koala vs plains zebra

Phascolarctos cinereus compared with Equus quagga

Key Differences

• koala is Vulnerable while plains zebra is Near Threatened.
• plains zebra is 35.0x heavier than koala.
• plains zebra lives longer (25 years vs 15 years).

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	koala	plains zebra
Kingdom same	Animalia (hewan)	Animalia (hewan)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class same	Mammalia (mamalia)	Mammalia (mamalia)
Order	Diprotodontia (Marsupials)	Perissodactyla (Hewan berkuku ganjil)
Family	Phascolarctidae (Koalas)	Equidae (Horses & Zebras)
Genus	Phascolarctos (Koalas)	Equus (Horses & Zebras)
Species	Phascolarctos cinereus	Equus quagga

Evolutionary Relationship

koala and plains zebra share a common ancestor at the Class level: Mammalia. (mamalia)

Conservation Status

koala

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

plains zebra

NT — Near Threatened

Population: ~750.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	koala	plains zebra
Diet	Herbivore	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	15 years	25 years
Average Length	75 cm	2.3 m
Average Weight	10.0 kg	350.0 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.

plains zebra

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 5 distinct biome types within the Afrotropic biogeographic realm. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Botswana, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Africa, and Tanzania. Listed as Near Threatened, this species requires ongoing monitoring to prevent population decline.

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.

plains zebra

The most numerous wild equid, plains zebras inhabit grasslands and savannas of eastern and southern Africa in herds ranging from small family groups to vast aggregations. Their bold black-and-white stripe patterns are unique to each individual and may serve to confuse predators, deter biting insects, and facilitate individual recognition. Zebras form key prey for lions, hyenas, and crocodiles, underpinning savanna food webs.