How many marsupials are there in australia. Animals of Australia: a list. Marsupials of Australia. Small marsupials

Australia is home to nearly 10% of the Earth's biodiversity, making it one of only 17 countries in the world with exceptionally rich flora and fauna. About 80% of the animal species found in Australia are endemic and found nowhere else in the world.

The marine life of the continent is as diverse as the land life - near the northeastern coast of Australia, it is the largest on the planet coral reef(over 344,000 sq. km), as well as a huge variety of mangrove and seaweed species. These habitats are home to a variety of fish and iconic species. marine fauna such as dugongs and sea turtles.

However, climate change, habitat fragmentation for development Agriculture, as well as invasive species put the animal in a threatening position. Local environmental organizations together with the community and indigenous peoples, direct all their efforts to develop and implement conservation strategies unique fauna continent.

This article provides a grouped list of some of Australia's amazing animals.

mammals

Australian echidna

The Australian echidna is one of four living echidna species and the only member of the genus Tachyglossus. Her body is covered with fur and thorns. The echidna has a long snout and a specialized tongue that it uses to catch insects on high speed. Like other modern single-pass, Australian echidna lays eggs; monotremes are the only group of mammals that are born in this way.

The Australian echidna has extremely strong forelimbs and claws that allow it to quickly burrow underground. Their spines do not serve as a weapon, but predators can be scared away. Echidna, if necessary, is able to swim.

Asian buffalo

The Asian buffalo appeared in Australia in the 19th century and spread throughout the northern part of the mainland. These are large animals that prefer to live near water bodies where the water is stagnant or with slow flow. These are herbivores aquatic plants make up 70% of their diet. The horns of males are larger than those of females and have a length of up to 2 m. Buffaloes can reach about 2 meters at the withers, 3 meters in length and weigh 1200 kg. These introduced animals have adapted so well to Australian environment habitats that they cause significant damage to the local ecosystem. The life span of an Asian buffalo is about 25 years.

Camel

Camels were introduced to Australia in the 19th century and have adapted well to its climatic conditions. On the this moment, the population of camels is more than 50 thousand individuals.

The average life expectancy of a camel ranges from 40 to 50 years. Adult individuals at the withers reach a height of 1.85 meters, and on the hump - 2.15 meters. Camels can reach speeds of up to 65 km/h. Their humps are filled with adipose tissue, which is distributed throughout the body and helps the animal survive in a hot climate. These animals have a number physiological adaptations thanks to which they can do without water for a long time.

Of the two species of camels, Australia is home to camels or dromedaries.

Dingo

The dingo is an Australian wild dog. It is the largest carnivore in Australia. It is called a wild dog, but it is a semi-domesticated animal from South Asia, subspecies gray wolf. There is some controversy as to whether the dingo is native to the continent or not. The reason can be considered the fact that, unlike other Australian animals that have existed on the continent for millions of years, the dingo arrived in Australia about 4000 years ago.

Although they have been domesticated by the Australian Aborigines from time to time, dingoes have remained wild animals. The height at the withers is about 60 cm, and the weight is up to 25 kg. They have a stronger skull with larger teeth than domesticated dogs. The color of the coat depends on the habitat and varies from red to white. The dingo usually lives on its own or in a small family group. It eats just about anything it can find, from kangaroos and wallabies to rats, mice, frogs, lizards, and even fruit. The dingo does not bark, it squeals and howls like a wolf, especially at night to communicate and protect territory. The dingo can be found anywhere in Australia, as long as there is access to drinking water.

Kangaroo

Most big representative family kangaroos can reach a mass of about 90 kg and a body length of 1.3 meters. They have a short coat that varies from orange-brown to gray or dark brown. Sexual dimorphism is pronounced, males are larger than females. Being marsupials, females have a pouch on abdominal cavity in which they carry their young. Most hallmark Kangaroos are characterized by their upright body posture, thanks to two disproportionately large hind limbs, small forelimbs, and a large thick tail. Kangaroo can live from 6 to 27 years. Surprisingly, but most their life, these marsupials spend in dry arid regions, but they are also good swimmers. Kangaroos live and move in small social groups.

