Kangaroos and wallabies are marsupials that belong to a small group of animals called macropods. They are only found naturally in Australia and Papua New Guinea.
The Tasmanian Devil is a marsupial that only lives - the name says it all - on the island of Tasmania. It is one of Australia's most unique and endangered species.
Found wild only in Australia are nearly half of the country's birds and 87 percent of its mammals. At least 93 percent of its species of reptiles, amphibians, flowering plants and conifers are unique to Australia. That amounts to 3,000 endemic vertebrate animals and 18,000 endemic plant species.
Why are Australian animals so unique? Australia's geographic isolation in the southern hemisphere, which has earned the country the colloquialism “The Land Down Under”, has meant that much of its animals are found nowhere else.
Koalas - one of Australia's most beloved animals, thanks to their cuddly appearance and adorable nose. With their grey fur, big, fluffy ears, and large nose, koalas are not just one of the most well-known cute Australian animals, they can actually only be found (in the wild) in the country's east.
Australia is home to a wonderful (and large) cast of weird and unique critters, but the most endearing of the lot have to be the ever-smiling quokkas. Close relatives to kangaroos and wallabies, these furry plant-eaters are the only mammals native to Rottnest Island, located off the coast of Fremantle.
The Dingo is Australia's largest terrestrial carnivore, though it occasionally eats plants and fruits. They're opportunistic hunters, but will also scavenge food.
Woylie. The endangered Woylie or Brush-tailed Bettong is an extremely rare, rabbit-sized marsupial, only found in Australia.
Australia is known for many things, including swathes of tropical beaches, marine reserves, Aboriginal culture, cute koalas, rolling wine country, and lush rainforests.
Adelaide Zoo is celebrating the life of one of its most iconic and oldest residents, Australia's last sloth, Miss C the Hoffmann's Two-toed Sloth.
Australia's tiger, also known as the lost Tasmanian tiger, roamed the Australian bush almost 100 years ago before going extinct. But, thanks to modern science, Australia's 'tiger' may be resurrected now instead of remaining lost.
There are no native hoofed animals, monkeys, cats or bears (and no truly native dogs, although the dingo has apparently been here for at least 3000 years), half of our mammals are marsupials, and we are the only continent with all three of the sub-classes of mammals (see below).
The rarest animal in the world is the vaquita (Phocoena sinus). It is a kind of critically endangered porpoise that only lives in the furthest north-western corner of the Gulf of California in Mexico.
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Australian birds are arguably among the smartest in the world. Some display complex behaviours such as problem solving, learning and tool use comparable to behaviours observed in great apes.
The quokka, a small marsupial native to Australia, is one such example of a species vulnerable to extinction in the country's harsh surroundings. Known as the “happiest animal in the world” due to its cute and friendly appearance, these creatures are now only found in a few isolated forests and small islands.
Fact: Northern hairy-nosed wombat is the rarest land mammal in the world. In the past 100 years, it occurred in Queensland, Victoria, and New South Wales. At resent, it only exists in the Queensland Epping Forest National Park.
Leadbeater's possum, one of Australia's most endangered species. Australia holds an unenviable conservation status: it's the fourth-worst country in the world for species extinctions and is in the top three for critically endangered animals.
There are wild big cats in Australia
Large (sometimes black) feral dogs and dingoes, foxes and even wallabies explain some 'big cats' sightings, but not all of them. Australian big cats aren't just represented by eyewitness accounts and hazy photos, but by some pretty good photos, and also by a number of dead bodies.
Quokkas, famous for posing in selfies, are native to Rottnest Island where about 10,000 live a sheltered life free from predators or traffic. They are classified as a vulnerable species and have been almost completely wiped out on the mainland.
Canis familiaris (dingo). The dingo—Australia's only native canid—is descended from south Asian wolves. The current scientific name is Canis familiaris. Eye-catching, curious and sometimes dangerous, the dingo can be observed across Australia where they play an important role in the natural environment.
Under regulation 4W of the Customs (Prohibited Imports) Regulations 1956 (Cth), the importation into Australia of cat or dog fur is prohibited unless the importer is authorised by the Minister for Immigration and Boarder Protection.
Australia has officially become … the first country to have furry art on legal tender.