The Koala is one of Australia's best known animals. It is an icon represented when promoting Australia to the tourist industry, and in general people adore these cuddly creatures. There are two species, the Southern Koalas and the Northern Koalas.Koalas are often referred to as a Koala bear. However they are not a bear. The name Koala comes from an Aboriginal word. It means "no drink", as Koalas get enough fluids through the eucalyptis leaves they feed on. Koalas are found all over east Australia, mainly in the south east.
The male Koalas are larger than the females. Southern koalas are larger than Northern koalas. They have a grey soft furred coat, with a white chest. A flat nose and big ears, and clawed feet for climbing.
The male Koalas are larger than the females. Southern koalas are larger than Northern koalas. They have a grey soft furred coat, with a white chest. A flat nose and big ears, and clawed feet for climbing.
The wombat lives in burrows in the forest and bushland areas of Australia in Tasmania, Eastern Victoria, and along the Eastern ranges in NSW to Queensland. It has very strong claws and muscular thick legs to help in its digging. It has no natural enemies and can even survive smaller bush fires in its underground burrow. There are three main varieties, the common wombat, the Southern Hairy nosed wombat and the Northern hairy nosed wombat. The latter is very nearly extinct.In the winter in colder areas they move more slowly, and in snow covered areas will seek out the grass that is found at the base of snow gums. They waddle slowly through deep snow until they get to the tree and can have a feed of grass.
Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Macropus giganteus, is a marsupial mammal that belongs to a small group called macropods. They have hind legs that are larger than their forelimbs. Their hind feet are also large and powerful. Their long muscular tail is used for balance when hopping and as a fifth limb when movements are slow. The fur is a light grey woolly colour except the face which is darker. A dark tip of fur is also found on the tail.The Eastern Grey Kangaroo is predominantly a grazing animal with specific food preferences. They are herbivorous, favouring grasses but will eat a range of plants, including in some cases, fungi. With the grasses they prefer to eat young green shoots high in protein. Dry grass is difficult for them to digest. Being nocturnal, large ‘mobs’ will gather at dusk to feed where food is most abundant.
The Western Grey Kangaroo is found west of the Great Dividing Range. It has a wide distribution on the plains and open woodland of South Australia in areas with greater than 250 mm of annual rainfall. It is a grazing animal whose diet consists of grasses. This means their main threat is competition for food with domestic stock.
The Western Grey Kangaroo spends most of the day resting in the shade, but will come out to feed in the late afternoon and early evening. They are said to be crepuscular because they are most active around dusk.
Family groups can vary in size. Sometimes mixed groups of Eastern and Western Grey Kangaroos are found in eastern Australia. Their method of communication is clicking and coughing.
The Western Grey Kangaroo spends most of the day resting in the shade, but will come out to feed in the late afternoon and early evening. They are said to be crepuscular because they are most active around dusk.
Family groups can vary in size. Sometimes mixed groups of Eastern and Western Grey Kangaroos are found in eastern Australia. Their method of communication is clicking and coughing.
The red kangaroo is the world's largest marsupial. Females have one baby at a time, which at birth is smaller than a cherry. The infant immediately climbs into its mother's pouch and does not emerge for two months. Until they reach about eight months of age, threatened young kangaroos, called joeys, will quickly dive for the safety of mom's pouch. As they grow, joeys' heads and feet can often be seen hanging out of the pouch.Red kangaroos hop along on their powerful hind legs and do so at great speed. A red kangaroo can reach speeds of over 35 miles (56 kilometers) an hour. Their bounding gait allows them to cover 25 feet (8 meters) in a single leap and to jump 6 feet (1.8 meters) high.
The Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo is named after the Norwegian naturalist-explorer, Dr Carl Lumholtz, who obtained a number of animals during several months spent in the rocky districts of the Herbert River in 1882.Unlike their ground dwelling kangaroo cousins the tree kangaroo contains some different characteristics that give these macropods the ability to live in trees. Tree kangaroos have shorter yet broader hind feet which contain longer curved nails, as well as sponge like grip on its paws and soles of its feet to enable a heightened climbing ability. The tree kangaroo has a much larger and pendulous tail than the ground dwelling kangaroos, giving the tree kangaroo fantastic balance while swinging from trees.
The black wallaroo (Macropus bernardus), also known as Woodward’s wallaroo or Bernard’s wallaroo, is a member of the Macropodidae family that can be found in Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory. This area occurs in mountainous habitat between Nabarlek and South Alligator River that contains open eucalyptus forests and closed forests.
The Black Wallaroo is one of the smallest species in the kangaroo family. They are roughly two thirds the size of northern wallaroos. They range from .8 meters tall in females, up to about 1 meter tall in males. The name comes from the color of the males, which are a sooty brown to glossy black, while females are a dark brown to grey color. The ears are shorter than nothern wallaroos. Unlike kangaroos where the muzzle is covered with hair, the black wallaroo's nose is completely naked.
The Black Wallaroo is one of the smallest species in the kangaroo family. They are roughly two thirds the size of northern wallaroos. They range from .8 meters tall in females, up to about 1 meter tall in males. The name comes from the color of the males, which are a sooty brown to glossy black, while females are a dark brown to grey color. The ears are shorter than nothern wallaroos. Unlike kangaroos where the muzzle is covered with hair, the black wallaroo's nose is completely naked.
