The fauna of Australia is represented by 200 thousand species of various animals, a large number of which belongs today to the category of unique. Endemic animals of this state with a climate that is under the noticeable influence of various ocean currents, represented by 93% amphibians, 90% insects and fish, 89% reptiles and 83% mammals.
mammals
There are about 380 species of mammals in Australia, which include 159 species of marsupials, 69 species of rodents and 76 species of bats. Several orders and families are endemic to the mainland: Marsupial moles (Notoryctemorphia), Predatory marsupials (Dasyuromorphia), Echidnas and platypuses, Monotremes (Monotremata), marsupial anteaters(Myrmecobiidae), Wombats (Vombatidae) and Koala, or marsupial bear(Phascolarctos cinereus).
short-faced kangaroo
The animal is also known as the Tasmanian Rat Kangaroo (Bettongia gaimardi). marsupial mammal from is named after the naturalist Joseph-Paul Gemara (France). An adult short-faced kangaroo has a body length in the range of 26-46 cm, with a tail length of 26-31 cm. The average weight is 1.5 kg. In their appearance and structure, such animals are similar to rat broad-faced kangaroos, with a reddish nasal mirror, shortened and rounded ears.
Quokka or short-tailed kangaroo
Birds
On the territory of Australia there are more than eight hundred species of various birds, of which about 350 are endemic to this zoogeographic region. The variety of feathered animals is a sign of the richness of nature on the continent and indicates a small number of predators.
Emu
The Emu species (Dromaius novaehollandiae) is represented by birds belonging to the cassowary order. Such an Australian largest bird is the second largest after the ostrich. Some time ago, representatives of the species were classified as ostriches, but this classification was revised in the 80s of the last century. The length of an adult bird is 150-190 cm, with a weight of 30-55 kg. Emus are able to run at a speed of 50 km/h and prefer to lead a nomadic life, often traveling long distances in search of food. The bird has no teeth, so it swallows stones and other hard objects to help break down food inside the digestive system.
helmeted cockatoo
Birds (Callocephalon fimbriatum) belong to and are today the only kind kind. The body length of an adult helmeted cockatoo is only 32-37 cm, with a weight of 250-280 g. The main color of the bird's plumage is in gray, and each feather has an ashy border. The head and crest of such birds are characterized by a bright orange color. The lower part of the abdomen, as well as the lower tail plumage, have an orange-yellow border. The tail and wings are grey. The beak is light colored. In females of this species, the crest and head have a gray color.
Laughing kookaburra
The bird, also known as the Laughing Kingfisher, or the Kookaburra, or the Giant Kingfisher (Dacelo novaeguineae), belongs to the kingfisher family. Predatory feathered representatives of the species are distinguished by medium size and dense build. The average body length of an adult bird is 45-47 cm, with a wingspan of 63-65 cm, and a weight of about 480-500 g. The large head is painted in gray, off-white and brown tones. The bird's beak is quite long. Birds make special, very characteristic sounds, strongly reminiscent of human laughter.
shrub bigfoot
The Australian bird (Alectura lathami) belongs to the bigfoot family. The average length of an adult shrub bigfoot varies between 60-75 cm, with a maximum wingspan of no more than 85 cm. This is the largest species of the family in Australia. The color of the plumage of birds is predominantly black, on the lower part of the body there are specks of white.
Representatives of this species are also characterized by long legs and a red head without feathers. Adult males in mating season are distinguished by a swollen larynx of yellow or bluish-gray color.
Reptiles and amphibians
The Australian deserts are inhabited by a very large number of snakes, including the harmless diamond python and poisonous species, which include the deadly viper snake, Australian and tiger snake as well as crocodiles and unusual frogs. Numerous lizards are found in the desert areas, represented by geckos and monitor lizards, as well as amazing Frilled Lizards.
combed crocodile
Fishes
More than 4.4 thousand species of fish have been found in the waters of Australia, a significant part of which is classified as endemic. However, only 170 species are freshwater. In Australia, the main freshwater artery is represented by the Murray River, which flows through South Australia, Victoria and Queensland, as well as New South Wales.
australian bracken
The bracken (Myliobatis australis) belongs to the species cartilaginous fish from the genus of eagles and the family of eagle stingrays from the order of tail-shaped and superorder stingrays. Such fish is endemic to subtropical waters that wash the southern coast and are found along the coastline. The pectoral fins of such rays are fused with the head, and also form a diamond-shaped disk. The flat snout, characteristic in shape, resembles a duck nose in its appearance. There is a poisonous spike on the tail. The color of the dorsal disc surface is gray-brown or olive green, with bluish spots or short curved stripes.
Horntooth
Barramunda (Neoceratodus forsteri) is a lungfish species belonging to the monotypic genus Neoceratodus. A large endemic of Australia has a length of up to 160-170 cm, with a weight of not more than 40 kg. The horned tooth is characterized by a massive and laterally compressed body, covered with very large scales. The fins are fleshy. The color of the horntooth is monochromatic, from reddish-brown to bluish-gray, somewhat lighter in the flank area. The belly area is colored from whitish-silver to light yellow shades. The fish lives in waters with a slow current and prefers areas overgrown with aquatic vegetation.
