Marsupials)
Family	Bacillaceae	Phascolarctidae (Koalas)
Genus	Bacillus	Phascolarctos (Koalas)
Species	Bacillus thuringiensis	Phascolarctos cinereus

Conservation Status

NE — Not Evaluated

Koala

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute		Koala
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	15 years
Average Length	—	75 cm
Average Weight	—	10.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Habitat

Native to Asia and Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Sweden and Taiwan.

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.

Bacillus thuringiensis is a gram-positive, spore-forming soil bacterium in the family Bacillaceae, widely known for producing crystalline protein toxins (Cry proteins) that are insecticidal. It is globally distributed in soils, plant surfaces, and insect habitats. It is extensively used in biological pest control as a safe alternative to chemical insecticides.

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.