Fauna.In Australia there are more than 378 species of mammals, 828 species of birds, 300 species of lizards, 140 species of snakes and two species of crocodiles. Of the mammals, almost half are marsupials. The rest are either placental mammals or monotremes.
Among Australia’s best-known animals are the kangaroo, koala, echidna, dingo, platypus, wallaby and wombat.
Australia has more than 140 species of marsupials, including kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, wombats and the Tasmanian Devil, which is now found only in Tasmania.
There are 55 different species of kangaroos and wallabies—macropods—native to Australia. Macropods vary greatly in size and weight, ranging from half a kilogram to 90 kilograms. The main difference between wallabies and kangaroos is in size— wallabies tend to be smaller. Some stand as tall as humans and others are as small as domestic cats.
In many rural areas where their populations are high, kangaroos are regarded as pests because they compete with sheep and cattle for scarce pasture and water. Kangaroo harvesting contributes to the sustainability of the Australian environment. Estimates of Australia’s kangaroo population vary between 30 and 60 million.
The dingo is Australia’s native wild dog and its largest carnivorous mammal. In some pastoral areas, dingoes are also regarded as pests due to the threat they pose to sheep and other farm animals. In an effort to keep fertile south-east Australia relatively free of dingoes, the world’s largest fence was built, spanning 5320 kilometres from Queensland to South Australia.
Australia hosts another unique animal group, the monotremes, which are egg-laying mammals, often referred to as ‘living fossils’. The most distinctive is the platypus, a riverdwelling animal with a duck-like bill, a furry body and webbed feet.
Of the 828 bird species listed in Australia, about half are found nowhere else. Isolation has also contributed to the development and survival of unusual birds. These range from tiny honeyeaters to the large, flightless emu, which stands nearly two metres tall. In between is a vast array of waterbirds, seabirds and birds that dwell in open woodlands and forests. Some outstanding examples are cassowaries, black swans, fairy penguins, kookaburras, lyrebirds and currawongs. There are 55 species of parrots in Australia. Many of these birds are as numerous as they are colourful, including a spectacular variety of cockatoos, rosellas, lorikeets, cockatiels, parakeets and budgerigars.
Australia has more species of venomous snakes than any other continent (21 of the world’s 25 deadliest snakes). Fear of snake bites is common among people planning to travel in Australia. However, bites are rare and most often occur when a snake is deliberately provoked by a human.
Australia’s diverse oceans support around 4000 of the world’s 22 000 types of fish, as well as 30 of the world’s 58 seagrass species. Australia is also home to the world’s largest coral reef system, the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Great Barrier Reef. Marine species of note include the predatory great white shark, which grows up to six metres in length; the giant filter-feeding whale shark, which can reach lengths of 12 metres; the bluebottle or Portuguese man-of-war, which is a common hazard at many Australian beaches; and the box jellyfish, which is one of the most venomous animals in the world.
Info courtesy of
http://www.dfat.gov.au/facts/flora_and_fauna.html
