Comparison of the week: Kangaroo vs koala
It's the battle of Australia's native icons, and there can only be one winner.
"Seeing a kangaroo and a koala" tops the list for every tourist visiting Australia. But what if time is short? If you had to pick just one for a visiting relative, which furry grey specimen is going to make the cut?
To save you the effort of deciding, we've ranked Skippy against Blinky Bill in the ultimate marsupial face-off. Pouches ahoy, let's do this!
The comparison
| Kangaroo | Koala | Winner | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cuteness | The pouch and the tail are iconic, but their default expression in nature is "so what's it to ya?" | Judging from what we see at souvenir shops, koalas have totally won the cuteness wars. | Koala |
| Sociability | Typically form into mobs. | Typically ignore each other except when fighting over who gets to mate. | Kangaroo |
| Lifestyle | An endless lifestyle of boxing, mating and running – a bit like being a personal trainer but with more fur. | Sleeps 20 hours a day. No contest here. | Koala |
| Speed | Top speed of 70km/h. | Top speed of 30km/h (but more usually 1 branch a day). | Kangaroo |
| Personality | Aggro and overheated. Career in politics a definite possibility. | Either unconscious, grumpy or urinating. Career in politics a definite possibility. | Draw |
| Swimming | Routinely swim to escape danger. | Will drown if thrown in a swimming pool. | Kangaroo |
| Confectionery | Dunkaroos. | Caramello Koalas. | Koala |
| Sexual weirdness | Female kangaroos have three vaginas. | 50% of the koala population has chlamydia. Well done everyone. | Kangaroo |
| Edibility | Great for steaks, snags, stews, burgers and more, and widely available in supermarkets. | Illegal to eat them, and not worth the effort by all accounts. | Kangaroo |
| Parenting skills | Female kangaroos are perpetually pregnant, and thus are ideal subjects for a country song. | Female koalas abandon their young as soon as they wean, and thus are ideal subjects for a country song. | Draw |
| Geography | Visit Kangaroo Island off SA, a fab destination for wildlife tours, adventure sports and fine food. | Visit Koala St in Parkes NSW, noted for absolutely nothing. (Ironically, Kangaroo Island also has a koala sanctuary.) | Kangaroo |
| Famous examples | Skippy the Bush Kangaroo, a globally successful and much-loved TV series. | Blinky Bill, unknown to anyone outside Australia other than expats. | Kangaroo |
The verdict
It's a clear and unambiguous win for the kangaroo here. Internationally famous, versatile, sociable, delicious in a stew, and just all around the better animal. Sorry, koalas, but you're officially on the B-list.
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Image: Getty
