The climate and huge terrain of Australia are as distinctive as the animals that inhabit it. And despite Australia’s abundance of lethal and dangerous creatures, you shouldn’t worry about them because everything has been done to ensure that everyone is safe. Climate change and the effects of land clearing, which are tragically affecting life in Australia. You can help maintain the natural ecosystem not just in Australia but all over the world by identifying tiny methods to reduce climate change and global warming. Visit: https://theaussieway.com.au/9-beautiful-and-rare-species-found-only-in-australia/

1. 9 Beautiful and Rare Species Found
Only in Australia

2. The supercontinent of Gondwana split 180 million years ago. What would
become Australia and Antarctica were part of a breakaway landmass from
that breakup. Australia had completely separated by the time it travelled
north on its own 30 million years ago. Since then, modifications to the land’s
climate and physical isolation from the rest of the world have contributed to
the development of Australia’s distinctive flora and fauna. Australia is the
only place in the world where more than 80% of our flora, animals, reptiles,
and frogs can be found.
Introduction

3. More than 80% of the country’s
mammals, reptiles, and frogs, as well as
the majority of its freshwater fish and
70% of its bird species, are exclusive to
the Australian natural environment.
140 species of marsupials, such as
kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, wombats,
and the Tasmanian Devil, which is
currently only found in Tasmania, are
known as rare animals in Australia The
dingo is the largest carnivorous
mammal native to Australia and a wild
dog.

4. Curtis Stone
Waterbirds, seabirds, and birds that
live in open woodlands and forests
all abound in Australia, including
black swans, fairy penguins,
kookaburras, and lyrebirds.
Australia is home to 55 different
species of colourful parrots, as
well as a stunning array of
cockatoos, rosellas, lorikeets,
parakeets, and budgerigars.

5. The UNESCO World Heritage-listed
Great Barrier Reef, which is the biggest
coral reef system in the world, is also
located in Australia. With our Exploring
Our Ocean course, you may learn more
about marine environments.
In this article, we’ll look at 9 of the
most unique animal species that are
considered rare animals in Australia.

6. Why are Australian animals so unique?
❖ Since Australia is geographically isolated in the southern hemisphere and is known as
“The Land Down Under,” many of its animals are unique to Australia.
❖ Around 250 million years ago, the Earth consisted of simply one enormous
supercontinent called Pangaea, according to evolutionary history and fossil evidence.
❖ After around 50 million years, this supercontinent split into the continents Laurasia
and Gondwana. Monotremes and marsupials dominated the region of tropical forests
in Gondwana at the time of this split, whereas placental mammals originated in
Laurasia.
❖ After thereafter, in the Jurassic Period, 180 million years ago, the western part of
Gondwana, which comprised Africa and South America, split off from the eastern half,
which contained Madagascar, India, Australia, and Antarctica.

7. ❖ 40 million years later, India gradually broke away from Australia and Antarctica,
forming the Indian Ocean. Australia and Antarctica slowly drifted to the south,
where they were surrounded by immense oceans and cut off from the rest of the
world.
❖ The original inhabitants of the Australian landmass no longer interacted with
species from other continents, thus they continued to develop on their own.
❖ Australian native animals are distinctive from those found elsewhere in the globe
because of their distinct evolution, which has produced several odd Australian
animals.

8. Rheodytes leukops, a species of turtle from the Rheodytes genus, lives in the Fitzroy
River. The other species in that genus, Rheogytes devisi, has long since gone extinct,
leaving only them as the remaining species. In Queensland, Australia’s Fitzroy River
and its tributaries are where you can find them.
These turtles are classified as Vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List. Because of
habitat degradation, predators, and population decrease, they are classified as
Vulnerable by IUCN. These turtles are frequently attacked, along with their nests, by
foxes, pigs, and goannas.
Fitzroy River Turtle

9. Australian Southern
Cassowary This bird, which descended from
dinosaurs, has been designated as the
“most hazardous bird on Earth.” Most
human attacks in which victims are
kicked, shoved, jumped on, and
headbutted are motivated by the need
to provide food for the bird. Their 12-
centimeter middle claw functions as a
dagger and may cause significant
harm.

10. Saltwater Crocodile
It is the largest reptile in the world, with a known maximum weight of over 1000 kg,
and has the strongest bite of any species. This endangered species mostly consumes
small reptiles, turtles, fish, wading birds, wild pigs, and livestock including cattle and
horses.
Did you know? A crocodile cannot sweat, so instead, it relies on the process of
thermoregulation to control its body temperature. To avoid overheating, it will either
go into the water or lie still with jaws agape, allowing cool air to circulate over the skin
in its mouth.

11. Mistletoebird
The mistletoebird is widespread over mainland Australia and can be found wherever
mistletoe is present. It plays a significant role in the spread of this plant species. Eastern
Indonesia and Papua New Guinea also contain it.
The little Mistletoebird, often called the Australian Flowerpecker, is the sole member of
the Dicaeidae family of flowerpeckers that lives in Australia. These birds fly quickly and
erratically, alone or in couples, typically high in or above the canopy.

12. Tasmanian Devil
The Tasmanian Devil is listed as an endangered species in Australia. Their tail, where
they store fat, may hold up to 40% of their body weight per day, thus you can gauge their
health by the size of it!
At Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park, Devils Cradle, and Tasmanian Devil
Unzoo, which offers a 4WD tour on which you may follow the devil’s movements, you
can get up close and personal with these wild animals. There are other zoos and
sanctuaries all around the country.

13. Echidna
Australian Reptile Park or
Featherdale Wildlife Park in NSW;
Magnetic Island National Park;
Taronga Zoo in Sydney; Kangaroo
Island in South Australia; Australia
Zoo in NSW; Australian Reptile Park
in NSW; and Australia Zoo in NSW are
some of the top tourist destinations
throughout the country. Kookaburras
can claim large trees as their own in
all settings.
Echidnas are spiny anteaters, one of
the egg-laying mammals, and among
the most endangered species on the
planet. One of the remaining
monotreme species, the echidna has
a sharp spine like a large porcupine.
There are four species of echidnas,
including the Short-beaked Echidna
found throughout Australia in places
like the Great Western Woodlands.
Kookaburra

14. Numbat
The Numbat is an endangered small
marsupial that survives in southwest
Western Australia. Due to its small
size, the Numbat is hunted by many
animals like feral cats, foxes, dingoes
and birds of prey. Because it solely on
termites which are active by day, the
Numbat is the only diurnal (opposite of
nocturnal) marsupial.
It spends nights hiding in hollow logs or
burrows that are too narrow for its
predators to enter.

15. Pellucid Hawk Moth
The Pellucid Hawk Moth looks partly moth, partly cicada, and partly Glasswing
Butterfly. According to Australian Geographic, very few species of Lepidoptera, the
insect order which includes all butterflies and moths, have scaleless, transparent
wings.
Coloured wings can serve many functions, including communication, defence,
thermoregulation, feeding, and waterproofing.

16. The climate and huge terrain of Australia are as distinctive as the animals that
inhabit it. And despite Australia’s abundance of lethal and dangerous creatures, you
shouldn’t worry about them because everything has been done to ensure that
everyone is safe.
Climate change and the effects of land clearing, which are tragically affecting life in
Australia.
You can help maintain the natural ecosystem not just in Australia but all over the
world by identifying tiny methods to reduce climate change and global warming.
Closing Words