Animals in Australia

Australia’s isolated position in the world means that the country has a large number of unique, native animals.  Some can be found in the wild, while others can be seen in backyards.

The Australian Magpie is a little larger than its European cousin. The magpie (or maggie, as it is affectionately known) are generally friendly creatures and are often fed by suburban households.  During mating season, however, the male becomes aggressive and will try to attack anyone unfortunate enough to get close to the nest.  If you find yourself being swooped by one of these creatures, move out of the area as quickly as possible.

The ancient crocodile is the world’s largest reptile and easily the most fearsome. Crocodile were hunted to near extinction for their skin and are now an endangered species. They can be found on the northern coast of Australia and as far inland as 100 metres. This fiercely territorial animal will drown and then consume its victim. To avoid such a fate, be very careful about where you go swimming in these areas.

The dingo is a carnivorous scavenger that can be found in all states of Australia except Tasmania. They are highly intelligent animals who are believed to be able to communicate with each other. Dingo attacks can and do occur (such as the infamous case of Azaria Chamberlain.)  Don’t ever feed dingoes and when camping, always secure your food in a lockable container.

The echidna is similar to the European hedgehog and has a long beak, like the South American anteater.  A placid creature, it ironically gets its name from the ancient Greek ‘Monster of all Monsters’, Echidna.  The echidna is a powerful climber as is one of only two egg laying mammals.

A common backyard resident is the frilled neck lizard. This lizard gets its name from the leathery frill it engages when threatened. It is a fast runner and has chameleon like qualities that enable it to hide from predators and capture food.  The frilled neck lizard is completely harmless to humans, and actually helps households by eating spiders and flies.

Australian oceans are teeming with jellyfish. Most are harmless, but the varieties found in tropical north Queensland (the blue bottle, irukandji and box jellyfish) can give painful and sometimes fatal stings. Vinegar is the best first aid remedy for jellyfish stings and can be found on most northern Queensland beaches.  Fun fact – the jellyfish is not actually a fish and marine biologists are trying to popularise the term sea jellies.

The kangaroo, the most famous Aussie icon, is a resilient animal who has survived thousands of years in the harsh Australian outback. Kangaroos are generally peaceful but will deliver a powerful kick when they feel threatened.  Kangaroo’s can be found in abundance in rural areas or heavily wooded areas.

The koala – often falsely called the koala bear – is a placid and inactive nocturnal marsupial that spends up to seventeen hours a day sitting motionless and sleeping.  Although cute and cuddly, their sharp claws and teeth can cause serious injury to humans.  Koala’s can usually be found wherever there are eucalyptus trees – this can be a problem for koalas living in suburban areas, as they are often killed by drivers.

Like the koala, the possum is another small and cute marsupial with sharp claws.  They are protected by endangerment laws and can be found in most areas of Australia, including more urban areas.  The loud hissing and mating wail of the male possum can be annoying for households close by.  They have a strong sense of smell, so tying sprigs of something pungent, such as cloves of garlic, around the outside of your house should act as a repellent.

The bizarre platypus has the body of an otter and the bill and webbed feet of a duck.  Just as bizarrely, it is a semi-aquatic mammal and the only other egg laying mammal.  The male platypus has a hollow spur on the inside of its hind legs that releases venom strong enough to kill a small dog.  This venom, while not fatal to humans, can cause excruciating pain and for this reason is a look but don’t touch animal.

Wombats are roughly the size of a pig and very solidly built. They have thick skulls and tend to head butt as a defensive mechanism. Humans who anger a wombat should seek higher ground until the animal has calmed down. They are gentle creatures by nature, though, and do not attack unless severely provoked.
Aussies love a good joke and often, the joke is at the expense of tourists. 

Locals may try to tell you about the fearsome drop bear, a koala like animal that drops from trees to attack humans, or the equally frightening hoop snake, which takes its tail in its mouth to create a hoop and rolls to catch its prey.  These animals do not exist, except in the minds of cheeky Australians.

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