In the territories of Australia there are animals that are not found anywhere else except this continent. Even in Australia, there are species introduced there that have managed to adapt to the savannas and tropical forests of this wonderful country.
In this article we will look at the main animals of Australia with photos, names and descriptions.
photo of platypusThe unusual mammal is very similar to a beaver. There is something of a duck in it, as well as a mole. Until the 18th century, anyone who had never been to Australia did not believe in the existence of the platypus. The description of this beast looked too outlandish.
photo of platypus Platypuses have a reputation excellent swimmers. They are able to lay eggs to hatch young. On land, platypuses also feel good. There they feed their offspring with milk, which is why they are classified as mammals and not amphibians or reptiles.
photo of kangaroo The true symbol of Australia is the kangaroo. In the territory of this state There are several species of these animals. For example, you can find small wallabies there, as well as “classic” large individuals.
photo of kangaroo Large representatives of kangaroos can weigh up to 90 kg. Their height sometimes reaches 1.3 meters. Females are equipped with a pouch on their belly, where they carry their babies after birth. Mammals live up to 27 years. They live where drought and heat reign. Although kangaroos can also swim. Kangaroos are classified as herbivores. Today their numbers are under threat, so Australian authorities are limiting hunting. this type.
photo of koala
Another name for a koala is ashy marsupial bear. The animals have an incredible ability to eat eucalyptus leaves, and the poison of the plant does not harm them at all.
photo of koala With the help of large and sharp claws, the koala climbs trees. This animal spends its entire life on large and small branches. Koalas live in groups. They rarely drink water, as they get everything they need from eucalyptus leaves. With their large black nose, the animals recognize those parts of the plant that they can safely eat.
photo of wombat A true Australian exclusive – the wombat. The animal does not live anywhere else except this continent. Wombats live in underground burrows, more like labyrinths.
These mammals have a brain that is larger in volume than the brains of all other rodents. This advantage gives them the ability to plan their underground communications.
The nocturnal lifestyle of wombats takes place on the surface. During the day, hamster-like rodents sleep in burrows. The length of one wombat can reach 120 cm. Its weight is also impressive - 40 kg.
photo of wombat Thanks to evolution, wombats are endowed with one interesting feature. Their rear torso has thick, almost armored skin. Nature awarded wombats with this armor so that a predator could not bite them on the butt when they burrow into their hole.
photo of nambat The animal, similar in name to the wombat, does not resemble it at all. Nambats are marsupial mammals, which are otherwise called marsupial anteaters.
The nambat weighs less than a kilogram. It reaches 27 cm in length. The pointed muzzle with long ears, as well as a sticky tongue help the anteater catch insects.
photo of nambat Almost all the time, nambats live alone. They make their living by catching ants during daylight hours. They have a long and fluffy tail, as well as multi-colored stripes on the body.
photo of marsupial mouse
Marsupial rodents inhabit Australia in large numbers. They are distinguished from ordinary representatives of the species by their long nose. Marsupial mice have an unusual color: a gray head and bright brown sides.
photo of marsupial mouse These rodents are omnivores. They can eat insects, nectar, birds and other rodents. They grow up to 120 mm. They live in coastal zone in eastern Australia.
fox photo Foxes were brought to Australia in 1855. These placental mammals have taken root well on Australian lands, and have reproduced there in sufficient numbers to independently reproduce their population.
fox photo The fox belongs to the canine family, is an omnivore, and lives on average up to 5-7 years. This animal lives on hills and slopes, in the steppe and sparse forests.
photo of a flying fox The strange-looking creature has thin leathery wings. Externally, the flying fox resembles a mixture of a fox and a bat. The animal hunts insects at night, and during the day sleeps on a tree, hanging head down.
photo of a flying fox Flying foxes flew to Australia from neighboring islands. They chose humid Australian forests to live. They can also be classified as a group of placental mammals that live on this continent.
photo of dingo The local Australian resident is the wild dog dingo. The largest carnivore on the mainland is actually a subspecies of the gray wolf.
photo of dingo Today, many dingoes are domesticated, so the species is no longer considered wild. If you study information from 4000 years ago, you can find the first mentions of these dogs.
camel photo In the 19th century, settlers brought camels to Australian lands. Today, their number on the mainland has reached 50 thousand individuals. Australian camels are long-lived. Their lifespan can reach 50 years.
photo of a dromedary camel Together with the hump, the camel's height is more than 2 meters. While running, these mammals can reach speeds of up to 65 km/h. The fat in the hump makes the animal resistant to heat and drought.
photo of a dromedary camel There are only two main species of camels in the entire world. Australian territories are inhabited by single-humped animals, called dromedaries by biologists.
photo of asian buffalo The Asian buffalo was brought to northern Australia at the end of the 19th century. Their habitats were shores with stagnant bodies of water or rivers with slow currents.