The quokka is one of the smallest members of the kangaroo family. They have: thick and hard grey-brown fur; short, rounded and fluffy ears; a long tail(24-31 cm); shorter hind limbs than other kangaroos. The body weight is 2.7-4.2 kg, and the body length is 40-54 cm. They are herbivores and feed on grass, leaves, bark and various plants.

Koala

Plush, stocky, canopy-dwelling herbivore eucalyptus trees. Koalas have gray fur, a large black nose and large fluffy ears. With the help of sharp claws, she clings to branches. This animal spends almost all its life in trees and descends to the ground to move from one tree to another.

The diet consists mainly of eucalyptus leaves. These leaves are highly poisonous, difficult to digest, and very low in nutrients for most other animals. The koala gets all the moisture it needs from the leaves and rarely drinks water.

flying foxes

Flying foxes are very thin skin with wings that enable them to fly. They hunt insects at night and use their ears as a radar to find their prey. When resting, these mammals lie upside down and wrap their body around their wings. Any place where it is warm and humid is suitable for recreation.

The flying fox is one of two placental mammals found in Australia. They migrated to the continent from neighboring islands.

Nambat

Nambat or marsupial anteater is a small marsupial mammal. These are territorial and solitary animals that are active only during daylight hours.

The marsupial anteater weighs between 400 and 700 grams and has a body length of 20-27 cm. It has a reddish-brown head, shoulders and top part body, which gradually turns black with white stripes on the back. The tail is silver gray and fluffy, about 17 cm long. The muzzle is pointed, with an elongated sticky tongue. Unlike other anteaters that feed on termites, the marsupial anteater does not have powerful claws.

red fox

Foxes are omnivorous placental mammals from the canine family, which also includes wolves, coyotes, and domestic dogs. They are native to Europe, North America and Asia.

To Australia red foxes were introduced in 1855 by European settlers.

marsupial mice

Marsupial mice are very similar to ordinary mice, but with a long, pointed nose. Most active at night. The body length is up to 120 mm, and the weight is up to 170 g. The hair on the head is gray, and the sides, stomach and legs are orange. Marsupials feed on insects, flowers, and nectar, but may also eat small birds and mice. They are found mainly along east coast Australia.

Insects

Danaida monarch

Butterfly danaid monarch is quite common in the cities of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria (rarely), South Australia. There is no information about these butterflies on the mainland before 1871.

The color of the wings includes dark stripes (veins) on an orange background and white spots along the edges. The wingspan is from 8.9 to 10.2 cm. Sexual dimorphism is pronounced, females are smaller than males and have a darker color.

Red fire ant

This ant is native to South America. This insect accidentally appeared in Australia in 2001.

The red fire ant is a dangerous insect species that has a strong sting and toxic venom that can kill an allergic person. The body size of red fire ants varies from 2 to 4 mm. Males are black in color and females are reddish brown. They can live in various environments.

Fleas

Fleas are blood-sucking insects that are often carriers of various diseases for humans and animals. The body length varies between 1-5 mm and depends on the species. Their body is flattened on the sides, thanks to which they can move freely in the wool and feathers of their owners, and the bristles and forceps do not allow them to fall.

In Australia, there are fleas from various families, namely: Lycopsyllidae, Macropsyllidae, Pulicidae, Pygiopsyllidae, Stephanocircidae, Stivaliidae.

reptiles

giant lizards

Giant lizards come in a variety of sizes and colors, but they all have distinctive blue tongues that serve as a defense mechanism. When threatened, the lizard sticks out its tongue and hisses loudly to scare away predators. Usually this is enough for the predator to think that it is dangerous. In fact, it is completely harmless.

crocodiles

There are two types of crocodiles in Australia: the Australian narrow-nosed crocodile(freshwater) and combed crocodile (marine).

The combed crocodile is the largest modern member of the reptile class and is found in northern regions Australia and throughout Asia. It can swim long distances, but prefers warm climates. Despite the fact that it is adapted for life in sea ​​water, combed crocodile lives in coastal areas and rivers. Salted crocodile can grow up to 7 meters in length and weigh more than 1 ton. It has a large head and many sharp teeth. Crocodiles eat fish, turtles, birds and other animals. They are not afraid of people and will gladly eat you for dinner if you are stupid enough to approach them. In fact, in the last 20 years, only 12 people have been eaten by these crocodiles.