salamander lepidogalaxia
Lepidogalaxias salamandroides belongs to freshwater ray-finned fish and is now sole representative genus Lepidogalaxias from the order Lepidogalaxiiformes and the family Lepidogalaxiidae. The endemic of the southwestern part of Australia has a body length in the range of 6.7-7.4 cm. The body is elongated, cylindrical in shape, covered with very thin and small scales. tail fin water dweller with a noticeable rounding, a characteristic lanceolate shape. The color of the upper body of the fish is greenish-brown. The sides are lighter in color with numerous dark spots and silvery spots. The belly area is silvery white. The membranes on the fins are transparent. The fish does not have eye muscles, so it is not able to turn its eyes, but easily bends its neck.
wide urolof
The Australian urolof (Urolophus expansus), belonging to the family of short-tailed stingrays and the order of stingrays, lives at a depth of no more than 400-420 m. The pectoral fins of the stingray form a diamond-shaped wide disk, the dorsal surface of which has a gray-green color. There are faint lines behind the eyes. A rectangular skin fold is located between the nostrils. At the end short tail there is a leaf-shaped caudal fin. A serrated spine is present in the middle of the caudal peduncle, and the dorsal fins are completely absent.
Great gray shark
The gray shark (Glyphis glyphis) is a rare species, belonging to the family of gray sharks and found only in turbid, fast-moving waters with different levels salinity. Such has a dense addition, gray color, wide and short snout, very small eyes. The second dorsal fin is relatively large, and there are black spots at the very tip of the pectoral fins. The teeth are very distinctive. The upper jaw has large triangular teeth with a serrated edge. The lower jaw is represented by narrow, spear-like teeth with a serrated apex. Average length adult reaches three meters.
spotted galaxia
Spotted Galaxia (Galaxias maculatus) is a species of ray-finned fish belonging to the Galaxia family (Galaxiidae). Amphidromous fish spend most of their lives in fresh waters, spawning in river mouths and estuaries. Juveniles and larvae for the first six months gain weight in sea water, after which they return to the waters of their native river. The body is elongated, devoid of scales. The pelvic fins are located in the middle of the abdominal region. The adipose fin is completely absent, and the caudal fin is characterized by a slight bifurcation. The length of the body reaches 12-19 cm. The upper part of the body is olive-brown with dark spots and iridescent stripes, clearly visible when the fish moves.
Australian nature
Despite the fact that Australia is the oldest continent on Earth, it was discovered much later than other continents. So natural beauty better preserved here. The location itself makes it unique.
Australia is in four climatic zones. Heat is carried to its shores by the waters of the Indian Ocean and equatorial winds. Frosts from Antarctica reach south coast mainland.
Of particular interest is the Australian landscape. The coast is immersed in the lush greenery of dense trees, and the center of the continent is covered with savannahs and semi-deserts. There is little precipitation in Australia, so there are few natural reservoirs.
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, therefore, the vegetation here is rather sparse.
Australia has 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 distinguished by their special diversity and unusualness. To date, there are more than 1,000 reserves in the country, in which animal representatives and wildlife live.
Flora of Australia (with photo)
Australia has an incredible originality of flora. Symbolizes its majestic eucalyptus. This huge tree with powerful roots reaching 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 drying marshy land, for example, was used on the coast of the Caucasus. The narrow leaves of the tree are turned edge to the sun, so it is very difficult to find a shadow in the eucalyptus forest. Eucalyptus trees grow almost throughout the 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. The abundance of rains is typical only for the northern tropical forests in summer at the end of the year. At this time, local plants develop especially actively and rapidly, reaching two meters in height.
Most Australian plants and trees have various adaptations for life in arid climates: wide trunks and powerful roots that can accumulate a large amount of moisture. They are wrapped around vines and epiphytes - climbing flowers.
The eastern coast of the continent, washed by the Pacific waters, is drowning in dense bamboo thickets.
The north of the mainland is covered with dense subtropical forests with mangroves and huge palm trees. It is typical for him the largest number precipitation. Ferns, horsetail, pandanus, acacia grow here.
In southern Australia, there are bottle trees, named for their bottle-like fruit. locals collect rainwater from them. The forest in this part is thinning out more and more and passes into the savannah zone, which is a chic carpet of all kinds of herbs. In the summer it dries up, turning into a bare desert.
The central part of the mainland 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. Cereal crops grow well in desert areas.
The northern part of the flora of Australia is represented by tropical forests, which occupy only a couple of percent of the entire continent. Eucalyptus trees familiar to local regions are adjacent to ficuses, palm trees and other exotic representatives of the plant world.
Australia's watersheds are surrounded by impenetrable, thorny evergreen shrubs. A characteristic Australian vegetation is the well-known scrub - an interweaving of wild undersized eucalyptus trees.
Wildlife 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, kangaroo rats. The largest of them grow more than 1.5 meters in height, and the smallest - about 20 centimeters. The Australians themselves call "kangaroo" only two types of these marsupials: red and giant gray. The remaining representatives of the kangaroo genus are called wallabies.
Wildlife is filled with over 300 species of mammals. Many birds and animals have been able to adapt to living in Australian scrubs and jungles. In Australia, flying squirrels flutter from tree to tree, frilled lizards walk on two legs. Amazing platypuses and echidnas live here. Possums and wombats live in the forests, prized for their fur. A very bloodthirsty appearance in flying foxes, despite their preference for feeding on flowers and nectar. For humans, they are dangerous by the possibility of transferring a terrible infection. Australian bats got a terrible look, the weight of which reaches 1 kg and the wingspan is 1.5 meters.