Buffaloes are herbivorous mammals. They eat aquatic plants shallow waters, as well as some meadow grasses. Females and males differ not only in size proportions, but also in horns. So the horns of males can grow up to 2 meters.
photo of asian buffalo Buffaloes live relatively long - up to 25 years. Their population in Australia is so large that the livelihoods of buffaloes begin to harm nature. They trample pastures, disrupt the ecosystem of water bodies, eating up to 70% of the plants there, thereby depriving some amphibians and fish of their natural home.
Quoll or marsupial marten is a real predator. This animal used to be found throughout Australia, but today the marten population is found only in Tasmania.
The quoll is similar in size to a regular cat. The predator hunts small rodents and birds. The number of quolls is alarmingly small; biologists believe that soon this rare species of martens will completely disappear from the face of the earth.
photo of speckled marsupial marten The problem of quoll extinction is explained simply: they themselves become desirable prey for foxes, wild dogs and wolves. In addition, the above-mentioned predators provide them with food competition.
photo of Tasmanian devil Another endangered species is the Tasmanian devil. It is also found only in Tasmania, although it was previously common in the forests of Australia. The beast received its nickname because of its evil disposition.
Grow up Tasmanian devils to the size of an average dog. They can weigh up to 12 kg. The decline in the number of devils is due to human activity and a number of viruses to which they are particularly sensitive.
photo of Tasmanian devil In the struggle for food, Tasmanian devils are on the same natural line as martens and dingoes. Therefore more large predators mercilessly exterminate devils on the way to expand their hunting grounds.
photo of Australian echidna The unusual mammals have black skin with a white stripe on the chest. Their head resembles that of a rat, and their body resembles that of a bear. This animal lives on average up to 8 years.
photo of Australian echidna Belongs to one of 4 species existing on earth. One of a kind. The echidna in Australia has fur and spines on its skin. An elongated snout and a special tongue help it catch insects.
photo of Australian echidna The Australian echidna is a monotreme mammal; it lays eggs, but feeds its children with milk. With the help of powerful front paws and claws on them, the echidna burrows into the ground at high speed. The spines on the skin of an echidna are harmless, but are designed to scare away predatory animals. More Australian echidna She is considered a good swimmer, which makes her even more unique.
photo of a gigantic lizard A blue tongue is something that is common to all gigantic lizards. Otherwise, they may differ in skin color, size and shape.
photo of a gigantic lizard Such lizards need a bright blue tongue to scare away predators. If an enemy approaches, the lizard sticks out its tongue and hisses intimidatingly. The stunned predator is forced to retreat, and the gigantic lizard returns to its usual way of life.
Two types of crocodiles
photo of a narrow-snouted crocodile Australia, like India, is famous not only for its special lifestyle and attractions, but also for the fact that crocodiles live on its lands. The first type of reptile is the narrow-snouted (freshwater) crocodile. To the second Australian species can be attributed to the combed (sea) crocodile.
photo saltwater crocodile
The combed crocodile is capable of swimming impressive distances, but for life it chooses warm rivers and coastal backwaters. It can grow up to 7 meters in length, but then its weight will reach one ton. Thanks to big head And with its sharp row of teeth, a saltwater crocodile can easily eat fish, birds or animals. They love combed crocodiles and turtles; they gnaw through their shells and eat away everything inside. Attacks are common in Australia saltwater crocodile per person.
photo of a narrow-snouted crocodile The narrow-snouted representative of the species grows up to 3 meters in length. The weight can reach 70 kg. Freshwater reptiles feed on fish, reptiles and amphibians. Sometimes they catch small animals that come to drink. In general, this species is quite timid, but if it senses a threat from a person, it can still attack him. Although in most cases narrow-snouted crocodile avoids danger rather than rushing into battle.
photo of a saltwater crocodile
photo of frilled lizard Lives in the north of the mainland. Has a leather fold around the neck. When stressed, the frilled lizard's collar inflates like an umbrella. When the umbrella maneuver does not scare away the attacker, the lizard runs away from the enemy at high speed.
photo of frilled lizard The frilled lizard has a long body and weight can vary up to 500 grams. Males of this species are slightly larger. These lizards live up to 20 years; they use their collar not only for protection from enemies, but also for thermoregulation.
