Does eating eucalyptus prevent them from being affected by external parasites?
No though some people say koalas do have a eucalyptus smell. People like to put this idea out as an amusing fact about koalas but for most koalas, it’s not true. It depends on several factors. Mature males tend to have a stronger odour because of their scent gland but it’s more a strong musky odour than eucalyptus. Juvenile males are more likely to give off a very slight eucalyptus smell. In contrast to a nice eucalyptus odour, koalas often have a strong smell of urine. The eucalyptus does not act as a parasite control – koalas do get ticks and other parasites. More information…