The bizarre picture of the Australian fauna is complemented by flocks of extraordinary birds, forced to constantly roam because of the arid climate. Most of them have a bright color and unusual appearance. Powerful emu ostriches live on these lands from time immemorial. Huge cockatoos resound with an unprecedented cry in the forest thickets. The chirping of the fabulous lyre birds is similar to the playing of musical instruments. In the Australian forests there are sounds reminiscent of human laughter. They are published by living in the holes of trees, kookaburras. This beautiful birds with large beaks, gray and blue plumage. Their diet includes small lizards and rodents.
From the Arctic to the south of the mainland brings penguins. In the oceanic waters, whales imposingly plow, migrating to Africa with the advent of cold weather. Neighbor here and bloodthirsty sharks with friendly dolphins. They made a lair in the Australian rivers huge crocodiles. Corals, polyps, moray eels, rays reign in the great barrier reef.
Another distinguishing characteristic of the unique continent is the absence of predatory mammals. The only exceptions were wild dogs Dingo - something between a fox and a wolf.
Just like cultivated plants, pets were brought to Australia by Europeans. Over time, herds of sheep, goats, cows, herds of horses began to roam the local expanses of the 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. True Australian representatives of the fauna died out during the time of the aborigines. 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.
Such unearthly uniqueness, magic and wealth is different australian world flora and fauna, which has no analogues anywhere on the planet.
Now you know what animals and plants are in Australia.
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Kangaroos live in Australia. Not in Austria. Perhaps this is all that most of the inhabitants of our country know about the animal world of the smallest continent. Despite this, it is in Australia that the concentration of rare, unusual and unique animal species is very high. For millions of years, the continent was isolated by the ocean from the rest of the land, which led to the creation of a unique animal world. The vast majority of Australia's mammals, reptiles, fish and insects are not found elsewhere in the world. For your attention - the most interesting of marsupials of australia.
The most interesting animals of Australia
Wombat
This interesting Australian herbivore, resembling a huge rodent or a small bear, is not biologically related to either the former or the latter. Like most mammals in Australia, wombats are marsupials and form a family of two-bladed marsupials, whose lifestyle and structure of teeth resembles rodents familiar to us.
The wombat is the largest animal on the planet (up to 45 kg) that lives in holes. Despite the presence natural enemies(first of all, dingo dogs), wombats can effectively resist them: hard skin and a shield in the back of the body allows them to fend off attacks on the hole, turning their backs to the predator and damaging its limbs. In addition, wombats can butt heads and strangle the dog by pressing the back of the body against the wall of the hole. A special metabolism makes this animal especially interesting: it is the second most efficient use of water on the planet after the camel, its food is digested for a very long time and efficiently, and the excrement is in the form of cubes.
Koala
Perhaps the koala is the second most popular animal in Australia after the kangaroo, captivating everyone with its cute appearance and calm disposition. It's ancient family of marsupials is related to wombats, however, koalas live in trees and feed on eucalyptus leaves, which determined the differences in the structure of the paws and lifestyle.
Most of the day, koalas sleep or simply spend motionless, clasping tree trunks with their paws. A low-calorie, low-protein diet makes the koala digest food very efficiently and avoid wasting energy. In addition, koalas almost never drink, getting moisture from the dew on the leaves and the actual eucalyptus leaves. However, the most unusual feature of the koala is its friendly attitude towards people and gullibility. Cubs and adults react well to attempts to pick up and can sit in the arms of a person for a long time. The diplomatic bodies of Australia use this feature when holding meetings on the territory of the state - guests of honor are allowed to hold a koala and be sure to take pictures with it. It is believed that after such "hugs" even harsh and intractable politicians become more open and pliable, which allows meetings to be more productive.
Wongo
Wongo - a species of animals of the genus ningo, one of the many species Australian family of marsupial predators. Despite the fact that the appearance of these animals reminds a layman common mouse They are actually two completely different animals.
With a body length from the nose to the tip of the tail up to 13 cm, wongos do not pose a danger to anyone, except for small insects and vertebrates that they feed on. The structure of their teeth differs significantly from rodents due to a different diet, the tail is covered with short hair. A feature of this genus is the ability to fall into "unplanned" hibernation in conditions of lack of food.
Tasmanian devil (Tasmanian devil)
One of the most unusual and interesting animals of Australia, this predator, similar to a small bear with a body shape and some clumsiness of movements, like wongo, belongs to the family of carnivorous marsupials. Despite the rather small size (up to 12 kg) and not the most intimidating appearance, he deservedly received the nickname "devil". The animal is very gluttonous, completely illegible in the choice of food (the diet includes both live animals and rotting carrion, the victims are eaten along with skin and bones), aggressive and capable of making a wide range of unpleasant and frightening sounds heard hundreds of meters around. bite force marsupial devil in relation to body weight, the largest among the mammals of the planet, this is what allows him to gnaw almost all the bones of the victims, as well as carrion, which is much larger than him.
While the Tasmanian devil is not as widely known outside of Australia as the koala, kangaroo or emu, its image has found its way into popular culture. One version of the Linux operating system had a marsupial devil with a mask in the form of a bird's nose as its emblem (a reference to the classic symbol of Linux - a penguin). However, he is much better known to children in the 90s as the toothy character of the popular Sega game TazMania named Taz, who, like the nature prototype, could eat anything and also make strange sounds.
Platypus
The platypus is undoubtedly one of the most interesting representatives not only Australian wildlife but for the entire planet. In its appearance, the animal resembles a riddle from children's books - "what did the artist mix up when he painted the animal?". A duck-like beak, webbed feet, and a beaver-like body are just not most of features unique marsupial. There are only two monotreme animals on the planet that feed their young with milk, but at the same time lay eggs like birds, and the platypus is one of them.