photo of black snake For humans, the bite of a black snake is not fatal, but its victims in nature are not to be envied. Black-colored snakes live in the east of Australian lands.
photo of black snake The body length of one snake can reach 2 meters. These cold-blooded creatures hunt at night, eating frogs, insects, lizards and other snakes.
photo of Gould's finch The bright finch grows up to 13 cm. The bird's neck is always purple, and its back has green tint. The head plumage may be black, yellow or red.
photo of Gould's finch Males of such birds are larger than females. IN wild conditions The finch lives up to 5 years.
photo of a helmeted cassowary The second largest in the world, after the ostrich, the cassowary is one of the most... dangerous birds on the planet. When this representative senses a threat, he continuously attacks its source with powerful legs and claws.
The helmeted cassowary lives alone. Habitat: Queensland forests. This species is endangered; in Australia the cassowary population numbers only about 1,200 individuals.
photo of a helmeted cassowary In good conditions, the helmeted cassowary grows up to 2 meters. It can weigh up to 60 kg. Females and males are almost identical in appearance. Thanks to the growths on the back of the head, this bird got its name. Cassowaries also have earrings on their necks. Surprisingly, the color of the cassowary’s neck and head can change at the request of the bird. The way in which birds do this is still unknown.
In nature, birds live up to 50 years. They can swim and run at speeds of up to 50 km/h. More unique representatives birds are able to jump as much as 2 meters in height.
photo of cockatoo The large Cockatoo parrot is ubiquitous in Australia. The plumage of such a parrot is always light, but there are rare exceptions with pink and black splashes.
Cockatoos live up to 50 years. They grow up to 38 cm in length. This bird uses its large beak to grind seeds and nuts. Both plant roots and insect larvae are suitable for cockatoo food.
photo of cockatoo These parrots quite easily learn individual phrases from human speech, but they are not able to truly understand it. Cockatoos are a domesticated species of parrot, but there are many of them in the wild in Australia.
photo of a black swan Black swans live in Australia in large and small bodies of water. These swans have red beaks with white tips. One individual can weigh up to 9 kg, and the wingspan of the bird can be 2 meters.
photo of a black swan Black swans live in pairs. Their lifespan can be up to 40 years. Males and females are very similar, sometimes males are larger than females, but this difference is not always evident.
photo of emu Impressive and flightless birds, emus have strong legs with three toes. The main color is grayish-brown; small wings are present as a non-functional vestige.
photo of emu The weight of one individual varies from 30 to 45 kg. The body length can grow up to 2 meters. Fleeing from danger, emus reach speeds of about 48 km/h. Emus live in groups, but can form flocks of thousands during migration. Birds similar to ostriches feed on herbs, leaves and fruits, and love to feast on insects.
photo of wedge-tailed eagle The majestic bird of prey lives not only in Australia itself, but also on the nearby islands. The wingspan of such an eagle exceeds 2 meters.
photo of wedge-tailed eagle The long-tailed eagle hunts in the steppes and rocks. Hunting small game can sometimes kill a young calf. In case of hunger, it feeds on carrion.
The bull shark's habitat is the Pacific and Indian oceans. At the end of their migration, these creatures stop off the Australian coast to live and hunt at a depth of 275 meters.
photo of Australian bull shark Such sharks grow up to 1.6 meters. Thanks to their convex forehead, they got their name. These sharks also have brown stripes on their bodies. These sharks hunt in the south and breed in the north. They feed on fish and other marine species.
photo Drop fish Off the coast of Australia, at a depth of 1000 meters, lives a mysterious blob fish. Because its habitat is so deep, little is known about it.
A unique fish is able to live in icy waters with pressure 100 times greater than that on land. She calmly navigates in complete darkness, where any person or boat would simply be crushed to pulp. We learned about these fish when one of them was accidentally caught in a net. Several more of these fish were found dead along the coast.
Nature of Australia
Even though Australia is ancient continent Earth, it was discovered much later than other continents. That's why natural beauty better preserved here. The location itself makes it unique.
Australia is located in four climatic zones. The waters carry warmth to its shores Indian Ocean and equatorial winds. Frosts from Antarctica are reaching the southern coast of the continent.
The Australian landscape is of particular interest. The coast is surrounded by lush greenery of dense trees, and the center of the continent is covered with savannas and semi-deserts. Australia receives little rainfall, so there are few natural bodies of water.
