Australian Wildlife
From charismatic kangaroos to enigmatic emus, most of Australia’s wildlife is endemic – found nowhere else on the planet – and an animal encounter is a highlight of any visit.
Wombat, Cradle Mountain, Tasmania
Kangaroos, Pebbly Beach, Murramarang National Park
Koala joey with mother, Australia Zoo
With animals so unmistakable, it’s little wonder that some have come to represent the unique country itself. Don’t miss meeting at least some of these during your visit. Australia’s second largest marsupial, these rotund grass-munchers are more agile than they appear with top speeds of up to 40 kilometres (25 miles) per hour! These fluffy tree-dwelling marsupials are known for being lazy, sleeping 18-22 hours per day. They spend the rest of their time eating, consuming up to one kilogram (2.2 pounds) of eucalyptus leaves every day. Meeting a koala is one of Australia’s most iconic animal experiences. There are about 50 different types of kangaroos – including two that live in trees! Despite being the world’s largest marsupial, they are surprisingly great swimmers. With two kangaroos for every person in Australia, you have a good chance of spotting ‘roos on your visit. One of two monotremes (egg-laying mammals) in the world, these spiky animals look something like a hedgehog crossed with an anteater. A baby echidna is adorably known as a puggle. Australia’s other monotreme, the quirky and shy platypus lives in the rivers, lakes and creeks of eastern Australia. Interestingly, their beaver-like tails are not used for swimming, but to store fat in case of a food shortage. Dubbed the “world’s happiest animal”, quokkas are only found on Rottnest Island, near Perth. Their friendly nature and adorable smiles have made them an internet sensation with many people snapping quokka selfies. Living up to their namesake, these small, feisty carnivores are found in the southern state of Tasmania. Among other fun facts, devils have powerful jaws used to devour their entire prey and are spectacular tree climbers. The largest living reptile in the world, saltwater crocodiles (or “salties” to locals) can be found across northern Australia. While they attack from underwater, salties actually have to bring their prey above water to eat. Humpback and southern right whales migrate annually along Australia’s coasts between May and November. Australian waters are home to a celebrity humpback named Migaloo – an albino adult male. Keen whale watchers can spot him travelling along the east coast up to the Great Barrier Reef every year. A birdwatcher’s paradise, Australia is home to 56 types of colourful parrots, the laughing kookaburra and even the planet’s smallest penguin. You will also find two of the world’s largest and heaviest birds here – the emu and the cassowary.
Some weird and wonderful wildlife of Australia
Some 180 million years ago, the super continent of Gondwana split. One of the breakaway landmasses from that separation, contained what would become Australia and Antarctica. By 30 million years ago Australia had fully separated and journeyed north on its own. Since then, changes in land formation and climate, and the physical separation from the rest of the world, led to the unique flora and fauna that we know in Australia today. More than 80% of our plants, mammals, reptiles and frogs are unique to Australia and are found nowhere else in the world.
Fitzroy River Turtle
This freshwater turtle has acquired quite a reputation as a bum-breather. That’s right, it breathes through its backside. This special adaptation enables it to remain underwater for an incredible 21 days at a time to feed underwater for longer periods and hide from predators. This turtle can only be found in the Fitzroy Basin in south-eastern Queensland. Sadly, feral animals like foxes, cats and pigs, as well as pollution, murky water and sedimentation have rendered them Vulnerable according to the IUCN list of threatened species.
Australian Southern Cassowary
What’s scarier than a 60kg modern ‘dinosaur’ with killer claws? One that can leap 1.5 metres off the ground. To get the most out of their toe daggers, cassowaries can jump feet first, so their claws can slash downward in mid-air towards their target.
They’re great sprinters too, with a top running speed of 50 km/h through dense forest. Not only that, they’re good swimmers, with the ability to cross wide rivers and swim in the sea. That’s one animal you don’t want to be chased by!
Saltwater Crocodile
The Saltwater Crocodile (also known as Estuarine Crocodile) is a near-perfect predator—the result of millions of years of evolution. It is a ferocious, expert hunter that commands respect and fear. The salty is the largest reptile in the world with adult males growing up to 6m in length and weighing 1,000 to 1,200kg.
Did you know? A crocodile cannot sweat, so instead it relies on the process of thermoregulation to control its body temperature. To avoid overheating, it will either go into the water or lie still with jaws agape, allowing cool air to circulate over the skin in its mouth.
Mistletoebird
The pre-poop dancing and bum wiping routine of the Mistletoebird plays a vital role in the life cycle of this little native bird with its highly adapted diet.
After these sweet little red-breasted birds eat mistletoe berries, it defecates by twisting its body sideways, then purposely wipes its poop on the branch its perched on. The seeds of the berries, which are still intact, are sticky after passing through the digestive tract of the bird. These sticky seeds cling to the branch of their host tree and grow. The parasitic mistletoe only grows high up on other trees and so this relationship ensures both the bird and bush can survive.
Tasmanian Devil
The Tasmanian Devil, once seen throughout mainland Australia, can now only be found in Tasmania. It plays a crucial role in Tasmania’s ecosystem by performing a natural pest control on introduced animals that threaten Tasmania’s native wildlife. It’s the only native animal to successfully outwit introduced species such as feral cats and red foxes. While the devil is around, it’s difficult for feral cats and foxes to breed in Tasmania which is good news—especially for our native animals that have a better chance of survival as a consequence. The devil can, for example, quickly sniff out foxes whose dens are extremely smelly. Such helpful little devils!
Short-beaked Echidna
The Echidna has porcupine-like spines, a bird-like beak, quoll-like pouch and lays eggs like a reptile. It also feeds their young on milk (like all mammals) but have no nipples – the milk just oozes out of the skin in the pouch and the puggle (baby echidna) licks it up. This strange mix of characteristics is why it’s named after “Echidna”, a creature from Greek mythology who was half-woman and half-snake, as the animal was perceived to have qualities of both mammal and reptile. There are four species of echidnas, including the Short-beaked Echidna found throughout Australia in places like the Great Western Woodlands.
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Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands. It is the largest country by area in Oceania and the sixth-largest country in the world.