Animals of Australia

There are a number of animals unique to Australia. They include the Dingo, Echidna, Emu, Kangaroo, Koala, Kookaburra, Australian Pelican, Platypus, Quokka, Sulfur Crested Cockatoo, Tasmanian Devil, Wallaby, and Wombat.

Australia's wild dog is the Dingo, and this dog can be found all over Australia, except Tasmania. The Dingo does not bark, but howls. It is of medium size, with a bushy tail and red or yellow fur. It eats reptiles and sometimes travels in groups to eat larger animals, like kangaroos. Of interest is that Dingo puppies drink their mother's milk for two months after birth, and then the mother regurgitates food for another two months.

The Echidna is an ant eater, and it is found in the forests of Australia. It has a long snout, which helps it turn over rocks to look for ants to eat, and coarse, spiny hair. The Echidna has a pouch to carry its young.

Australia is also home to the Kangaroo, and you may be surprised to learn that there are several types--in fact, more than 60 different species--and that they are different sizes. The Eastern Grey Kangaroo is the most commonly seen. The largest is the Red Kangaroo (also sometimes called the Giant Red Kangaroo) while the smallest is the Rat Kangaroo. The Red Kangaroo can weigh as much as 200 pounds and is about five feet tall, while the Rat Kangaroo can weigh as little as eight ounces. The Kangaroo does not walk. Instead, it hops extremely high, as much as six feet high. The Kangaroo has a long tail of up to four feet long which it uses for balance. Its front feet are short, with five digits of varying sizes for grasping objects. The Kangaroo is seen mostly in the open plains of Australia. Like the Echidna, the Kangaroo carries its young in a pouch.

The Koala lives in the treetops of Australia. With its big, black nose, grey fur, and fluffy ears, it resembles a teddy bear. However, the Koala has long, sharp claws. The Koala stands around 30 inches high and normally weighs around 20 pounds. It also carries its young in a pouch. The Koala is most active right after sunset.

Kookaburra is a type of bird that mostly lives in the forest regions of Australia. About 18 inches long, with a long tail, it eats mice, small snakes and lizards, small birds, and insects.

The Quokka is a Western Australian animal which lives in any bushland area. Resembling a small wallaby (described below), it also has a pouch for its young.

Resembling a small Kangaroo, the Wallaby is found in semi-desert areas in the southern and southwestern parts of Australia.

The Wombat, mostly found in forests, resembles the Koala. Like the Koala, it has a pouch for its young. The Wombat has small, beady eyes and a long nose.

The Emu is a very large bird that resembles an ostrich. It lives in the open plains of Australia and can grow up to six feet tall. It can also run up to 30 miles an hour.

The Australian Pelican and Platypus can be found in the wetlands of Australia. The Australian Pelican has a big white body with a black strip and also has a long beak. The Platypus, one of the more unusual animals of Australia, has a long snout, webbed feet, and a brownish body. The Platypus is about 12 to18 inches tall. Rarely seen, it is considered a shy animal. Though it has no external ears, and its eyes are quite small, the Platypus is known for having keen sense of both sight and hearing. It also has sharp, poisonous claws.

The Sulfur Crested Cockatoo is found all over the continent. This bird has a white body and large yellow crest atop its head.

The Tasmanian Devil is native to Australia. It is a very dangerous animal, with jaws that are capable of creating three times the pressure of a Pit Bull Terrier. The Tasmanian Devil is the largest living carnivorous marsupial in the world.

In addition to the Platypus with its poison claws and the Tasmanian Devil, Australia has other very dangerous and poisonous animals, including six of the top ten most deadly snakes in the world. These more deadly animals include the Box Jellyfish, which can stop a human beings cardiorespiratory functions in three minutes. This creature is known for causing more deaths than snakes, sharks, and salt water crocodiles in Australia. Another poisonous creature in Australia is the Irukandji, a type of jellyfish. This type of jellyfish can cause death in a few days and is very difficult to see in the water. Other deadly creatures on the continent include the Salt Water Crocodile, which is now an endangered species in Australia, and the Red Back Spider, which is similar to the United States's Black Widow and is found all over Australia.

Zoos to visit many of these animals while in Australia include the Taronga Zoo and Australia Zoo.