Could eucalyptus for koalas be grown in Austria instead of travelling hundreds of kilometres to Vienna? Schönbrunn Zoo and Austrian fruit and vegetable producer Frutura are testing precisely that.
The two partners launched an experimental cultivation project in spring 2026 aimed at making the supply of fresh eucalyptus for Schönbrunn’s two koalas more regional and resource-efficient.
At Stainz bei Straden, eucalyptus is being grown in pots inside greenhouses, while at Bad Blumau the plants have been planted directly in the soil under polytunnels. In total, Frutura is currently growing more than 1,200 plants representing 25 eucalyptus species.
The first experimental delivery of Styrian-grown eucalyptus has already reached Schönbrunn — and was well accepted by the koalas.
Up to 500 grams of eucalyptus a day
Providing food for koalas presents an unusual logistical challenge. Each of Schönbrunn’s animals consumes approximately 300 to 500 grams of fresh eucalyptus every day, but simply producing enough leaves is not sufficient.
Koalas are highly selective about what they eat. More than 600 eucalyptus species are known, but animals in a particular area of Australia may feed on only four or five of them.
At Schönbrunn, the koalas are therefore offered more than 30 different eucalyptus species, allowing them to choose according to their preferences.
Young shoots are particularly attractive because they contain lower concentrations of essential oils and other substances that can be toxic in larger quantities.
Reducing eucalyptus imports
Schönbrunn currently obtains some of its eucalyptus from Simmering in Vienna, while additional supplies are imported from Belgium and the United Kingdom.
The long-term objective of the Styrian trial is to determine whether a larger proportion of these imports can be replaced with regional production, reducing transport distances while ensuring a continuous supply of the fresh leaves required by the animals.
For the project, however, successful cultivation is only half the challenge. The plants must ultimately meet the preferences of two particularly demanding consumers — Schönbrunn’s koalas.
The first test suggests that at least some Styrian eucalyptus has passed that test.