Unique reproductive system, which has the characteristics of mammals and less organized species - this is perhaps the most remarkable feature from the point of view of biology, but this is far from all. The platypus is the only mammal that has developed electroreception. While hunting under water, his eyes and ears are closed, and the search for food is carried out using touch and detection of weak electrical impulses from the muscles of the victim (the hammerhead shark is especially famous for this sense). Platypuses are one of the few mammals that produce poisons. Males have poisonous spurs on their legs, used in fights with a rival. In addition, these animals are characterized by the ability to speed up metabolism, eggs with a leathery shell like those of reptiles, relatively low body temperature, and short hibernation before the mating season.
The uniqueness of the animal has made it quite popular in human culture - its image is on one of the coins of Australia, the image is used in animation, as well as all kinds of illustrations. In Russia, the most famous application of the image and name is the company of the same name for the delivery of goods from the supermarket to the house.
We have listed 5 most interesting animals in Australia and about other unusual and interesting animals of our planet
In Australia, 93% of amphibians, 90% of fish, 89% of reptiles and 83% of mammals are endemic. They are not found outside the mainland. An exception is the case of keeping Australian animals in zoos, aquariums, as pets.
Their uniqueness is due to the early separation of the mainland from the mother part of the land. It is no secret that all the lands of the planet were once a single Gondwana. Due to the movement of lithospheric plates, splits in them, the territories were detached. This is how modern continents appeared.
Since Australia broke away, so to speak, at the dawn of time, marsupials and lower mammals that once flourished were preserved in it. Let's start the review with them.
Marsupials of Australia
marsupials animals of Australia are distinguished by the presence of a skin fold on the abdomen. Fabrics form a semblance of a pocket. Inside it, females have nipples. In the old days, scientists believed that marsupial cubs develop on them, like apples on branches.
In fact, offspring mature in the womb, but are born prematurely. A sort of hospital serves as a bag. In it, animals begin to see clearly, begin to hear, become overgrown with wool.
Quokka
Illuminates wildlife of australia with your smile. The corners of the quokka's mouth are turned up. The front teeth stick out a little. It seems that you are looking at a large rodent. However, zoologists classify the animal as a kangaroo. Compared to ordinary ones, quokka is a miniature creature, weighing about 3.5 kilos.
Quokkas inhabit islands near the continent, and not Australia itself. On the mainland, smiling animals are destroyed by dogs, cats and foxes brought by settlers.
The structure of the mouth creates the appearance of a smile on the muzzle of a quokka
common kangaroo
When James Cook saw the kangaroo, the traveler thought it was a two-headed animal. A cub was sticking out of the bag of the beast. They did not come up with a new name for the animal. Local natives called the wonderful creature "kanguruu". The Europeans changed a little.
There are no native predators in Australia. However, this does not mean that the animals of the continent are harmless. Kangaroos, for example, "kick" whipping horses. Cases of death from accidental blows of marsupials have been recorded. The front legs of the kangaroo are short and weak, but the hind legs are jumpy and powerful.
Koala
It lives in the east and south of Australia. They also met in the west, but were exterminated. The ancestors of koalas died out as a result of natural selection. About 30 million years ago, a copy of the modern marsupial lived, but 28 times larger than it. In the course of natural selection, the species became smaller.
Modern koalas do not exceed 70 centimeters in height, and weigh about 10 kilograms. At the same time, males are 2 times larger than females.
There is a papillary pattern on the fingertips of koalas. The marsupial leaves imprints, like monkeys and humans. Other animals do not have a papillary pattern. Given that the koala is the simplest mammal, the existence of an evolutionary trait is a mystery to scientists.
Koala has fingerprints similar to human
wallaby
Belongs to the kangaroo order. In it, by the way, 69 species of animals. Only one of them, called ordinary, - australian symbol. Animal is not a state mark. The symbol refers more to the military and sports fields. Suffice it to recall a boxing kangaroo in red gloves.
It was first depicted on the fuselages of their aircraft by Australian pilots. It happened in 1941. After the emblem began to be used at sporting events.
Walabies do not look as belligerent and athletic as giant individuals. In height, the animal does not exceed 70 centimeters, and weighs no more than 20 kilograms. Accordingly, the wallaby is a medium-sized kangaroo.
There are 15 subspecies. Many of them are on the verge of extinction. Striped wallabies, for example, remain on only two islands off the west coast of Australia.
Wallaby "relative" kangaroo only smaller
Wombat
It looks like a little bear cub. Its miniaturization is relative. Representatives of one of the three types of wombat reach a length of 120 centimeters and weigh 45 kilos. These marsupials of australia compact, have powerful paws with large claws. It helps to dig the ground. At the same time, the closest relatives of koala wombats prefer to spend time in trees.
Among burrowing mammals, wombats are the largest. Large and underground passages. Even people get through them. They are the main enemies of wombats.
Marsupials dig burrows near farms. Dingo dogs make their way through the passages to the bird and livestock. Destroying "intermediaries", people protect livestock from predators. Five species of wombats have already been exterminated. Another is on the brink of extinction.
wombat marsupial rodent australia
marsupial flying squirrel
It has no relationship with squirrels, but there are external similarities, in particular the size of the animals, their manner of jumping between trees. On them, the flying squirrel can be seen in the forests of the north and east of Australia. Animals settle on eucalyptus trees. Between their branches marsupial flying squirrels jump, overcoming up to 150 meters horizontally.
flying squirrels - Australian endemic animals, like other marsupials, are not found outside. Animals are active at night. They live in flocks of 15-30 individuals.
