koala vs

Phascolarctos cinereus compared with Usnea cornuta

Key Differences

• koala is Vulnerable while is Near Threatened.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	koala
Kingdom	Animalia (สัตว์)	Fungi (เห็ดรา)
Phylum	Chordata (สัตว์มีแกนสันหลัง)	Ascomycota (Sac Fungi)
Class	Mammalia (สัตว์เลี้ยงลูกด้วยน้ำนม)	Lecanoromycetes (Lecanoromycetes)
Order	Diprotodontia (Marsupials)	Lecanorales (Lecanorales)
Family	Phascolarctidae (Koalas)	Parmeliaceae
Genus	Phascolarctos (Koalas)	Usnea
Species	Phascolarctos cinereus	Usnea cornuta

Conservation Status

koala

VU — Vulnerable

Population: ~100.0K

Trend: Decreasing ↓

NT — Near Threatened

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 Norway, Portugal, and Sweden. 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.

Usnea cornuta is a fruticose lichen in the family Parmeliaceae, assessed as Near Threatened (NT). It forms shrubby, branching thalli that hang from tree branches and twigs, typically in humid forest environments. Like all Usnea species, it is highly sensitive to air pollution, particularly sulfur dioxide, making it a useful bioindicator of air quality.