There are mountain ranges in the east and southwest of the country. Their height is not great. Despite the big name “Australian Alps”, the mountains do not exceed 1300 meters. However, their peaks are covered with snow all year round, so the vegetation here is quite sparse.
Australia includes many islands, the largest of which is Tasmania, which was once part of the continent. The uniqueness of local climatic conditions and relief influenced the flora and fauna, which are particularly diverse and unusual. Today, there are over 1,000 nature reserves in the country that are home to wild animals and vegetation.
Flora of Australia (with photo)
Australia is distinguished by its incredibly original flora. It is symbolized by the majestic eucalyptus. This huge tree with powerful roots going 20-30 meters deep into the earth was able to adapt to the Australian drought. Eucalyptus trees growing near swamps are able to drain them, drawing out all the moisture. This method of draining swampy land, for example, was used on the coast of the Caucasus. The narrow leaves of the tree are turned edge-on towards the sun, so it is very difficult to find shade in a eucalyptus forest. Eucalyptus trees grow throughout almost the entire Australian flora world. There is an incredible variety of them here: over 500 varieties.
The Australian mainland receives significantly less rainfall than South America and Africa. Abundance of rain is typical only for northern tropical forests in the summer at the end of the year. At this time, local plants develop especially actively and rapidly, reaching heights of two meters.
Most Australian plants and trees have various adaptations for living in arid climates: wide trunks and powerful roots that can accumulate a large number of moisture. They are entwined with vines and epiphytes - climbing flowers.
The eastern coast of the continent, washed by Pacific waters, is drowned in dense bamboo thickets.
The north of the mainland is covered with dense sub tropical forests with mangroves and huge palm trees. It is characterized by the greatest amount of precipitation. Ferns, horsetail, pandanus, and acacia grow here.
In southern Australia, there are bottle trees, named because of their bottle-shaped fruits. Local residents collect from them rainwater. The forest in this part is thinning out more and more and turns into a savannah zone, which is a luxurious carpet of all kinds of grasses. In summer it dries up, turning into a bare desert.
The central part of the continent is strewn with pastures. Cultivated plants were brought to Australia by Europeans. After colonization, the cultivation of flax, cotton, wheat, as well as fruits and vegetables spread here. Cereals grow well in desert areas.
The northern part of Australia's flora is represented by tropical forests, occupying only a couple of percent of the entire continent. Eucalyptus trees, familiar to the local region, coexist with ficus trees, palm trees and other exotic representatives of the plant world.
Australia's watersheds are surrounded by impenetrable, thorny evergreen shrubs. The characteristic Australian vegetation is the famous scrub - an interweaving of wild low-growing eucalyptus trees.
Fauna of Australia (with photo)
The Australian fauna is no less diverse and rich than the flora. Her main characteristic– endemic animals, i.e. living in the wild only here. Local symbols - koalas and kangaroos - are known throughout the planet. Among the 17 genera of kangaroos, there are over 50 varieties: derby kangaroos, tree and rock kangaroos, and kangaroo rats. The largest of them grow more than 1.5 meters in height, and the smallest - about 20 centimeters. Australians themselves call only two species of these marsupials “kangaroos”: the red one and the gray giant one. The remaining representatives of the kangaroo genus are called wallabies.
The wildlife is filled with over 300 species of mammals. Many birds and animals have been able to adapt to living in the Australian scrub and jungle. In Australia, flying squirrels flutter from tree to tree, and frilled lizards walk on two legs. Amazing platypuses and echidnas live here. The forests are home to possums and wombats, prized for their fur. Flying foxes have a very bloodthirsty appearance, despite their preference for feeding on flowers and nectar. For humans, they are dangerous due to the possibility of transmitting a terrible infection. Australians got a terrible look the bats, whose weight reaches 1 kg and wingspan - 1.5 meters.
The bizarre picture of the Australian fauna is complemented by flocks of extraordinary birds, forced to constantly roam due to the arid climate. Most of them are brightly colored and unusual in appearance. Powerful emu ostriches have lived on these lands for centuries. Huge cockatoos resound with an unprecedented cry from the forest thickets. The chirping of fabulous lyre birds is similar to the playing of musical instruments. In the Australian forests there are sounds reminiscent of human laughter. They are produced by kookaburras that live in tree holes. This beautiful birds with large beaks, gray and blue plumage. Their nutritious diet includes small lizards and rodents.
