Jon Atkinson - World and Wildlife Photographer

Contact: JPA123ab@hotmail.com

COMMON WILDLIFE OF AUSTRALIA

 

Aus_Wild 1: Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Tasmania.

The eastern grey kangaroo looks much like its larger relative the red kangaroo. Eastern greys grow to a average height of 5-6 ft (1.5-1.8 m), with a weight of 135 lbs (60 kg) for the males and 72 lbs (32 kg) for the females.

Aus_Wild 2: Quokka, Rottnest Island.

The Quokka isfound in Western Australia, mainly on Rottnest Island (near Perth). They also exist in small groups on the mainland in bushland surrounding Perth. They thrive in a warm climate, living among bushland in tall grass. They create their own trails and paths for feeding and escaping predators.

Aus_Wild 3: Koala, Victoria, Australia.

Though often called the koala "bear," this cuddly animal is not a bear at all; it is a marsupial, or pouched mammal. The Koala is a small bear-like, tree-dwelling, herbivorous marsupial which averages about 9kg (20lb) in weight. Its fur is thick and usually ash grey with a tinge of brown in places.

Aus_Wild 4: Koala, Victoria, Australia.

The koala gets its name from an ancient Aboriginal word meaning "no drink" because it receives over 90% of its hydration from the Eucalyptus leaves it eats although they do occasionally drink water at the edges of streams when there is not enough moisture in the leaves. e.g. during droughts etc.

Aus_Wild 5: Tasmanian Echidna, Tasmania, Australia.

The Echidna found in Australia is the Short-beaked Echidna and along with the Duck-Billed Platypus are the only members of the monotreme family which are Mammals that lay eggs and produces milk for its young. Their diet consists of ants and termites so Echidnas are found all over Australia from the highlands to deserts to forests

Aus_Wild 6: Brush Tailed Possum, Tasmania.

Aus_Wild 7 Quokka, Rottnest Island.

Quokkas feed at night on grasses or leaves, however they can go for long periods of time without feeding or water. They are larger than a domestic cat, ranging from 70-85 cm. in height. Their hind legs are about 10 cm. long. They have long, brown fur, small faces, small, fuzzy ears, and a hairless tails.

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Aus_Wild 8 Brush Tailed Possum, Tasmania.

Brush-tailed possums are about the size of a house cats with a pointed snout, pink nose, long whiskers and large ears. They have sharp claws, which they use to climb trees and comb their fur. A nocturnal animal, it is active at night and usually spends the day sleeping.

Aus_Wild 9 Western Grey Kangaroo, Perth, Australia..

The western grey kangaroo looks much like the eastern grey kangaroo. The males grow to 6-7 ft (180-210 cm) in height, with the females being slightly smaller. Western grey kangaroos are located in the western and southern 2/3rds of Australia where they thrive in woodlands, open forests, coastal heathland, open grassland and scrubland as well as urban areas and golf courses

Aus_Wild 10 Tasmanian Devil, Tasmanian Devil Conservation Park, Taranna, Tasmania, Australia.

In May 2008, The Tasmanian devil’s status was formally upgraded to ‘endangered’. It is the world's largest surviving carnivorous marsupial. Populations of Tasmanian devils remain widespread in Tasmania from the coast to the mountains. They live in coastal heath, open dry sclerophyll forest, and mixed sclerophyll-rainforest

Aus_Wild 11 Quokka, Rottnest Island.

The name 'quokka' comes from the Aboriginal name. They used to be common in the south west Australia but are now restricted to a small area around Perth but are still common on Rottnest Island. Quokkas live in family groups led by a male. They are active at night, and gather in large social groups, often at water holes

Aus_Wild 12 Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Wilsons Promontory.

Eastern grey Kangaroos are excellent jumpers and are able to leap distances of 30 ft (9 m) in a single bound. They can obtain speeds of 30 mph and unlike most animals use up less energy the faster they go. When walking slowly, they crawl on all fours. Female eastern greys are called fliers, the young are called joeys, and the males are called boomers.

Aus_Wild 13 Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Tasmania.

Eastern grey kangaroos are found in the grasslands and open woodlands throughout most of the eastern provinces of Australia, including the island of Tasmania where they are herbivores and browse on shrubs, spinifex, and leaves.

Aus_Wild 14 Koala, Victoria, Australia.

Koalas today are found in Queensland , New South Wales , Victoria and South Australia. Thier size is larger in the southern regions. Head-body length in the south average approximately 30 in.(80 cm) for males and 28 in.(72 cm) for females. Koalas can sleep for as long as 18 hours a day and have a low-energy diet of eucalyptus leaves.

Aus_Wild 15 Koala, Victoria, Australia.

Usually, koalas produce only a single young, rarely twins are born. At birth, the young is about 19 mm in length and weighs about 0.5 g. At 7 weeks, the young has a head length of about 26 mm. The cub remains with the mother until about 12 months of age when it weighs a little over 2 kg.