A Dimpled Koala Fossil Found in a Cave in Western Australia Revealed Why This Previously Unknown Species Went Extinct
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A new study has identified a previously unknown species of koala, named Phascolarctos sulcomaxilliaris, based on a fossil found in Western Australia. This species went extinct approximately 28,000 years ago due to a drying climate that eliminated their arboreal habitat. The findings highlight the importance of protecting current koala populations from similar environmental threats.
- ▪The fossil skull was discovered in a cave in Margaret River and exhibited unique dimples not found in modern koalas.
- ▪Researchers determined that the Western Australian koalas had distinct physical characteristics, including shorter heads and larger teeth.
- ▪The extinction of this koala species coincided with a major climate event that made the region drier and colder.
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A Dimpled Koala Fossil Found in a Cave in Western Australia Revealed Why This Previously Unknown Species Went Extinct The new study found that they lost their arboreal habitat due to a drying climate, a dire warning for the modern-day marsupials that face a similar threat Sara Hashemi | Daily Correspondent May 18, 2026 2:17 p.m. ShareCopy linkEmailSMSFacebookXRedditLinkedInBlueskyPrintAdd as preferred source Artist's reconstruction of newly described koala species. WA Museum / Nellie Pease Beyond the kangaroos, wallabies and emus, Australia is famed for its iconic, seemingly cuddly koalas, even though the marsupials live only on the continent’s eastern and southeastern coasts.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Smithsonian Magazine.
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