Penguins are brought from the Arctic to the south of the continent. Whales ply imposingly in the ocean waters, migrating to Africa with the arrival of cold weather. Neighbor here and bloodthirsty sharks with friendly dolphins. They made a den in Australian rivers huge crocodiles. The Great Barrier Reef is home to corals, polyps, moray eels, and stingrays.
Another distinctive characteristic of the unique continent is the absence of mammalian predators. The only exceptions were the wild dogs Dingo - something between a fox and a wolf.
As well as cultivated plants, domestic animals were brought to Australia by Europeans. Over time, herds of sheep, goats, cows, herds of horses began to roam the local expanses of savannas, and, of course, cats and dogs appeared. Interestingly, the number of sheep here exceeds the number of people by more than 5 times.
The history of the animal world can be divided into several stages. Truly Australian representatives of the fauna became extinct during the time of the Aboriginal people. Later, the continent was settled by Europeans, who dealt another blow to the local nature. Today, many species of birds and animals are on the verge of extinction. However, they still amaze the entire planet not only with their exoticism, but also with their wide variety and unsurpassed richness.
It is distinguished by such unearthly uniqueness, magic and richness. Australian world flora and fauna, which has no analogues anywhere on the planet.
Now you know what animals and plants are in Australia.
- Flowers - report message
When talking about flowers, any person means a plant with beautiful buds and inflorescences. Almost constantly we see flowers surrounding us everywhere - daisies in the fields, roses in gardens and bouquets at holidays
- Works of Samuil Marshak for children
Samuil Yakovlevich Marshak famous writer, who treated works for children with special trepidation. More than one generation grew up on his books, which was the basis for the development of personality.
- Thomas Aquinas - report message
Thomas Aquinas (Thomas Aquinas, Thomas Aquinas) – greatest philosopher and religious scholar, saint catholic church and its authoritative figure, teacher of ecclesiastical law, founder of Fomism, member of the Dominican Order.
- Rafael Santi - message report
The great artist Raphael Santi was born in 1483 in the small settlement of Urbino, located in eastern Italy. The future painter's family was not poor, since Raphael's father worked as an artist at the Duke's palace
To this day we can observe the beauty of the architectural structures that our ancestors erected centuries ago. One of these buildings is St. Basil's Cathedral, built
Australia is an amazing continent. According to scientists, this is the oldest continent on our planet, lying on the Precamberian platform, which was formed more than 3 billion years ago.
Due to the fact that Australia was discovered to the world much later than other continents, the nature here is better preserved. The continent itself is located in three climatic zones: tropical in the central part of the continent, subtropical in the southern part and subequatorial in the northern part. From the north, from the equator, winds and waters of the Indian Ocean bring heat to the shores of Australia. Cold winds often blow from the south, bringing frost from the shores of Antarctica.
The uniqueness of Australian nature is also explained by its landscape: the coastal areas are drowned in the greenery of trees, the center of the continent is a zone of semi-deserts and savannas, occasionally interspersed with islands of vegetation in the deep lowlands and along the floodplains of rivers. However, Australia receives little rainfall, which is why there are few rivers and lakes.
Mountains are located in the east and southwest. But the mountains are low, not exceeding 1300 m above sea level, despite their sonorous name - the Australian Alps.
There are currently more than 1,000 wildlife sanctuaries in Australia.
Flora of Australia
Unique climatic conditions and the location of Australia determined the originality of its flora and fauna.
Eucalyptus is considered the plant symbol of Australia. The huge tree has powerful roots that go 20 or even 30 meters into the ground! Amazing tree adapted to the arid Australian climate. Eucalyptus trees growing near swamps are able to draw water from a reservoir and thereby drain the swamp. In this way, for example, the marshy land of Colchis on the Caucasus coast was drained. In addition, eucalyptus has narrow leaves that are turned edge-on towards the sun. Just imagine a huge eucalyptus forest, and there is practically no shade in it!
The east coast of Australia, where it is washed by Pacific Ocean, buried in bamboo thickets. Closer to the south there are bottle trees, the fruits of which resemble a bottle in shape. The Aborigines extract rainwater from them.
In the north there are thick subtropical forests. Here you can see huge palm trees and mangroves. The entire northern coast, where precipitation falls the most, grows acacias and pandanuses, horsetail and ferns. Towards the south the forest thins out. The savannah zone begins, which in the spring is a lush carpet of tall grasses, and by summer it dries out, burns out and turns into a soulless desert. Central Australia is a grassland area.
But cultivated plants were brought to Australia by Europeans. Only after the colonization of the mainland began to grow cotton, flax, wheat, vegetables and fruits characteristic of European flora.