Given the small size of flying squirrels, their premature cubs are almost invisible, each weighing about 0.19 grams. Babies reach a mass of several grams after 2 months in the mother's pouch.
tasmanian devil
One of the rare predators Australia. interesting animals possess awkwardly big head. This increases the bite force per unit of body weight. Tasmanian devils even bite traps. At the same time, animals weigh no more than 12 kilos, and rarely exceed 70 centimeters in length.
The dense body of the Tasmanian devil seems awkward. However, the marsupial is dexterous, flexible, climbs trees perfectly. From their branches, predators often rush to prey. They become snakes, insects, even small kangaroos.
The devil also catches birds. The predator eats the victims, as they say, with giblets, digesting even wool, feathers and bones.
Tasmanian devil got its name from the sounds it makes
Bandicoot
Outwardly, it resembles an eared rat. The muzzle of the animal is cone-shaped, long. The marsupial weighs about 2.5 kilograms, reaches a length of 50 centimeters. The bandicoot maintains mass by eating both animal and plant foods.
Bandicoots are sometimes called marsupial badgers. There are 21 species in the family. There were 24, but 3 have died out. A few more are on the verge of extinction. However, Australian bandicoots are not related to Indian bandicoots. The latter are rodents. Australian animals are part of the marsupial family.
Marsupials of Australia are divided into 5 classes. These are predatory animals with bags, moles, anteaters, wolves, bears. Names were given to them by Europeans, comparing with animals known to them. In fact, among the marsupials there are no bears, no wolves, no moles.
Monotremes of Australia
The name of the family comes from anatomical structure. The intestines and genitourinary sinus open into the cloaca, as in birds. Monotremes even lay eggs, but they are mammals.
Here are some animals live in australia. They appeared on the planet about 110 million years ago. Dinosaurs are already extinct. Monotreme mammals were the first to occupy the vacant niche.
Platypus
On the photo animals australia detachments of monotremes are remotely similar to beavers. So did English naturalists at the end of the 17th century. Having received a platypus skin from Australia, they decided that in front of them, as they put it today, is a fake. George Shaw proved the opposite. A naturalist captured a beaver with a duck nose in nature.
There are membranes on the paws of the platypus. Spreading them, the animal swims. Picking up the membranes, the beast bares its claws, effectively digging holes. Forces hind legs there is not enough single-pass for "plowing" the land. The second limbs come in handy only when walking and swimming, working like a tail fin.
Something between a porcupine and a hedgehog. It's external. In fact, the species are not related to echidna. She, unlike hedgehogs and porcupines, has no teeth. The tiny mouth is at the end of the elongated, thin muzzle of the monotreme. Pulled out of the mouth long tongue. Here, the echidna resembles an anteater and also feeds on Hymenoptera.
Echidnas have long claws on their front paws. Animals, like platypuses, do not dig the earth. Claws are needed to destroy anthills, termite mounds. They are attacked by echidnas of two kinds. The third became extinct, originating about 180 million years ago.
Chiroptera of Australia
There are so many bats in Australia that in 2016 the authorities declared a state of emergency when hordes bats landed on Batman's Bay. This is a resort city of the country. Due to the invasion of bats, the streets and beaches were covered with droppings, there were power outages.
As a result, real estate prices have fallen in the resort. Travelers were frightened not only by the number of animals, but also by their size. The bats Australia is the largest in the world with a wingspan of one and a half meters and a weight of about a kilogram.
flying foxes
They are compared with foxes because of the reddish tone, sharp muzzles and large sizes. In length, bats reach 40 centimeters. Flying foxes feed only on fruits and berries. Mice like fruit juice. Animals spit out the dehydrated pulp.
flying foxes active at night. So, having “flooded” Batmans Bay, the animals also didn’t let people sleep. Australian bats, unlike true bats, do not have echolocation "equipment". In space, foxes are oriented medium.
Reptiles of Australia
snake neck turtle
With a 30 cm shell, the turtle has a neck covered with tubercles of the same length. The head at the end seems tiny, snake-like. Snake and habits. Caught Australian turtles squirm at the expense of the neck, bite offenders, although they are not poisonous.
Serpent neck turtles - animals of natural areas of Australia located throughout the continent and on nearby islands. The carapace of animals expands considerably at the back. Reptiles can be kept in an aquarium. However, long-necked turtles need space. The minimum volume of the aquarium for one individual is 300 liters.
Australian Serpent Lizards
Often they are devoid of legs, or have underdeveloped ones. Such paws are usually too short to be used for walking and have only 2-3 toes. Animal groups differ from snakes in the absence of ear holes. For the rest, you can’t immediately say whether you see a lizard or not.
There are 8 species of snake lizards in Australia. All burrowers, that is, lead a worm-like lifestyle. Outwardly, animals also somewhat resemble large worms.
Australian tree monitor
They live in trees. Hence the name. The animal is endemic, reaching a length of 35 centimeters. A third of them are in the tail. The weight of the lizard is approximately 80 grams. The back of the tree lizard is brown. This allows you to camouflage on the branches. The sides and abdomen of the lizard are gray.
fat tailed gecko
An eight-centimeter creature, painted in orange-brown tones and decorated with light dots. The skin has brushes, looks rough. The gecko's tail is shorter than the body, fleshy at the base and pointed at the end.
