Big-eared opossum vs koala

Didelphis aurita compared with Phascolarctos cinereus

Key Differences

Big-eared opossum is Least Concern while koala is Vulnerable.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Big-eared opossum	koala
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (cordados)	Chordata (cordados)
Class same	Mammalia (mamíferos)	Mammalia (mamíferos)
Order	Didelphimorphia (Didelphimorphia)	Diprotodontia (Marsupials)
Family	Didelphidae	Phascolarctidae (Koalas)
Genus	Didelphis	Phascolarctos (Koalas)
Species	Didelphis aurita	Phascolarctos cinereus

Evolutionary Relationship

Big-eared opossum and koala share a common ancestor at the Class level: Mammalia. (mamíferos)

View Class: Mammalia

Conservation Status

Big-eared opossum

LC — Least Concern

koala

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Big-eared opossum	koala
Diet	—	Herbivore
Average Lifespan	—	15 years
Average Length	—	75 cm
Average Weight	—	10.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Big-eared opossum

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.

Big-eared opossum

The Big-eared opossum (Didelphis aurita) is a species in the genus Didelphis. It is currently classified as Least Concern on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in diverse terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.

koala

Icônico marsupial do leste e sudeste da Austrália, os coalas pesam até 15 kg e passam até 22 horas diárias dormindo para conservar energia de sua dieta de folhas de eucalipto, com baixo teor calórico. Altamente especializados para processar os compostos tóxicos do eucalipto que matariam a maioria dos outros mamíferos, possuem microbiomas intestinais unicamente adaptados para a destoxificação. Classificado como Em Perigo em 2022, com populações dizimadas pela doença de clamídia, desmatamento e mudanças climáticas.