Australia is home to unique animals that are usually not found in other countries except in zoos. Well-known animals including the kangaroo and koala are endemic to Australia and they have adapted to the environment.
Koala - It is easily recognizable by its stout, tailless body and large head with round, fluffy ears and large protruding nose. Koalas are designed for living high up on Australia’s eucalypt trees. These marsupials are herbivores and they eat only eucalyptus leaves from under 50 of over 700 eucalypt tree species. Koalas have strong cartilage at the end of their curved spines which allows them to perch comfortably in the forks and nooks of tree branches.
Koala - this photo was taken at the Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia.
Kangaroos have large, powerful hind legs, large feet adapted for leaping, a long muscular tail for balance, and a small head. Kangaroos are marsupials and female kangaroos have pouches to carry and nurse their joeys (baby kangaroos) before they can be independent. There are several types of Kangaroos in Australia and the one pictured below is the eastern grey kangaroo.
Kangaroo - photo taken at Grampian National Park, Victoria, Australia
Wallaby are similar to Kangaroos but they are much smaller marsupials. wallaby species are smaller than four feet but some can grow up to about six feet from the head to the end of the tail. Wallabies use their powerful hind legs to bound at high speeds, jump to great heights and also to kick at potential predators.
Wallaby - this photo was taken at Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia
Pademelons are small, furry, hopping marsupials found only in Australia. They are some of the smallest members of the macropod family. This photo shows a Pademelon in Tasmania. Note that the pademolon is carrying a joey padamelon (i.e. baby).
Pademelon with joey - in pouch. This photo was taken near Launceston, state of Tasmania, Australia
Tasmanian Devils are nocturnal marsupials who are also carnivores. They have a squat, thick build with a large head and a tail. The Tasmanian Devil has the most powerful bite relative to body size of any other mammal. Their powerful jaws let Devils crush the bones of dead animals that they feed on. Devils are dying in large numbers due to a facial cancer and they are only found living in the wild on the island state of Tasmania.
Tasmania Devil - this photo was taken at the Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia.
Echidnas are the only mammal besides platypuses to lay eggs. Echidnas use their long sticky tongues to catch termites. The “spines” on echidnas are actually long, tough, and hollow hairs. The spines are the echidnas main line of defense when predators strike. When threatened, they roll up into a ball of radiating spines to protect themselves or dig into the ground for safety. Due to the loss of habitat and overhunting, echidnas are endangered in the wild.
Echidnas - this photo was taken at the Taronga Zoo in Sydney, Australia.
Fairy Penguins are also called Little Penguin. It is the smallest of the penguin species. These slate-blue birds are less than a foot tall and weigh about 2.5 pounds. These aquatic animals feed on krill, anchovies, sardines and small squid, spending up to 18 hours a day in coastal waters. Males and females form monogamous pair bonds and share chick-rearing duties.
Fairy Penguins - this photo was taken on a night time tour of a Penguin Rookery in Bichino, Tasmania, Australia. Red lighting was used instead of white light as it scares away the Penguins.
Platypus is sometimes called the duck-billed platypus. Platypuses are ancient mammals and they have been around for 100 million years! The platypus and four species of echidna are the only egg-laying mammals in existence. With a duck-shaped bill, otter-like feet and a tail similar to a beaver, the platypus baffled naturalists who first came upon it. These shy mammals are usually only active at dawn and dusk. They rely on their sensitive bills to find food that includes insect larvae, freshwater shrimps and crayfish. Platypus are small with males weighing at around 3.5 pounds and females at around 2 pounds. They build simple burrows just above water level in river banks and live among a tree roots.
Platypus photo was taken from Wikipedia. The video below was taken by a fellow traveler on a tour of Tasmania, Australia.
Wombats are short-legged, muscular quadrupedal marsupials that are native to Australia. They are related to koalas and kangaroos. Unlike other marsupials, the pouches on wombats face the rear. This backward-facing pouch prevents soil from getting in when wombats dig with their sturdy feet and long thick claws. Wombats dig multi-chambered burrows called warrens for shelter.
Wombat - photo was taken from Wikipedia.