The way of life of the fat-tailed gecko is terrestrial. The coloring of the animal helps it to hide among the stones. Reptile chooses variegated rocks in warm colors such as granite and sandstone.
giant lizards
Their gigantic is not so much the length as the width. The body of the animal is always thick, powerful. The length of the gigantic lizards is 30-50 centimeters. The tail takes up about a quarter of them.
Some species are even shorter. An example is, for example, the short-tailed skink. Accordingly, gigantic lizards are the general name of the genus of Australian reptiles.
The smallest among the giants is the 10-centimeter Adelaide lizard. The largest in the genus is the blue-tongued skink, reaching almost 80 centimeters in length.
black snake
Two-meter endemic Australia. About animals We can say that they are slender and strong. Only the back and part of the sides are black in snakes. The bottom of the animals is reddish. This is the color of smooth, symmetrical scales.
Black snakes - dangerous animals australia have poisonous teeth. There are two of them, but only one performs the functions. The second is a spare in case of loss or damage to the first.
Viper death snake
The reptile imitates the appearance and behavior of the viper, but at times more poisonous. The animal lives in the forest bedding, lost among the foliage and grasses. In size, the viper-like reptile is identical to the prototype, does not exceed a meter, and often stretches only 70 centimeters.
Birds of Australia
There are about 850 species of birds on the continent, 350 of which are endemic. The variety of birds indicates the richness of the nature of the continent and is evidence of the small number of predators in Australia. Even the dingo dog is not actually native. The animal was brought to the mainland by the Austronesians. They have been trading with the Australians since 3000 BC.
Emu
It grows up to 170 centimeters in height, weighing more than 50 kilograms. At this weight, the bird cannot fly. Too loose feathers and an underdeveloped skeleton also do not allow doing this. But emus run great, developing a speed of 60-70 kilometers per hour.
An ostrich sees surrounding objects on the run as clearly as standing. Each step of the bird is equal to 3 meters in length. Emu is not only big animals australia, but also the second largest bird in the world. The championship also belongs to the ostrich, but African.
shrub bigfoot
Not found outside of Australia. Bolshenogov on the continent about 10 species. Shrub - the largest. The animal has a bare head with red skin. There is a yellow patch on the neck. The body is covered with brown-black feathers. The length from head to tail does not exceed 85 centimeters.
The nutrition of the bigfoot is mixed. The feathered one on the ground gets it. Sometimes the bird eats seeds and berries, and sometimes invertebrates.
australian duck
The bird is 40 centimeters long and weighs about a kilogram. The feathered has a blue beak, black head and tail, brown body. Duck refers to waterfowl, is a duck.
Among relatives, she is distinguished by silence, love of loneliness. Australian ducks gather in flocks only during the breeding season.
The Australian duck is endemic with a small population. Therefore, the species is considered as endangered. The Red Feathered is not included, but is under the supervision of zoologists.
Magellanic Penguin
Justifies the name, in height does not exceed 30 centimeters. The mass of a flightless bird is 1-1.2 kilograms. One more distinguishing feature- plumage shimmering blue.
Little penguins are secretive, hiding in holes, hunting for fish at night. Shellfish and crustaceans are also on the animal menu. By the way, there are 13 species of penguins in Australia. Influenced by the proximity of the mainland to the South Pole. He is favorite place for penguins. Some species also live at the equator, but none in the northern hemisphere.
Royal albatross
The largest among flying birds. Feathered is also a long-liver. The age of the animal ends in the 6th decade.
The royal albatross weighs about 8 kilograms. The length of the bird is 120 centimeters. The feathered wingspan exceeds 3 meters.
australian pelican
The length of the animal exceeds 2 meters. The weight of the bird in this case is 8 kilos. The wingspan is more than 3 meters. The coloring of the feathered is black and white. A pink beak stands out against a contrasting background. He's massive. There is a pronounced feather line between the beak and eyes. It seems that the bird is wearing glasses.
Australian pelicans eat small fish, catching up to 9 kilograms per day.
Bittern
Two feathers stick out on the head, resembling horns. For this, the bird of the heron family was called the water bull. Like other bitterns, it can make heart-rending sounds that "formed" the basis of the genus name.
The bittern is the smallest on the continent. 18 species of herons inhabit it.
Australian brown hawk
It weighs about 400 grams, and reaches a length of 55 centimeters. Despite the name, the bird is found outside the continent, for example, in New Guinea.
The brown hawk is named for its chestnut plumage. The bird's head is grey.
black cockatoo
The impression that the body of a raven is connected to the head of a parrot. The bird is black with red cheeks. On the head there is a crest characteristic of a cockatoo.
In captivity, black cockatoos are rarely kept due to their picky diet. Serve Canarian nuts. Outside of Australia, getting the product is expensive and difficult.
Insects of Australia
The continent is famous for large and dangerous insects. Outside of Australia, only 10% of them are found. The rest are endemic.
Rhino cockroaches
The insect weighs 35 grams, reaches a length of 10 centimeters. Outwardly, the animal is similar to a beetle. The animal's shell is burgundy. Unlike most cockroaches, the rhino does not have wings.
Representatives of the species are found only in North Queensland. Cockroaches inhabit its forests, hiding in the bedding of leaves or burrowing in the sand.
Huntsman
This is a spider. Looks intimidating, but useful. The animal eats other, poisonous spiders. That's why Australians tolerate the huntsman's love of cars. The spider often climbs into cars. For tourists, meeting an animal in a car is a shock.
