Koalas get almost all the water they need from the tree leaves they eat. It upends what biologists long thought about.

Scientists have been paying close attention to how koalas are keeping hydrated. Fires, heat waves, and droughts put more stress on the critters.

Koalas gain water in the wild, according to lead author Valentina mella.’it is very exciting,’ says lead author of ethology paper.

Koalas were recorded drinking every time observations were made in the rain. Scientists had observed the koalas’ behavior in the wild between 2006 and 2019. The marsupials seem to prefer smooth parts of the trees where it’s easier to collect the trickling water.

Nearly a third of all koalas were thought to have been wiped out in New South Wales. They were devastated by massive bushfires that swept through Australia late last year.

Photos and videos of koalas approaching people to drink went viral. The same hot and dry conditions that fueled the flames left koalas parched.

A post shared by Lulu (@ bikebug2019) on Dec 26, 2019 at 4:22pm PST.

In 2017, koalas were caught on camera standing up to drink at artificial water stations set up by researchers. mella’s previous research found that climate change was leaving koalas thirsty.

In the new paper, mella and her co-authors think less rainfall could leave koalas with less rainwater to lap off the tree trunks they call home.