AUSTRALIA: Much more than kangaroos

Animals; those incredible creatures we have the chance to

share the world with. The animal diversity around the world is
well known, since we have the privilege to live in a country with
countless quantity of species, breeds and types, but today we
will take a look into an incredible country which has the honor to
have some of the most curious and amazing kinds of animals all
over the world: Australia.

Australia has a particular geographical constitution; it is an

island continent and one of the biggest country of the world. It is surrounded by the Indian
and Pacific oceans and has large and astounding cities such as Canberra, which is
actually its capital city, Sidney and Melbourne. It is very famous also for its landmark
buildings, rich geological history, tempered weather, multicultural and multiracial
population, delicious food and its beautiful natural environment.

In spite of having so huge area, it is a poorly populated country. We could say it is a desert
place, where natural wild life and the human being manage to survive, bearing in mind that
1% of its population belong to Aborigine people.

But talking about Australia, we will focus on its unique natural diversity, taking its animal
species as the main topic to analyze.

One of the main features of animals in Australia is the fact that most of them are
mammals, classified into a category known as marsupials. Marsupials are a kind of
mammals living mainly in Australian lands and America too, they have a distinctive
characteristic that make them different from other mammals; they carry their babies in a
kind of bag known as pouch. Marsupials can be very tiny like the shrews or quite big like a
kangaroo, as large as a human being or even larger.

The most recognizable small mammals are: the Tasmanian devil, the possum, the
bandicut (or jumping hare) and the numbat (marsupial anteater), whereas the biggest ones
are the kangaroos, the koalas and the wombats.

But Australia is not only mammals; there are also a great diversity of birds and other
remarkable species worthy to be named.

Australia holds the deserved title to have some of the world’s most impressive and diverse
natural environments of the entire world, with enormous landscapes full of wild life and
nature and many well-known natural parks.

Australian government is very strict about animal care and it has a quite solid protection
system that imposes very expensive fines to those who cause any damage to the animal
life.
Here we have a short description of the most representative animal species living in
Australia nowadays.

Mammals (Marsupials):

Kangaroos: They are Australian’s largest marsupials. You can see them all over the
place, not in vain they are the main Australian symbol. There are more than 50 different
species, some of them small like the Wallabies or others of major size like the red
kangaroo. A baby kangaroo is called a “Joey”.

Koalas: They represent Australia animal life as well. These tender animals resemble
teddy bears are located in every area which you can find eucalyptus, their favorite food.
They have sharpened nails but most of them are harmless to humans. They sleep all the
time.

Wombats: They are burrowing herbivorous mammals. They have powerful legs used to
dig deeply. They are night animals so they sleep during the day. They eat grass and
plants.

Possums: They are common marsupials easily seen in every tree. Some of them live in
the cities too. They love eating fruits, honey and plants. Some of them eat insects too.

Tasmanian devils: This marsupial has a distinctive feature: they are the largest
carnivorous marsupials. They are found in Tasmania, an island state that is part of
Australia. They have powerful jaws and sharp teeth. They hunt some other small
mammals or eat remains of dead animals. They inspired a famous “Looney tunes” cartoon
character.

Birds:

Ibis: They are middle size birds, with light body and long and curved beak. They come
from Egypt and they even appear in many hieroglyphic.

Common kingfisher: They are kind of seagulls that inhabit Australian beaches. They
have a recognizable yellow beak. They only eat fish. They are considered as endangered
species.

Emu: They are large and flightless birds. You can find them everywhere except for
rainforests. They run very fast. They eat leaves, fruits and insects. Their babies are called
chicks.

Others:

Hedgehog: Or more accurately “Equidna”, is commonly widespread everywhere,

especially in Tasmania. They defend themselves curling into a ball using their spines to
shield them. They lay eggs. They eat termites and ants.
Dingo: They are wild dogs that inhabit Australia. They live close to the beaches. Despite
of their familiar canine appearance, they are a bit dangerous and should not be treated like
regular dogs.

Platypus: They are extraordinary and unique animals that can be only found in Australia.
They have a distinctive duck beak. They lay eggs too instead of giving birth like other
mammals do. Males produce venom and they can be dangerous for humans.

Test your knowledge about Australian animals

Fill the gaps according to the information given.

1. These marvelous animals have strong legs used to burrow under the earth.

__________________________________.

2. The young of this animal is called “Joey”.

__________________________________.

3. This medium size bird is part of the Egyptian mythology.

__________________________________.

4. This animal is famously depicted in the “Looney tunes” cartoons.

_________________________________.

5. They resemble common dogs but they are actually very different and even
dangerous.

________________________________.

Cape Melville new species

 REFERENCES

Australia.com. Nature. Retrieved from: http://www.australia.com/en/things-to-do/nature-

and-wildlife.html

Australia.gov.au. Australian fauna. Retrieved from: http://www.australia.gov.au/about-

australia/australian-story/austn-fauna

Australia.gov.au. Our country. Retrieved from: http://www.australia.gov.au/about-

australia/australian-story/austn-fauna

Los mamíferos. Marsupial. Retrieved from: http://mamiferoes.galeon.com/marsupial.htm

Portal Oceanía. La Fauna de Australia. Retrieved from: http://www.portaloceania.com/au-

diverses-fauna-esp.htm