Similarities and Differences:

Both the koala and the kangaroo are herbivorous marsupials which are native to Australia but there are some differences

• Koalas have backward-opening pouches while kangaroos' pouches open at the top.
• Koalas climb trees; kangaroos cannot climb (although tree kangaroos can jump up trees and from limb to limb
• Koalas can only walk and climb; kangaroos can walk and hop. When a koala walks, it can move all its limbs independently. The kangaroos's back legs cannot move independently.
• There are dozens of species of kangaroos, but only one species of koala, with some dispute as to whether there are two or three subspecies.
• A kangaroo has a tail; a koala does not have a tail.
• Kangaroos and koalas are both herbivorous, but koalas live almost exclusively on eucalyptus (gum) leaves, while kangaroos eat a variety of grasses and young shoots.
• kangaroos need to drink water more often than koalas do