The Australian narrow-nosed crocodile is a relatively small species of crocodiles, with a body length of 2.3-3 m, and a weight of 40-70 kg. These reptiles are quite shy, and also have a narrower snout and smaller teeth than the combed crocodile. Their diet consists of fish, mammals, amphibians and fish. The Australian narrow-nosed crocodile is considered safe for humans, but if it feels threatened, it can cause serious damage.

frilled lizard

Frilled lizard lives in northern Australia. She has a prominent skin fold around her neck, resembling a collar. When frightened, it stands on its hind limbs and opens its mouth wide, while its collar looks like an open umbrella. If such a defense does not frighten the attacker, the lizard turns its tail and runs away at high speed. Although it is harmless, it can bite if there is a reason for it.

The body length is about a meter in length, and the weight is 0.5 kg. Males and females look the same, but the males are slightly larger. The frilled lizard uses a collar to regulate its body temperature. The life span of this species is about 20 years.

black snake

black snake - poisonous snake medium-sized from eastern Australia, but its venom does not pose a threat to human life. It got its name from the black color of the upper body. On the sides, the color is bright red or crimson, and Bottom part bodies are noticeably lighter. The total body length is 1.5-2 m. The black snake prefers night image life. Its diet consists of frogs, lizards, snakes, insects and other invertebrates.

Amphibians

Toad-yeah

The aga toad was introduced to Australia in 1935 to protect sugar cane in Queensland from pests. However, these amphibians turned out to be ineffective against pests and spread almost throughout the entire continent, and also became a serious threat to the biological diversity of the mainland.

The toad-aga is poisonous and is considered one of the largest toads, reaching a weight of more than a kilogram and a body length of 24 cm, while males are slightly smaller than females.

Birds

gouldian finches

Gouldian finches have a body length of about 13 cm. The color of the back is green, the neck is colored, the feathers on the chest are purple, and the belly is yellow. While there is only one species of this bird, there are three color variations of their head: black (75% of the population), red (25%), and yellow - extremely rare. Males are more brightly colored than females. Gouldian finches live for about 5 years in wild nature.

helmeted cassowary

The helmeted cassowary is the second largest bird in the world, after the ostrich. It is also the most dangerous bird on the planet. If he feels threatened, he will attack with powerful legs equipped with sharp claws. The helmeted cassowary is a solitary animal that lives in tropical forests northern Queensland. Only 1200 individuals remain in the wild and the species is endangered.

The cassowary can grow up to almost 2 meters and weigh up to 60 kilograms. Males and females are very similar in appearance. They have long blue and purple plumage. The cassowary has dangling wattles around its neck and growths on its head. The color of the head and neck may change depending on the mood of the bird. The exact nature of these colorations and their meaning has not yet been studied.

Cassowaries are quite flexible and fast, capable of accelerating up to 50 km / h even in dense forests, jumping to a height of up to 2 meters and even swimming. Life expectancy in the wild is about 40 years, and in captivity up to 60 years.

Cockatoo

The cockatoo is a very large parrot that is widely distributed in Australia. It can grow up to 38 cm in length. The cockatoo is mostly white, but there are some species with pink or black plumage. They have long feathers on their heads. Their beaks are very strong, large and curved, and are used for crushing nuts and seeds. They also eat roots and larvae. Life expectancy is up to 50 years. Some individuals are able to speak, but this is not connected speech, but only a few memorized words.

kookaburra

There are two types of kookaburra in Australia: the blue-winged kookaburra and the laughing kookaburra. Kookaburra is a stocky and carnivorous bird, with big head long beak, up to 45 cm in length and weighing up to 0.5 kg. Their diet consists of: small reptiles, insects, small rodents and birds, and freshwater crustaceans.

Black Swan

The black swan is Australia's largest aquatic bird. As the name implies, this swan has black plumage. It was once thought that all swans were white and the Western world was shocked when these birds were first discovered. Its beak is red, with a white spot at the tip. Body length varies between 110-142 cm, and weight - 3.7-9 kg. The wingspan is 1.6 to 2 m. Males and females are similar in appearance, however males are slightly larger and their beaks are longer and more even. Life expectancy is up to 40 years.