When the huntsman spreads his legs, the length of the animal is approximately 30 centimeters. The length of the body is equal to 10.
Fish of Australia
There are also many endemics among Australian fish. Among them, I single out 7 especially unusual ones.
A drop
This fish is found near Tasmania. Deep animal. In the network comes across with lobsters and crabs. The fish is inedible and rare, protected. Outwardly, the inhabitant of the depths resembles a jelly, rather shapeless, whitish, with a nose-like influx, a prominent chin fold, as if lips turned outward.
The drop has no scales and almost no fins. The length of the animal is 70 centimeters. An adult animal weighs almost 10 kilograms.
Bumpy Carpet Shark
Among the sharks, this is a 90-centimeter baby. Carpet fish is named because it has a flattened body. It is bumpy, painted in brown tones. This allows the animal to get lost among the bottom rocks and reefs. Inhabited at the bottom, the tuberous shark feeds on invertebrates. Sometimes they get on the "table" bony fish.
handfish
People call her a running fish. Found only off the coast of Tasmania, discovered in 2000. The species is not numerous, it is listed in the International Red Book. A running fish is called because it does not swim. The animal runs along the bottom on powerful, paw-like fins.
rag-picker
This is a seahorse. It is covered with soft outgrowths. They sway in the current, like algae. The animal disguises itself among them because it cannot swim. The only salvation from predators is to get lost in the vegetation. The length of the rag-picker is approximately 30 centimeters. The horse differs from other fish not only in its exotic appearance, but also in the presence of a neck.
fish knight
In length does not exceed 15 centimeters, is a living fossil. The body of the inhabitant of the Australian waters is wide and covered with armored scales. For them, the animal was called a knight.
A knight is often called a fish pine cone. The animal is kept in aquariums, appreciating not only for its exotic appearance, but also for its peacefulness.
Pegasus
The lateral fins of the fish have pronounced guard lines. Between them are transparent membranes. The fins are wide, set apart. Otherwise, the appearance of the fish is similar in appearance seahorses. So associations with Pegasus from legends are born.
In the sea, Pegasus and Australian animals eat crustaceans, live at a depth of 100 meters. The species is rare and poorly studied.
In total, 200 thousand species of animals live on the continent. Of these, 13 were imported from other countries. It is interesting that the coat of arms of the country was developed outside of it. The first option was proposed in 1908 by Edward the Seventh.
The King of England decided that on the coat of arms of Australia will animals. An ostrich flaunts on one side, and a kangaroo on the other. They are considered the main symbols of the continent.
Australia is so far away that it is difficult to get a complete picture of life in this country-continent and in the lands close to it. The features of the nature of Australia are such that there are many animals and plants that few people know about in our country. This attracts interest in the study of local nature. Endemic species of animals and plants - that's what Australia is famous for. Its flora and fauna are so unique that some animal species are found only here.
Brief excursion
For thousands of years, the nature of Australia has followed its own path of development. Remoteness from other continents led to the fact that almost no new representatives of flora and fauna were brought here, which made the local natural environment absolutely unique and absent on other continents. This is the most remarkable and main feature Australian nature. In addition, after the Old World got acquainted with this continent, most of the animals remained endemic, that is, they live exclusively in these territories under certain conditions.
Australia's unique forests and trees
The plants of this continent for many centuries were forced to adapt to difficult natural conditions. So, inland, the soil is especially dry, which makes it difficult to cultivate plants that love moisture, so for the most part, flora grows here that calmly puts up with drought. Not small part plants are dull in color due to insufficient water. For example, most species of eucalyptus. But surprisingly, in coastal areas countries are developing bamboo thickets and other
Most of the green continent is known for its eucalyptus thickets and the pandas that live there. It is not surprising, because a large part of the continent is covered with such forests. In total, there are almost three thousand species of eucalyptus in Australia! In addition, the green continent is rich in acacias, of which there are at least a thousand varieties. This area is also characterized by other trees, which on other continents are found only in botanical gardens. For example, here you can often find a tea tree, a cypress pine, or even an incredible mangrove for Europe.
The trees of Australia, as well as other vegetation, are distinguished by their originality. The third most common genus here is considered to be Grevillea. It has about two hundred species. Ferns are often found here, although they grow exclusively in humid mountain forests.
Not only the city of Sydney attracts many tourists. On the continent there are wet areas where you can find huge lianas and palm trees. Much more common are the savannas and savannah forests that Australia is famous for. Flora and fauna in them are extremely dependent on seasonal changes. During the wet season, the local savannahs are full of plants of all colors and sizes, which bloom together, creating real flower beds. Here you can often find eucalyptus and other thick-stemmed trees that can retain moisture for a long time. Northern Australia, with its flowery savannahs, smoothly transitions into western and eastern, and these regions are much more arid.
As the water level in the soil decreases, the vegetation also changes. The closer to the east, the rarer the forests and savannas become, the poorer the vegetation. As a result, close to arid regions, you can find the so-called scrubs - thickets of shrubs and low trees that lack moisture. In central Australia, the level of humidity is the lowest, which makes it an extremely inhospitable area for plants.
A little about animals
Everyone knows that they are considered a symbol of Australia and Oceania. And this is not surprising, given the fact that there are 140 species of them here. The most popular and widespread among them are koalas, kangaroos and wombats. Kangaroos are also depicted on the coat of arms of the country-continent. In addition, Australia is the only habitat for such egg-laying mammals as the platypus and echidna. Half of all bird species living here are also endemic.
