[See also virtual wildlife tour]

Australia’s isolation has had a pronounced effect on the evolution of its animals as compared to the rest of the world. The sheer age of the land mass and its division by sea from other continents allowed Nature to have her way, independent of what was happening elsewhere. Consequently, Australian wildlife took on a unique character that prospered until the arrival of the white man and the onset of the technological age. The very good example of this are the Australian mammals.

A. UNIQUE AUSTRALIAN MAMMALS

Mammals are warm-blooded and furred, and almost all give birth to their young alive and suckle them. There are three groups in the mammal family: a) monotremes b) marsupials and c) placentals. For the rest of the world, it is the placental group of mammals (eg. dogs, cats, cows, [Australian dingo], humans) which is the most commonly found.

(1) MARSUPIALS. In Australia, it is the marsupial group of mammals which is most commonly found. Young marsupials are born not fully developed, and so are kept securely in a pouch until they are strong enough to move around independently. Good examples of Australian marsupials are [kangaroos], [possums], and [wallabies].

	Learn more. Checkout this video from Panorama Australia !
	Title: Land of Island Treasures - South Australia's Kangaroo Island
	Special discount of 10% from Panorama Australia for visitors from UpFromAustralia.com. Just e-mail sjacobe@ozemail.com.au after purchasing that you came via UpFromAustralia !

Australia has carnivorous (i.e. meat eating) marsupials that cannot be categorized as “cats” or “wolves”. White settlers were totally confused when they were first seen. Examples include the [Tasmanian devil] and the now extinct [Tasmanian tiger or Thylacine].

The herbivores (i.e. plant eating) marsupials abound and represent the cuddly postcard images of Australian wildlife. Examples are the shy, tree-dwelling [koala], the [wombat] and the many varieties of [possum] such as the ringtail and the sugar glider.

But undoubtedly, the best known are the macropods or hopping marsupials such as the [kangaroo], [wallaby], wallaroo and kangaroo rat. The familiar kangaroo profile is the greatest Australian symbol of them all.

(2) MONOTREMES. Monotremes are the most exotic type of mammals. Rather than give birth to live young, they lay eggs. However, they do suckle their young and display many other mammalian traits. The amphibious duck billed [platypus] is a monotreme, as is the [echidna] also known as the spiny anteater.

B. AUSTRALIAN REPTILES

Reptiles figure prominently in Aboriginal legend and diet, but the whiteman do not hold them in good regard, especially the really poisonous Australian snakes such as the [taipan], tiger snake, death adder and brown snake. Non-venomous varieties such as the carpet snake and the green tree snake are plentiful.

Lizards ranging from the tiniest of skinks to [goannas] more than 2 metres (6 ft) long proliferate in Australia. The most exotic is the frill-necked lizard, which has a frock of skin around its neck erected into a broad collar when confronted with danger. It should not be confused with the bearded dragon, named for its mane of prickly spines. Many city dwellers welcome the presence of the blue-tongued lizard in their gardens. It hunts snails and insects, and while it is not as faithful as a dog, it is cheaper to keep! At the other extreme, there is the very dangerous [saltwater crocodile] which kills many more humans each year than sharks. [see Dangerous Aussies]

C. AUSTRALIAN BIRDLIFE

Australia’s early explorers were almost as intrigued by the strange birdlife as they were by kangaroos and koalas. Here was a land where the swans were black [see Black Swan - symbol of city of Perth] instead of white, where a relative of the kingfisher that the Aboriginals knew as the [kookaburra] pealed off a manic laugh, and where the huge flightless [emu] could almost outrun a horse. There were te elegant magpies who would signal the start of the day with their peculiar call. Then there were the strutting [lyrebird] with their silver tails, exotic mating dances and an ability to mimic the sound of other animals, including human beings!

D. AUSTRALIAN SEALIFE

The [Great Barrier Reef] is a natural wonderland blessed with numerous fish, shell and polyp species peculiar to Australian waters. But one does not have to go snorkeling in the Reef to sample coastal wildlife. A scramble over to any coastal rock platform will reveal shellfish, starfish, anemones, crabs and even the occasional octopus. Australia’s seas do harbour some very, very dangerous sea wildlife such as the [Great White Pointer shark], the box jellyfish and the blue-ringed octopus.

	Learn more. Checkout this video from Panorama Australia !
	Title: Australia's Unique Wildlife - Filmed at Cleland Wildlife Park
	Special discount of 10% from Panorama Australia for visitors from UpFromAustralia.com. Just e-mail sjacobe@ozemail.com.au after purchasing that you came via UpFromAustralia !