Emu

Emus are large flightless birds with strong, powerful legs and three toes on each foot. They have small wings and a body covered with greyish-brown feathers. Emus have bluish skin on their heads and necks. The weight is 30-45 kg, and the length is from 1.6 to 1.9 m. They can reach a speed of 48 km / h.

Emus live in small groups, but can form flocks of thousands when migrating. They are omnivorous and eat leaves, fruits, flowers as well as insects.

Fish

Australian bull shark

Lives in the Pacific and Indian Oceans, off the coast of Australia, at a depth of no more than 275 m. It can grow to a body length of 1.67 m. The head of this shark is large and obtuse, with a convex forehead. There are brown stripes on the body. It is a migratory species, traveling south in summer and returning north in winter to breed.

drop fish

The blobfish, which lives at depths of more than 1,000 meters off the ocean coast of Australia, has been voted the ugliest animal in the world. Because of great depths on which it lives, no person has ever observed this fish in its natural habitat. All knowledge about her is based solely on a few dead fish caught in fishing nets and one rare underwater photo.

Drop fish survive in icy water, without sunlight and with water pressure that is 100 times greater than on land. This pressure is so great that it can crush even the most powerful modern submarine. Under such pressure, a person will instantly turn into mush.

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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 animal world australia with your smile. The corners of the quokka's mouth are turned up. The front teeth stick out a little. It seems like you are looking at big 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 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, remained on only two islands off west coast 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 big 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 have an absurdly large head. This increases the bite force per unit of body mass. 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.

The Tasmanian Devil gets 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 subdivided 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. The strength of the hind legs of a single pass is not enough to “plough” 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. A long tongue protrudes from the mouth. 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 announced state of emergency when the hordes bats landed on Batman's Bay. This is resort town countries. 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 are 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 natural areas 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, 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 serves as 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. Another distinguishing feature is the blue plumage.

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 south pole. It is a 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 its 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. Animal eat others 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 the southern continent, the animal world of which is special compared to the fauna of other continents. Among the animals of Australia, one cannot find monkeys, ruminants and thick-skinned mammals. Only in Australia can you find marsupial mammals that have a special fold of skin called a pouch, in which nipples are located for feeding babies. Being born very small, marsupial cubs immediately move into this bag, and grow under its protection until they reach the size and level of development of physiology that allow them to start an independent life.

Let's see photos and descriptions of Australian animals.

One of the cutest and most unusual animals in Australia is the platypus.

The appearance of the platypus lives up to its name - it is a beaver-like mammal with a duck-like nose. When in the 18th century the first news about an outlandish animal from distant Australia came to Europe, the learned world did not believe in the existence of such an animal and accused the discoverers of cheating.

Platypuses, like reptiles, lay eggs. But the babies of the female platypus are fed with milk.

One of the symbols of Australia is the kangaroo.

A kangaroo will surprise a European very much if he sees it for the first time. Most likely, a European will think that he has an artificially created mutant in front of him, consisting of parts of several animals. The head of a kangaroo is similar to the head of a roe deer or deer, while the ears are long like those of a donkey. The paws are similar to the paws of a hare, only proportionately larger.

In fact, kangaroo is the name of a group of animals, there are several types of kangaroos of different sizes. Moreover, it is customary to call large animals - kangaroos, and small ones - wallabies.

The next unusual animal representative of Australia is the koala.

Scientifically, in Latin, the koala is called Phascolarctos cinereu, which translates into Russian as "ashy marsupial bear". The koala is really outwardly very similar to a bear, but from the point of view of biological classification, it has nothing to do with bears.

The closest relatives of koalas are wombats, which also live in Australia, and which we will talk about a little later.

Koalas are found throughout Australia from the colder south to the warmer north. Living closer to Antarctica, the koalas of southern Australia have thicker and warmer fur, which corresponds to a cooler climate. Koalas in the warmer northern parts of Australia have lighter fur and are brown in color.

The only food for koalas is eucalyptus leaves. But it should be remembered that this plant is toxic, while koalas have the ability to digest eucalyptus poison.