The territory of Australia boasts such as the black swan and the little penguin. Despite the fact that they are not so common here, there is still a chance to encounter rare animals in natural conditions. However, it is better not to meet some representatives of the flora and fauna of the green continent at all. For example, with poisonous snakes Australia is the world leader in the number of And with crocodiles, which can often be found in swampy areas, it is also better to miss each other.
Natural areas of Australia
The table shows into which regions the continent can be divided according to the areas of distribution of flora and fauna. Even taking into account the above that the Australian nature is unique, the continent still has similarities in fauna with South America, Asia and even Antarctica.
The natural areas of Australia (the table describes only the main characteristics) differ both in terms of fauna and flora. You can find out more about them below.
Animals
Lower mammals are widespread here, which managed to survive, in contrast to the higher ones - the second on the mainland are represented exclusively by volatile and regular mice. This is due to the fact that during the period of their spread across the continents, access for them to the green continent was ordered. The rest of the vertebrates are also mostly endemic here. In the river areas, one can meet the platypus, a web-footed animal that forages in the water.
Birds
V tropical forests can be found great amount birds of various colors and sizes. So called birds of paradise- hummingbirds, honey plants, lyrebirds - nevertheless, they calmly coexist with weed chickens - an Australian curiosity unique to a European.
But for some reason, the inhabitants of Australia are not surprised that a chicken, instead of hatching eggs, buries them in rotting garbage. Aquatic species can be found in abundance here. In addition, Siberian birds are found in Australia, which go there to spend the winter. Here you can also meet some flightless birds, for example, emus and grass parrots. Other species from
Insects
The humid forests of the northern and eastern parts of the continent are characterized by certain types of familiar insects. For example, ants, butterflies. In the northern part of the continent, you can even meet with worms, the length of which can be several meters.
Kangaroo
Speaking of the green continent, a special place should be given, of course, to kangaroos, which Australia is known for. Flora and fauna are most favorable for them in the northern and central part of the country, in these regions animals can eat well, so many species live here. Kangaroos gather in herds. In case of danger, they make jumps, the length of which can be up to ten meters with an animal body length of up to three meters. The wallaby species lives in rocky and bushy areas. Over the twentieth century, the kangaroo population has greatly decreased, to a greater extent this is due to human activities and the extermination of animals, to a lesser extent - with predators.
dingo dog
Not only marsupial mammals are a symbol of Australia. There is also a dangerous animal that destroys these marsupials - the dingo dog. In size, this is a small animal, which is distinguished by its special endurance. In pursuit of prey, the dingo dog can run for many hours in a row until the victim decides to give up, and so she overcomes the kangaroo. The animal is able to go for food very far. Most of all dingo dogs are located near Lake Eyre, from where they can leave for many tens of kilometers in pursuit or in search of food.
Not only kangaroo gets from this animal. Many species of peaceful representatives of the fauna suffered from them. The nature of Australia is such that, due to the increase in the population of wild dogs, sheep breeding is no longer as profitable as it used to be. On the mainland of the continent, attempts were made to cross this species with a domestic dog, but the new breed was not widely used, the new kind lives mainly in national park on Fraser Island.
Echidna
One of the most famous national endemic animals, it is covered with spines and lays its eggs in a pouch where it broods. Echidna leads predominantly night image life to avoid danger.
Nature of New Zealand
Although New Zealand is a separate country from Australia, their natural areas are closely related. Extinct animal species of Australia are preserved here. Apart from the kangaroo, there is almost no animal in this area, however, incredible varieties of birds can be found here.
A distinctive feature of New Zealand birds natural area- terrestrial way of life. However, dangerous animals are almost never found here.
Pests and problems
On its difficult path of development that Australia has gone through, flora and fauna with all their rare representatives were often in danger. Europeans brought new animals to the continent, which eventually became feral and began to harm local species. Rabbits were the real scourge for a while. Globalization is also bad for the development of nature, the city of Sydney and other large cities with many plants and factories harm the rare, unique species animals that continue to disappear from the face of the earth.
Flora and fauna dangerous to humans
In addition to the above-mentioned dingoes and kangaroos, which can attack a person if they sense danger, there are a couple of other reasons in Australia to stay on the alert. For example, as mentioned above, snakes, of which there are a huge number of species. Many of them are extremely insidious and dangerous.
In addition, here you can often meet with spiders, which are even worse than snakes. However, they are not always poisonous. Often you can see ants here, which can cause a lot of trouble. In wetter areas, mosquitoes, mosquitoes and ticks are found, for which Australia has long been famous. Flora and fauna here can both delight and hide danger. You should also be wary of some marine life, such as sharks, which are found quite close to the coast. In addition to dangerous animals, here you can meet not the most pleasant plants. For example, sundew-like, although they are not dangerous for humans. They are quite rare.
Come to Australia
All the incredible native animals and plants are a great reason to visit this distant continent. It hides many mysteries, but this is what attracts fans to solve them. Acquaintance with charming animals, which in Europe can not even be found in every zoo, will not leave anyone indifferent, well, who can not fall in love with a baby panda chewing bamboo?
Black swans, koalas and century-old eucalyptus trees along with a pleasant climate, sea coast and beautiful resort towns- just the smallest part of the reasons to come to admire the local beauties. The charm of Australian nature cannot be expressed in words, it must be seen in person once and fall in love forever.
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