Australian fauna
The fauna of Australia is very rich and diverse. The first feature of the animal world: it lives in Australia great amount endemic animals, that is, animals that are found nowhere else on the planet. These are, of course, kangaroos and koalas, which are recognized as symbols southern continent. There are 17 genera and more than 50 species of kangaroos alone. The smallest of them are only 20-23 cm tall, and the largest reach a height of 160 cm. Did you know that there are kangaroo rats, rock and tree kangaroos and even derby kangaroos? However, in Australia itself, the word “kangaroo” is used to describe only two representatives of this genus of marsupials: the gray giant and the red one. The rest are called wallabies.
There are also amazing platypuses, brave flying squirrels that flutter from tree to tree, creepy echidnas, and funny frilled lizards that can walk on two legs. Wombats and possums live in the Australian forests and are valued for their fur. Flying foxes look very bloodthirsty, although they feed on nectar and flowers. But the truly terrifying ones are the huge Australian bats. The wingspan of these animals can reach 1.5 meters, and their weight can reach 1 kg!
There are also many birds that have lived on these lands from time immemorial. These are powerful emu ostriches, huge cockatoo parrots, resounding with their screams in the forests of Australia. These are lyre birds, whose twittering resembles the sound of a musical instrument and crowned doves. Walking through the forests of Australia you can hear sounds similar to human laughter. These are the kookaburras, amazing Australian birds that live in tree holes, chirping. Many birds are brightly colored.
In the south you can meet penguins, which are brought here from Antarctica. The waters are roamed by huge whales, which migrate north towards Africa with the onset of cold weather. There are dolphins and bloodthirsty sharks. The rivers of Australia have become home to huge crocodiles. The Great Barrier Reef is the kingdom of corals and polyps, moray eels and stingrays.
The second feature of Australia: there are no mammals from the class of predators, with the exception of the only representative of this species: wild dogs Dingo.
Europeans also brought domestic animals to Australia. Since the time of colonization, fat herds of sheep began to roam the open spaces Australian savannah. Goats, cows and horses, dogs and cats appeared.
Thousands of kilometers away from big land Throughout history, Australia has surprised not only natural characteristics, but also by their way of life. Only here you can see aborigines, sloth koalas, or in reality, unusual for modern times, and not on the screen enjoy the creation of human hands, the Sydney Opera House. They will create an even greater desire to go here Interesting Facts about Australia, each of which will become a copy for your personal treasure chest of discoveries.
Why is the continent the driest, what animals have lived here since prehistoric eras and the purpose of choice - the answers to these and other questions will allow you to learn the most interesting things about Australia, becoming more familiar with its characteristic aspects.
Specifics of geographical location
A distinctive feature of Australia is the location of the mainland state in the southeastern part globe. The moment that sets it apart from the rest of the world is the opposite order of the seasons. Summer begins here in December, winter - in July. The state itself covers not only the mainland, but also the islands close to it. They are mostly uninhabited.
A large part of the country, the center and west, is occupied by deserts and semi-desert areas. The water system here is also undeveloped - only two large rivers: Darling and Murray. The natural wealth has been absorbed by the south-eastern plain and lowland region, where the bulk is concentrated.
An obvious contrast regarding geographical feature Australia - lifeless deserts and evergreen forests separated by the East Australian Mountains. Their main height reaches about a thousand meters. The tops of the mountains are the only place on the mainland where snow can be observed all year round. Otherwise, the territory of Australia does not rise above sea level; on the contrary, it falls. Lake Eyre is the lowest point, located 15 m below sea level.
Climate indicators
The mainland occupies an area included in three climatic zones: subequatorial, tropical and subtropical climates. The island of Tasmania, located in the very south of the country, is partly located in temperate zone. Similar climate and average level precipitation has a positive effect on the dense forest cover of the area. Similar climatic conditions are observed in the southeast of the mainland.
The north-western outskirts, in particular the city of Darwin, are characterized by high humidity. Due to the monsoons, there are only two hot seasons: wet and dry. The center and rest of Australia experiences low rainfall and constant temperature fluctuations. This contributes to the formation of desert areas, as well as the title of the driest continent.
A favorable period for coming to Australia may be the end of spring and the beginning of summer; end of summer and first weeks of autumn.
Animal heritage
All the most interesting things about Australia begin when it comes to the true treasure trove of the world - animals, the indigenous inhabitants of the continent, the so-called endemics. They make up about 90% of the entire fauna here. Prehistoric creatures that are revered local residents and belong to the category of relics - mammals platypus and echidna. For the great discoverers they became a real find. The platypus is an animal that reproduces with eggs and subsequently feeds its young with milk - a miracle of nature found nowhere else.