Koalas practically do not drink water, as the leaves contain enough moisture. They prefer young succulent leaves as they are softer and juicier. 90% of the water needs of koalas are met by leaves.

Koalas have big noses and they need them to recognize safe eucalyptus shoots.

emu bird

Emu is depicted on the coat of arms of the state and is often minted on various coins. Hundreds of places are named after the emu, and this bird is often the heroine of Aboriginal myths.

He looks like either a huge hamster or a small bear. This cute animal of Australia does not live on any other continent.

Wombats dig holes, and not just holes, but entire underground dwellings with rooms and passages. Their brains are larger than other marsupials, so they can plan a labyrinth of underground utilities very well. Length underground passages wombat can reach 30 meters.

In the wild, the wombat is nocturnal. Getting out of their hiding place at night, they eat and in the morning they return to their underground kingdom.

This underground hamster weighs up to 40 kilograms, body length reaches 120 centimeters.

There is one very special point in the structure of the back of the wombat. She is simply armored, if the wombat hides in a mink, then the predator will not be able to bite through his ass.

The Tasmanian devil is a stocky predator with a very stern disposition. Although the size of the Tasmanian devil is comparable to the size of a small dog, it is more like a tiny bear. The size of a large male Tasmanian devil reaches a maximum of 12 kilograms.

Now Tasmanian devils can only be found on the island of Tasmania, although they used to live on the mainland.

The Tasmanian devils had few enemies, they could become the prey of the marsupial wolf, which people exterminated by 1936. Their main enemy is humans and viruses, they are very susceptible to the DFTD virus.

Now the Tasmanian devil is threatened by dingo dogs, the young Tasmanian devil can be killed by the speckled marsupial marten. In 2001, foxes appeared on the island of Tasmania, which also compete with them.

Speckled marsupial marten

Australia's next animal is the speckled marsupial marten or quoll, a cat-sized predator. This is one of the species of spotted marsupial martens, also called quoll.

Like the Tasmanian devils, the quolls have now disappeared from Australia and have remained in Tasmania.

In nature, the speckled marsupial marten competes with the Tasmanian devil, feral cats and dogs. Recently, the fox has been added to these animals.

The quoll is currently listed as Near Threatened.

Kiwi bird

Another unique inhabitant of the Australian region, more precisely New Zealand, is the kiwi bird.

Looking at a photo of a kiwi bird, you might think that this is not a bird, but a bun on paws and in wool. The kiwi bird has practically no wings, and the feathers are very similar to wool.

The kiwi bird is looking for food.

These birds are record holders for life expectancy, they can live up to 60 years.

The wedge-tailed eagle lives on the mainland itself, as well as on the islands of Tasmania and New Guinea. This is large view an eagle with a wingspan of up to 2.3 meters.

Wedge-tailed eagle in flight.

It hunts mainly on small animals, but can also feed on carrion. Very rarely attacks calves or young kangaroos.

Marsupials ( Marsupialia) are a group (infraclass) of mammals. Like most other mammalian species, they give birth to live young, but only at an early stage of development. In some species, such as bandicoots ( Peramelemorphia), the gestation period is as short as 12 days. Newborn baby marsupials crawl over the mother's body into a bag located on her stomach. Once inside the pouch, the baby attaches itself to the mother's nipple and feeds on milk until it is large enough to live in the outside world.

While large marsupials tend to give birth to a single young, smaller species are more likely to produce large litters.

Marsupials were common in many areas during and outnumbered placental mammals. Today, the only living representative of marsupials in North America is a possum.

Marsupials first appear in the record from during the Late Paleocene. They later appear in the fossil record from during the Oligocene, where they diversified during the early Miocene. The first large marsupials appeared during the Pliocene.

Distribution map modern marsupials/Wikipedia

Today marsupials remain one of the dominant groups of mammals in South America and Australia. In Australia, the lack of competition has led marsupials to be able to diversify and specialize. Today the continent is inhabited by insectivorous marsupials, carnivorous marsupials, and herbivorous marsupials. Most South American marsupials are small in size and are tree image animals.

