Koala vs

Phascolarctos cinereus compared with Rhizocarpon oederi

Key Differences

• Koala is Vulnerable while is Extinct.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Koala
Kingdom	Animalia (Tier)	Fungi (Pilze)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordatiere)	Ascomycota (Schlauchpilze)
Class	Mammalia (Säugetiere)	Lecanoromycetes (Lecanoromycetes)
Order	Diprotodontia (Marsupials)	Rhizocarpales (Rhizocarpales)
Family	Phascolarctidae (Koalas)	Rhizocarpaceae
Genus	Phascolarctos (Koalas)	Rhizocarpon
Species	Phascolarctos cinereus	Rhizocarpon oederi

Conservation Status

Koala

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

EX — Extinct

Physical Characteristics

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

Habitat & Geographic Range

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.

Habitat

Native to Europe, inhabiting ecosystems characteristic of the region.

Range

Distributed across Denmark, Norway, and Sweden.

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.

Rhizocarpon oederi is a crustose lichen historically recorded on siliceous rocks across parts of Europe and North America. It is now classified as Extinct (EX) on the IUCN Red List, representing one of the few lichen species confirmed to have been lost. Its disappearance is attributed to habitat destruction, air pollution, and the very specific microhabitat requirements that made it vulnerable.