Some species of animals disappeared as a result of predators brought here and human influence. Perhaps only the later discovery of the mainland and its remoteness saved the well-known kangaroo and koala, symbolizing Australia, as well as other less famous representatives fauna: wombat, emu, cockatoo. Now the authorities carefully care for each of the 200 species found here, and between large companies There is a constant battle for their sponsorship.
Plant heritage
Australia can boast of a high level of indigenous representatives of the plant fund, almost on a level with animals. About 80% of the local flora are the true inhabitants and pride of the country, the main one among which is the eucalyptus, depicted on the state emblem. This is due to the climate to which a small percentage of vegetation adapts. Not every species can survive droughts lasting 300 annual days and uneven temperatures.
Local representatives of acacias and the same eucalyptus trees cope well with the conditions of the desert part. To provide food for themselves, tree roots go tens of meters into the ground. To preserve the moisture collected underground, the leaves of the trees turn their edges towards the sun.
On the northern and western side of the continent, trees do not have to fend for themselves. High humidity allows not only to straighten their leaves, but also to achieve large sizes stem Therefore, a large variety of trees is observed here. For example, you can find palm trees and ficus trees. Similar favorable terrain for vegetation is located beyond the East Australian Mountains, which act as a barrier to drylands.
Top attractions in Australia
Undoubted facts about Australia, which speak about its uniqueness, and also directly play the role of attracting tourists, concern unusual monuments of nature and art. The main object of man-made art, recognizable on a par with the Eiffel Tower in Paris, is. It is in Sydney that tourists from all over the world gather to look at business card Australia and personally enjoy the image of white sails frozen in the vastness of the bay.
The attraction called was created by other living organisms - corals. In addition to the first place of honor in the list of the largest coral reefs, it has the cleanest water, the most beautiful shells and landscaped territory. Nature itself has created excellent conditions here for lovers of scuba diving and surfing.
Another natural monument that deserves attention, if only because it is the most high point Australia - Mount Kosciuszko. Once just a sacred place of the aborigines, now a modern ski resort, where even older people can easily relax.
And this is far from a complete list of unique and unusual attractions of the mainland. Only here can a tourist see horizontal waterfalls or. The largest stone on earth Uluru and the Blue Mountains with a consonant shade can leave even more impressions.
Unusual information about the country
When describing interesting facts about Australia related directly to the country, the way of life of the population and laws, it is worth starting with the one that concerns its capital.
- World-famous Canberra as the capital of Australia might not have existed at all if it had not been built as a sign of compromise between the cities fighting for this status: Sydney and Melbourne.
- Low crime and general law-abiding in Australia - this turned out to be the present of the criminal past. After all, the first European emigrants were prisoners.
- Surprisingly, former prisoners also became the first faithful guardians of the state. The most disciplined were chosen.
- It also affected the fact that for almost every fourth resident of the country, Australia is not a small homeland.
- The most humane fact, which also speaks of high level medicine in the country is “flying” ambulance. Doctors use helicopters to reach remote settlements and promptly provide medical care.
Flora and fauna of Australia different from the flora and fauna of the rest of the globe. This is primarily due to the fact that this continent was separated from the rest for a long time, so many unique forms of life arose and developed there. Let's get to know him better.
Features of Australia
This continent is considered the oldest: according to researchers, it is located on a Precamberian platform that arose more than 3 billion years ago. Australia was discovered for civilization much later than other continents, therefore for a long time its flora and fauna were preserved in pristine condition . Let us highlight several characteristic features of Australia:
- Location in 4 climate zones;
- Unusual landscape. There are both dense forests and a vast area of arid deserts. low mountains located in the southwest and eastern part of the continent;
- There are few lakes and rivers, and little precipitation occurs.
Flora of Australia
The originality of the flora of Australia was given by its remote location from the rest of the world and completely unusual climatic conditions.
Starting from the second half of the Cretaceous period, the Australian mainland was isolated, its vegetation retained its originality. Therefore, approximately 75% of species higher plants are endemic. First of all, most species of acacia and eucalyptus belong to this group.
What plants grow here?
Eucalyptus. This is a real symbol of Australia, a powerful tree, amazingly adapted to the harsh unkind climate. What is so amazing about eucalyptus?
