Koala Bear

Is the Koala Bear unpalatable?

Many species which subsist on toxic or unpalatable diets absorb the chemicals so that they become toxic or unpalatable themselves to potential predators. It has been asserted (see Garcia and others) that koalas are also unpalatable, because the absorb the oil of the eucalyptus. I've found it difficult, however, to track down a solid account of what a koala tastes like.

On the Nourished magazine site, Sally Fallon reported (with references!) that the Australian "Aborigines did not hunt at night, but extracted nocturnal animals such as possum and koala bear - both prized foods - from their daytime resting places in various ingenious ways."

The Australian Natural Botanic Gardens has a list of references on Aboriginal foods and cooking.

Beth Gott of Monash University has a description of Melbourne seasons, stating that in "Deep Winter" people moved to the uplands to catch koalas, citing "Autumn, Winter, Pre-spring, True Spring, Early Summer and Late Summer" Glen Jameson (Victorian Naturalist 1996, Vol. 1 13 pp.26,67,123,269,313. 1997, Vol. 1 14, p.4S.