Koalas in zoo settings face specific welfare challenges from their highly specialized eucalyptus diet, chlamydia disease burden, and heat sensitivity that require expert management to maintain health.
Koala welfare in captivity is challenged by highly specialized dietary requirements that are difficult to reliably meet, and by endemic chlamydial disease that causes painful and debilitating illness. Heat stress events increasingly threaten both wild and captive koalas as climate change increases extreme temperature frequency. Captive koalas serve important roles in research, ambassador functions for conservation awareness, and potential insurance populations. Welfare-focused management requires meticulous diet provision, proactive disease management, and thermal environment control.