 |
Ibis
- a bird that was
introduced to Australia. It origins from
China, and turned to be a pest here. They
have easily adapted to the urban life and
they live on garbage cans and eating left
over or anything else. They are not very
welcomed by the Australians. |
 |
Kookaburra
- This bird is easy
found in any part of Australia, including
inside the big cities. It made a very
strong and characteristic sound that can
be heard from very far away. Normally it
is not too afraid of humans, allowing to
get as close as 1 meter before flying
away. This animal is very symbolic of
Australia. It is a big bird, about the
size of a duck. |
 |
Lorikeets
- These birds with spectacular colours
inhabit any tropical part of Australia.
They are seen in large quantities, free
and happy in the forests and often in the
urban cities. The sounds they make before
the sunset is very loud (especially when
in a large group) and sometimes annoying.
It is so loud that is impossible to make a
conversation when really close to them. |
 |
Fishing
Martin - it
is a type of gull that inhabits Australian
beaches. It lives exclusively of fish and
it has a small yellow beak. In our last 6
years travelling in different places, we
have never seen another one,
therefore we think maybe this species is
fairly rare. |
 |
Seagull
– the opposite of the bird above, this
one is very common, with large numbers in
any remote Australian beach and cities
close to thee beach. They spend the whole
day fighting for food because males are
very dominants. In the end of the day, you
can see them getting together in big
groups and finally calming down. To feed
seagulls with bread or any other food may
cause fines. |
 |
Cassowary
- it
was almost extinct, but after the effort
of the Australian department of
conservation, is recovering in numbers.
They have also established a special
reserve for them close to Cairns. The
animal is very similar to a
small ostrich or emu, having the head a
fluorescent blue. They do not have fear of
humans and may even following you in a
hike. The male are the one who looks after
the babies. |
 |
Pelicans
- The species inhabiting Australia are
considered the biggest in the world. They
are big, in reality enormous, covering all
sea side regions, including beaches and
city canals. Feeding Pelicans is also
prohibited and you could get a fine. They
are friendly and happy, even may even come
inside your house if the door is left
opened. |
 |
Ducks
– Found in large numbers in most cities
of Australia. They always mainly live as a
couple or in threes and mostly by
themselves instead of forming groups. This
happens only when they belong to the same
family. The male and the female pair do
not allow approach of other birds of the
same species. |
|

|
Tasman
Devil, next
to extinction, but has lately grown in
population. It is found in the wild in the
state of Tasmania, and has the fame of
being bad mainly because the size of their
two front tooth which are large and very
sharp, giving the animal a vampire look,
the inspiration for its name. |
 |
Kangaroo,
There are
more than 50
different species, from the small ones
such as the Wallabies, up to the Red, that
reaches 2 meters in height. They are
classified as Marsupial and they spend the
day eating sleeping and having sex. The
government of Australia liberated the
extermination of 15.000 Kangaroos in 2003
as they were in excess numbers. Kangaroos
can with only one jump cover a distance of
up to 10 meters.
|
|

|
Dingo
- The
Australian wild dog. They
live in certain areas, and can easily be
found in Fraser Island in Queensland. They
run free in beaches and around the Island,
staying together sometimes in packs.
Although they have a very friendly dog
face, attacks to tourist specially kids
have occurred many times before. They are
wild animals so keep your distance from
Dingo and never feed them.
|
|

|
Echidna
and Hedgehog– It’s like a little pig with spikes and is widely found
in Tasmania. When attacked it get shaped
into a ball. These animals are
predominantly nocturnal.
|
|

|
Koala
-
Another symbolic Australian animal is the
Koala and looks like a cuddly teddy bear.
IT can most commonly be found where the
vegetation is composed of Eucalyptus, the
koalas main food source. They spend the
day sleeping, waking up
after 3 pm to eat, poo and than later
returning to sleep. They stay awaked for
only around 5 hours per day. The reason is
Eucalypts leaves provoke a sleeping mood.
They are completely harmless, but be
careful with the sharp claws.
|
|

|
Blue
Dragonfly
– This insect is found in the forests of
Queensland, such as the Carnavon National
Park. It has a blue body, turning
fluorescent blue when feel in danger.
|
|

|
Iguanas
– Some of these reptiles can reach up to
2 meters in length, and are found
abundantly in Australia national parks,
deserts and also in places which are not
very populated at the sea side. They are
quiet and harmless, but they can become
aggressive, so don’t get too close. They
are herbivores and carnivores.
|
|

|
Mud
Crab
– existing in large quantities in the
canals, mangroves and estuaries in all of
Australia. By law forbids capturing all
females, and males sizing less than 20 cm
of length of the carapace. The maximum
amount per person is also regulated and
numbers varies from state to state.
|
|

|
Dugong
-
Spotted in some Australian waters, with the
Aborigines being the only ones authorized
to capture them. They have a tradition of
hunting these mammals as food source for
more than 40,000 years.
|
|

|
Possum-
is a nocturnal marsupial there are plenty
of them trying to steal your food when you
go camping. In Australia Possum are
welcome due the fact they have predators,
but in New Zealand, the introduction of
Possums was a disaster due lack of snakes
and some other Possum's predators. |
 |
Platypus-
The British when first saw this animal
for the first time tough it was an
assembly of many animals. It is a mammal
with a duck bill that put eggs and have
hairs. Found in creeks, rivers and water
dams. The best time to spot one is around
the sunrise and just before the sunset. It
is advised not to hold a Platypus because
it have a sharp sting under his
tail. |