This small, stocky wallaby has dark brown fur, often with lighter rusty patches on the belly, chest and base of the ears.
The Swamp Wallaby lives in eastern Australia, in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and south-eastern South Australia. Introduced in New Zealand.HabitatThe preferred habitat of the Swamp Wallaby is thick forest undergrowth or sandstone heath.
The Swamp Wallaby lives in eastern Australia, in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and south-eastern South Australia. Introduced in New Zealand.HabitatThe preferred habitat of the Swamp Wallaby is thick forest undergrowth or sandstone heath.
The Red-necked Wallaby can be distinguished from other wallabies by its white cheek markings and red colouring on the neck. The rest of its body fur is grey to reddish in colour with a white or pale grey abdomen. Their muzzle, paws and toes are black in colour. The Red-necked Wallaby is protected by law in all states of Australia.Usually this wallaby is a solitary animal, but may be seen grazing from late afternoon to dawn in grassy areas in groups. The Red-necked Wallaby eats mainly grasses and herbs, and likes areas that are partially cleared with surrounding patches of sheltered forest.
Brushtail possums lead a largely solitary life. However in areas where numbers are high and shelter is in short supply several may share sleeping places. Home ranges vary from 1 to 15 hectares. They communicate by sound and scent. Those ferocious sounding screeches and gutteral growls are used often, particularly in the breeding season, to ward off intruding possums near the nest or home range.Brushtails rub secretions from glands under their chin; on the chest and near the anus to mark home ranges and define occupancy of a homesite. If a homesite is vacant or undefended because the occupant has died or been removed then another brushtail will claim it!
The Australian Brush-turkey's range extends along eastern Australia, from Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, south to the northern suburbs of Sydney and the Illawarra region of New South Wales.The Australian Brush-turkey inhabits rainforests and wet schlerophyll forests, but can also be found in drier scrubs. In the northern part of its range, the Australian Brush-turkey is most common at higher altitudes, but individuals move to the lowland areas in winter months. In the south, it is common in both mountain and lowland regions.
Australian Magpies are common and conspicuous birds. Groups of up to 24 birds live year round in territories that are actively defended by all group members. The group depends on this territory for its feeding, roosting and nesting requirements.Australian Magpies are found wherever there is a combination of trees and adjacent open areas, including parks and playing fields. They are absent only from the densest forests and arid deserts
Masked Lapwings are large, ground-dwelling birds that are closely related to the waders. The Masked Lapwing is mainly white below, with brown wings and back and a black crown. Birds have large yellow wattles covering the face, and are equipped with a thorny spur that projects from the wrist on each wing. The spur is yellow with a black tip. The Masked Lapwing has two subspecies resident in Australia. The southern subspecies has black on the hind neck and sides of breast, and has smaller facial wattles. Northern birds are smaller, without the partial black collar, but have a much larger wattle, which covers most of the side of the face. The sexes are similar in both subspecies, although the male tends to have a larger spur. Young Masked Lapwings are similar to the adult birds, but may have a darker back. The wing spur and facial wattles are either absent or smaller in size. The southern subspecies is also known as the Spur-winged Plover.
The Dingo is Australia's wild dog. It is found in Australia, in all states but Tasmania. They are found throughout the mainland of Australia, close to a source of water.The Dingo is a medium sized dog, with a bushy tail, and red to yellow coat. Dingos do not bark, but they do howl.
They are meat eaters, and try to feed mainly on this. If unavailable, dingos have been known to eat reptiles, and any food source it can find. When food is scarce, dingos group together to feed on larger animals such as kangaroos. Dingos usually stay and hunt in family groups or solitare.
They are meat eaters, and try to feed mainly on this. If unavailable, dingos have been known to eat reptiles, and any food source it can find. When food is scarce, dingos group together to feed on larger animals such as kangaroos. Dingos usually stay and hunt in family groups or solitare.
The preferred food of flying-foxes is the blossom of eucalypts and some other native trees, and various bush fruits, like Moreton Bay Fig. The bats are beneficial to the trees because they act as pollinators and dispersers of their seeds. The great distances they can fly means they carry pollen and seeds far from the parent tree.Camps are places where the large flying-foxes gather during the day, sometimes in many thousands. Along the coast they may be in mangroves, further inland they are often in deep gullies or rainforest patches, and west of the Dividing Range they are usually along water-courses. Their location may be known only to a few local people. The same campsites tend to be used year after year, although not necessarily every year, or all year round.
The Eastern Brown Snake is usually orange-brown in colour, but variations from light to dark brown colour to an almost black are also found. Their belly is a light cream colour, often with orange blotches. They possess a small blunt head. Some juvenile snakes may also have dark head markings and may even be banded. The Eastern Brown Snake rates number two on the world's most venomous snake list.
The Eastern Brown Snake's diet consists mainly of small mammals, such as rodents, birds and other small reptiles.
The Eastern Brown Snake's diet consists mainly of small mammals, such as rodents, birds and other small reptiles.