Koalas Eat 5 Time a Day

Koalas usually have the food schedule of eating the Eucalyptus leaves 5 times a per day. Since the Eucalyptus leaves are the only diet of koalas, therefore; all of these 5 timings of food per day only involve the consumption of the Eucalyptus foliage. Koalas initiate their eating before the sunrise, then occasionally in the afternoon and then during the post afternoon session, onwards before the sunset and finally after the sunset.

Koalas have an amazing food schedule of eating the Eucalyptus leaves 5 times a day. Koalas eat before the sunrise, at afternoon, post-afternoon, before sunset and after sunset.

These are the normally witnessed food schedules of the wild koalas while the captive koalas almost follow the same schedules with slight variations. Furthermore; aging koalas might have to eat more at different timings of the day to fulfill their energy requirements and they might eat more than 5 times a day. Let’s further highlight the per day food schedule of koalas with some key facts and interesting findings from various researches on koalas.

Koalas' Eating Schedule
Koalas Eat 5 Time Per Day Koalas Mostly Eat
Before Sunrise Koalas Sometimes Eat
At the Afternoon Koalas Occasionally Eat
At Post Afternoon Koalas Also Eat
Before Sunset Koalas Finally Eat
After Sunset

Koalas eat 5 times a day as part of their eating schedule.
Koalas eat 5 times a day as part of their daily eating schedule. Koalas eat before sunrise, at afternoon, post-afternoon, before sunset and after sunset. Photo courtesy of 

As mentioned earlier, koalas begin the food schedule before the sunrise. This is one of the favorite eating time for koalas as they consume maximum numbers of the Eucalyptus foliage before the sunrise. According to some researchers, koalas may spend up to 3 hours (depending upon the situation) consuming Eucalyptus leaves before the sunrise.

Koalas start eating the Eucalyptus leaves before the sunrise. They may spend up to 3 hours eating before the sunrise and they are also most active at this time.

This also specifically suggests that koalas begin eating well before the sunrise and continue to do so till the sunrise. Furthermore; the koala observers also reveal that koalas are mostly active before the sunrise than any other time of the day and they are active for one purpose i.e., eating food.

Koalas Start Eating
Before Sunrise Time Eating Before Sunrise
Biggest Eating Interval of Koalas Koalas May Eat
3 Hours Before Sunrise Koalas are Mostly Active
Before Sunrise

Koalas usually eat before sunrise.
Koalas usually eat before sunrise. Eating before sunrise is the most common and most favorite eating schedule of koalas. Photo courtesy of 

After ending their eating at the sunrise, koalas sleep continuously from the time of sunrise till the afternoon. Koalas are known to occasionally eat during the afternoon and the post afternoon sessions. Amongst all the eating schedules of koalas, their eating sessions at the afternoon and the post-afternoon times are the shortest of all as they only eat for few minutes.

Koalas may also occasionally eat at the afternoon and the post-afternoon sessions of the day. However; this eating session only lasts only few minutes for koalas.

Therefore; it is very rare to watch a wild koala feeding on Eucalyptus leaves at the middle of the day. Onwards; koalas go back to their sleeping activity to save their body energy and meet their daily sleeping target of more than 20 hours per day.

After Eating Before Sunrise
Koalas Take a Big Sleep Koalas Onwards Awake
At Afternoon Sessions Koalas may Occasionally Eat
At Afternoon & Post Afternoon Koalas Sleep Maximum
Throughout the Day

Koalas may occasionally eat at Afternoon and post afternoon hours.
Koalas may occasionally eat at the afternoon and post afternoon sessions. However; eating at this time of the day is very rare and it only lasts for few minutes. Photo courtesy of  

The last two eating schedules of koalas take place before the sunset and after the sunset times of the day. According to the koala observers, koalas may continue to eat up to 2 hours before the sunset and 2 and a half hours after the sunset as well. Therefore; the eating schedule of koala after the sunset is the second most significant and longest eating schedule for the koalas.

Koalas are also known to eat before the sunset and after the sunset as well. Eating after the sunset serves as the second largest session for koalas to eat food.

Even some koala experts have posited that this eating interval lasts in between 1700 and 2400 hours of the day. Koalas have never been quoted or referenced to have a feeding schedule at the mid-night timings.

Koalas Final Eating Sessions of the Day
Before & After Sunset Before & After Sunset Eating Schedule
Lasts Between 1700 to 2400 Hours Koalas Never Been Witnessed
Eating at the Mid-Night Eating After Sunset
Koalas' Second Biggest Eating Session

Koalas eat after before and after sunset as well.
Koalas also eating the Eucalyptus leaves before and after sunset as well. Eating after the sunset is the second longest eating interval of koalas. Photo courtesy of 

The eating schedule of koalas also indicate that koalas are mostly the nocturnal eaters as most of their eating occurs after the sunset and before the sunrise. It has been noted that koalas prefer to consume 70 percent of their diet at night while the remaining 30 percent of the diet is consumed during the daylight.

The food schedule of koalas also reveals that koalas are the nocturnal eaters. Koalas remain immobile for almost 80% of their daylight time.

This also means that koalas are mostly agile during the nights while they remain immobile throughout their day. One study found that koalas remain immobile for almost 80 percent time of the daylight. Having this kind of a lifestyle to stay immobile throughout the day is very odd for a herbivore animal because herbivores are mostly active at the day time.

Koalas Eating Schedule Indicates
Koalas are Nocturnal Eaters Koalas Eat 70% of their Diet
At Night Hours Koalas Remain Immobile
80% of their Time per Day

Koalas are the nocturnal eaters as they remain immobile for 80% of the time per day.
Koalas are the nocturnal eaters as they remain immobile for almost 80% of the day time. Koalas consume 70% of their daily diet at night. Photo courtesy of 

Lastly; apart from the above-mentioned eating schedules of koalas during the day, there might well be variation within their eating schedules depending upon the weather as well. Researchers have found that koalas usually ignore eating the Eucalyptus leaves when the weather is very wet or cold. Therefore; any rainy or cold day might disrupt the eating schedule of koala to eat 5 times a day to merely once or twice per day.

Koalas eating schedule might suffer during a cold or rainy day. Koalas do not eat in rain and also wait for the wet leaves to get dried for eating.

This is specifically true for koalas who live in the southern regions of Australia i.e., Victoria and South Australia. Koalas do not eat at all during a rainy day and they do not eat wet leaves either. On a rainy day, koalas first wait for the wet leaves to dry and then start eating them.

Koalas Do not Eat
In the Rainy Day After the Rain Spell
Koalas Wait Eucalyptus leaves to Dry Southern Koalas (Victorian Koalas)
Face a Lot of Rain

koalas do not eat during raining.
During a rainy day; koalas may not eat the Eucalyptus leaves at all. Koalas will rather wait for the leaves to dry up and then they will start eating the leaves. Photo courtesy of