Every year on the last Friday in September, Save The Koala Day invites people to learn about koalas, support conservation, and join activities led by the Australian Koala Foundation as part of September’s broader Save The Koala Month campaign.

We know that May is also when we celebrate International Wild Koala Day.

History of Save The Koala Day

Save The Koala Day was created by the Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) to give their long-running September initiative—Save The Koala Month—a clear focal point for schools, communities, and supporters to rally around. The aim has always been simple and public-friendly: raise awareness and funds to protect koalas and their habitat. ¹

As the observance spread through calendars and community pages, the date settled into an easy rule—celebrated on the last Friday of September each year. Guides and event listings emphasize approachable actions anyone can take, from tree planting and classroom activities to symbolic adoptions and local fundraisers.

Why is Save The Koala Day important?

It gathers attention for an animal many people adore but don’t always understand. Koalas face real pressures—from shrinking habitat to other on-the-ground threats—and this day helps move conversation beyond cute photos to the practical work of protecting forests and the wildlife that depend on them.

It also turns care into community. Because Save the Koala Day is part of a month-long campaign, small actions add up: classrooms learn together, neighborhoods plant trees, and families give or “adopt” to support field work. That steady, friendly rhythm is how awareness grows into lasting support.

• It makes conservation feel welcoming and doable.
• It shifts focus from selfies to healthy habitats.
• It gives kids and classrooms a clear way to help.
• It builds a yearly habit of paying attention.
• It keeps local actions connected to national efforts.

Interesting facts about koalas

• Koalas are marsupials, not bears—and the only living member of the family Phascolarctidae. ²
• In February 2022, the Australian Government uplisted koalas to Endangered in Queensland, New South Wales and the ACT under the EPBC Act, globally, the species remains Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
• Koalas sleep 18–22 hours because eucalyptus leaves are low in energy; they conserve energy rather than being “drugged” by the leaves.
• Diet is highly specialized: koalas eat mostly eucalyptus, using a very long cecum and a microbiome to ferment fiber and handle plant toxins. ³

• They have fingerprints almost identical to humans’—one of the few non-primates with this trait—but there are no verified crime-scene mix-ups caused by koala prints.
• Koalas often get most water from leaves, but during heatwaves they actively drink and benefit from supplemental water stations.
• A newborn joey is born after ~30–35 days of gestation, crawls to the pouch, and later eats “pap” (a special maternal feces) to seed its gut microbes.

• Male koalas produce unusually low-pitched bellows using a novel vocal organ (outside the typical larynx), an adaptation confirmed in acoustic studies.
• The rump fur is extra thick/cushioned, helping koalas sit for long periods on hard branches—another tree-life adaptation.
• Their hands and feet are built for climbing: two opposable digits on each forepaw and an opposable digit on each hind foot (no claw) give them “six thumbs.”
• Koala Retrovirus (KoRV) is endogenous in all studied koalas in Queensland and NSW and is linked to higher risk of secondary disease (including chlamydia).
• Chlamydia is widespread in wild populations (infection reported 0–89%, with 4–44% showing disease signs), threatening fertility and survival. ⁴
• In 2025, Australia approved the first koala chlamydia vaccine, to be used in wildlife hospitals and field programs.
• Koalas live in eucalypt woodlands and forests across eastern and southeastern Australia, southern koalas are larger with longer fur than northern ones.

How to celebrate Save The Koala Day

Keep it practical. Explore AKF’s Save the Koala Month page for quick ideas, then pick one you’ll actually do today—share a fact, give what you can, or set up a tiny fundraiser with friends. If you have access to a yard, balcony, or school garden, look into planting suitable natives and learn the basics of wildlife-friendly spaces.

Make it social but low-pressure. Pair a short koala video or fact sheet with a simple activity: a classroom map of koala country, a neighborhood walk to spot local eucalypts, or a family chat about why trees matter. Consider a symbolic adoption or donation and post a line about why you chose to help—personal notes inspire others more than slogans do.

• Adopt a koala through a reputable program and explain why you did.
• Plant or care for native trees that support local wildlife.
• Share one clear, sourced fact about koalas with a donate link.
• Add the last Friday of September to your calendar so it becomes a ritual.
• Host a tiny classroom or office fundraiser with a simple goal.

Save The Koala Day Dates Table

1. https://savethekoala.com/how-to-help/save-the-koala-month/[↩]
2. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/facts/koala[↩]
3. https://savethekoala.com/about-koalas/koalas-diet-digestion/[↩]
4. https://wildlifehealthaustralia.com.au/Portals/0/ResourceCentre/FactSheets/Mammals/Chlamydia_in_koalas.pdf[↩]