The reproductive tract of female marsupials differs from placental mammals. They have two vaginas and two uteri, while placental mammals have one uterus and one vagina. Distinctive features Male marsupials also have genital organs - they have a bifurcated penis. The brain of marsupials is also unique, it is smaller than that of placental mammals, there is no corpus callosum and nerve pathways that connect the two hemispheres of the brain.

Marsupials are very diverse in appearance. Many species have long hind legs and elongated snouts. Most small view marsupials is the northern marsupial and the largest is the red kangaroo. To date, there are about 334 species of marsupial mammals, of which 70% of the species are found on the Australian continent (including Tasmania, New Guinea and nearby islands). The remaining 100 species are found in the Americas - mostly in South America, thirteen in Central America and one in North America, north of Mexico.

Classification

Marsupials are classified in the following taxonomic hierarchy:

⇒ ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ ⇒ Marsupials

Marsupials are divided into two modern superorders and seven orders:

• Superorder American marsupials ( Ameridelphia) - there are about 100 species of marsupials living today. The American marsupials are the older of the two modern groups, which means that the members of this group migrated to Australia and diversified. Superorder Ameridelphia subdivided into the following two divisions:
  • Possum Squad ( Didelphimorphia);
  • Caenoleste detachment ( Paucituberculata).

• Superorder Australian marsupials ( Australidelphia) - there are more than 200 species of Australian marsupials living today. Members of this group include the Tasmanian devils, marsupial anteaters, bandicoots, wombats, marsupial moles, pygmy opossums, koalas, kangaroos, wallabies and many other species. Australian marsupials are divided into five orders:
  • Detachment Microbiota ( Microbiotheria), found in South America;
  • Squad Marsupial moles ( Notoryctemorphia);
  • Order Predatory marsupials ( Dasyuromorphia);
  • Bandicoot Squad ( Peramelemorphia);
  • Detachment Dicissus marsupials ( Diprotodontia), includes most modern species marsupials.

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Everyone knows that Australia is the world of marsupial mammals. On the smallest continent of the planet, there is simply an amazing variety of these animals. In addition to the well-known kangaroos and koalas, couscous, wombats, marsupial martens, jerboas, rats, mice, anteaters, moles and even wolves. Marsupials also live in regions adjacent to Australia - on the islands of New Guinea. But marsupials, although not in such abundance, are also found on the American continent.

As paleontological studies show, even during the Mesozoic, marsupials lived almost everywhere the globe. Marsupials and other primitive mammals (oviparous) represented at that time the pinnacle of the evolution of the terrestrial animal world. But over time, more developed mammals began to appear - placental animals, which, as scientists believe, replaced marsupials from all continents except Australia and South America, about 20 million years ago. Australia by the time placental mammals appeared was already isolated from the rest of the world, so its animal world remained practically unchanged. But the fate of the marsupials of South America is quite interesting. Here they lived all over the continent by the time the connection between North and South America arose. And it happened about 12 million years ago. North American species began to penetrate into South America, and almost all marsupials, unable to withstand competition with them, disappeared. Only opossums and coenolests remained here.

In the photo: virginian opossum (cubs love to ride on their mother's back)

Possums not only survived, but also populated vast areas of North America, where they thrive to this day. The Virginian opossum, common in North America, is a rather cute animal, the size of domestic cat. It lives along the west and east coasts to the Canadian border. Opossums are excellent tree climbers and are predominantly nocturnal. They eat a very diverse diet: from fruits, berries and nuts to small insects, frogs and snakes. These animals do not miss the opportunity to delve into the garbage if they live near human habitation. But the endurance and vitality of the Virginian opossums is beyond praise. They are resistant to poison rattlesnake and some other snakes of the American continent, have excellent immunity and are not susceptible to many diseases, including rabies.

In the photo: a rat-like opossum, a representative of the coenolest

In addition to possums, another marsupial lives in the New World, representatives of the coenolest family, but they are common only in South America, in the Andes. Caenolestovye, they are also called rat-like opossums, outwardly resemble mice or shrews. They live in mountain forests no higher than 4,000 meters. These animals are also active at night, and according to the type of food they belong to insectivorous animals. They are not as numerous as opossums.

So, it turns out that their distant relatives live thousands of kilometers from Australia. And opossums are not only preserved, but also actively expanding their range, moving further and further north.