Ferns and tree-like horsetails grow in abundance in eucalyptus forests, often at heights of more than 15 meters. tree fern appearance similar to a tree, at its top there is a lush crown of feathery leaves.
In the north of the continent there are subtropical forests, mango trees and palm trees, acacias and ficus trees, giant horsetails and ferns grow abundantly in them. On the east coast of Australia you can see real bamboo thickets. In the south there grows a real miracle of nature - the bottle tree, the fruits of which are similar in shape to a bottle, and they gave the plant its name.
Also in Australia you can find southern beech, plants of the Proteaceae family, ficus and pandanus. These representatives of the flora are also found on other continents, which is evidence of Australia’s connection with the rest of the world many millennia ago. Most of The flora here includes dry-loving plants and cereals.
The central part of the mainland is a zone of pastures; you will not find forests here. Low-growing thorny bushes grow in the desert regions of Australia. Beeches and damara pines grow in the mountains. The southern beech, or nothofagus, can reach a height of 50 meters and have a trunk with a diameter of 2 meters. The leaves are small, the flowers are small, the fruit is a small nut with seeds. The wood of this tree is resistant to moisture, so it is actively used in the construction of bridges and small ships.
Interestingly, cultivated plants were brought to the continent by colonists; before Australia was discovered, there was no cotton, no wheat, no vegetables, no flax. Now species diversity unevenly across states. The richest plant species are Queensland, as well as Western Australia and New South Wales. The smallest number of species is represented on the island of Tasmania, but there are more than a hundred species endemic exclusively to the island.
What other plants are characteristic of the Australian mainland?
There are also orchids in Australia, most of which are terrestrial. Among them, we note Pterostylis, a monocotyledonous plant, the main part of whose species are endemic to Australia. This is a herbaceous terrestrial plant that has a rhizome with tubers and a racemose inflorescence, one flower, but several are possible, with a special helmet-shaped petal. The plant is pollinated in a very interesting way: the lip and this special petal are placed so that the insect can only get out of the trap orchid after complete pollination.
Among the orchids here you can find more than 50 species of plants of the genus Diuris; these are herbaceous perennials, the height of the stem can reach a meter. During drought, the leaves wither, but when the climate becomes more humid, new ones emerge from the underground tuber. Most species have small flowers of various colors: yellow, orange, white, purple or brown. The plant blooms from the second half of summer to November.
The Rosyankov family is abundantly represented, numbering more than 35 species. They grow almost throughout the entire continent, even in deserts, and have large, bright leaves of blue, yellow or pink color.
Floristic zoning
The division of the flora of Australia into regions was made at the beginning of the last century, Three zones were identified:
- Northeast;
- Central;
- Southwestern.
Let's look at each in more detail.
The northeastern region includes forest and some areas of savannah, coastal islands, including Tasmania. The vegetation here is similar to that of southeast Asia: mango, Melanesian and Malesian species are found. On the tops of the mountains you can observe plants characteristic of the Antarctic climate.
The central region includes savannas, deserts and south australia, is characterized by a comparative poverty of flora with a predominance of aster, cabbage and goosefoot species.
The southwestern zone is characterized by an abundance of the most native Australian plants; it is here that the percentage of endemics is highest.
Australian fauna
The animals here are also very original and unlike representatives of the fauna of Eurasia, Africa and America. Concentrated here big number endemic animals - those that are not found anywhere else. First of all, let's name the kangaroo and koala, which have become symbols of the continent. In addition, the fauna of Australia is inhabited by t What amazing inhabitants:
In general, the continent is characterized by an abundance of marsupials, a rare representative which is considered to be the Tasmanian marsupial devil.
Carnivorous mammals on this amazing continent no, besides the dog Dingo. Many people are frightened by Australian bats, whose wingspan can exceed one and a half meters. There are also more than 100 species of snakes and about 450 species of reptiles.
The world of birds is also unusual:
Australian birds often have colorful colors and the most amazing voices, for example, the singing of a lyre is similar in sound to the musical instrument of the same name, and the chirping of a kookaburra can easily be confused with the laughter of a person.
In the southern part of the continent you can observe penguins that arrived here from Antarctica. A few Australian rivers are home to giant crocodiles, and the Great Barrier Reef is distinguished by an abundance of moray eels, polyps, corals and stingrays.
Australia – amazing world with a unique flora and fauna, here you can find completely unique creations of nature, unlike the inhabitants of other continents. Plants and animals of Australia - the clearest example how representatives of flora and fauna have learned to deftly adapt to unfavorable climatic conditions.
Loading...
