THE 20 MOST IMPORTANT ANIMALS OF AUSTRALIA - BIOLOGY - 2025

Many Australian animals are only found there, so they are endemic to that country. It is one of the few regions that has all three groups of mammals: marsupials, monotremes, and placentals.

It is also home to more than 800 species of birds, including the popular emu. Australia has two species of crocodiles, 4,000 species of fish, and 50 types of aquatic mammals.

Cassowary

Australia is a very large country with different animal habitats: deserts, forests, corals, swamps, mountains and savannas are home to many different animals.

This area is an island, so it is surrounded by water and isolated from the world. As a result the animals evolved on their own and could not spread to other regions.

The 20 main animals of Australia

1- Macrotis

Macrotis are small marsupials that are adapted to survive in a desert environment.

They have strong legs and claws to dig for food. Their long tongues help them search for seeds and insects for food.

2- Black swan

Black swans are graceful birds with black feathers and bright red beaks. These birds inhabit the swamps throughout Australia.

They feed on plants and algae, and use their long necks to find food.

3- Marine toad or cane toad

These amphibians secrete venom from the back of their ears as a form of defense against predators.

The sea toad is an invasive species in Australia and has spread rapidly in the country since its introduction in the 1940s.

These animals pose a threat to many native Australian animals, as they become ill after consuming the toads.

4- Cassowaries

They are large birds that cannot fly. The species called southern cassowary is found only in Australia.

These birds run very fast and can also use their powerful legs and claws as weapons.

5- Dingo

The dingo is a wild dog that lives in the desert, grasslands and forests of Australia. It is a subspecies of the gray wolf.

Dingoes play an important role in Australian indigenous culture and appear in many tales and ceremonies.

Drawings of this animal have been found in aboriginal caves from hundreds of years ago.

6- Kangaroo

There are more than 30 million of these marsupials in Australia. These animals are characterized by jumping instead of walking, and their legs and tail are developed specifically for this purpose.

Marsupials are "bag mammals." When babies are born, they jump into special bags that are on their mothers' bodies.

There they continue to develop for more months until they are able to jump on their own.

7- Tachiglosides or echidnas

They are members of a strange group of animals called monotremes; monotremes are mammals that lay eggs.

Echidnas are similar to pig-thorn trees. The diet of echidnas consists of ants and termites.

8- Dugong

It is also known as a dudong and is related to manatees.

The dugong has a particular snout that is directed towards the ground; This is an adaptation that makes it possible for them to feed on seagrass beds.

Dugongs can live up to 70 years. In the past they have been hunted for their meat and oil.

9- Crocodiles

Two types of crocodiles can be found in Australia: the freshwater and the saltwater. Both species are dangerous, with strong jaws and pointed teeth.

Crocodiles ambush to catch their prey: they wait until the prey approaches to attack them with great speed and great power. Saltwater crocodiles are the largest reptiles.

10- Inland Taipan (ferocious snake)

This snake is the most poisonous in the world. Fortunately, it is only found in uninhabited regions and is not aggressive in nature.

11- Emu

They are large birds that cannot fly but can run at high speeds thanks to their long legs.

Emus use their sharp claws and webbed feet to defend themselves against their attackers.

12- Great White Shark

It is one of the largest predators in the ocean, as it can reach 6 meters in length. These sharks hunt seals, sea turtles, fish, and sea birds.

On some occasions white sharks have approached the coast and attacked people.

13- King's Chlamydosaurus

They are lizards that mainly inhabit the northern tropics of Australia. They are characterized by having large ruffs around their necks, which open when the lizard feels threatened.

This bright and colorful collar is connected to its jaw and is designed to scare away predators.

14- Koala

The koala is a very recognizable animal as it has a large nose, fluffy ears, and soft, gray fur.

These marsupials spend most of their lives sleeping and digesting eucalyptus leaves. Koalas sleep around 20 hours a day to conserve energy.

15- Marsupial anthill (numbat)

It is a small animal that looks like a cross between a rat and a cat. The numbat has a streaked yellowish-red fur on its back and a furry tail.

These creatures use their pointed snouts to search for termites on the ground, which they collect with their long tongues.

16- Platypus

This strange animal has the beak of a duck, the tail of a beaver and the feet of an otter. The platypus is a mammal, but it lays eggs instead of giving birth to its young.

These animals have a waterproof coat that allows them to spend most of their time in the water.

17- Falanguero or opossum

There are many types of falangueros in Australia. These small to medium-sized marsupials are nocturnal and live around trees.

The western pygmy falanguero is the smallest tlacuche in the world: its body measures only 6.5 centimeters.

But the brush-tailed falanguero is the largest, as it can be the size of a house cat.

18- Tasmanian Devil

It is a carnivorous marsupial that makes a distinctive sound when feeding; hence its name.

This animal is threatened by a disease that affects 80% of its members, so it is in danger of extinction. This creature is endemic to the island of Tasmania.

19- Dacelo

This bird is distinguished by making a sound identical to that of a human laugh.

Dacelos or kookaburras have long white and brown beaks and feathers, with blue speckles on their wings.

20- Australian badger

This marsupial has strong claws and teeth similar to the teeth of rats; these badgers are adapted to burrowing.

Her pouch even flips forward to prevent dirt from getting into her young's eyes.

Australian badgers are nocturnal and take shelter in their burrows when the sun makes the weather very hot. It is more common to observe them on cloudy and cool days.

References

1. Australian animal list. Recovered from activewild.com
2. Australia's animals. Recovered from australia.com
3. Peramelidae. Recovered from wikipedia.org
4. Australian animals. Recovered from panique.com.au
5. Australia. Recovered from britannica.com