Australia is well-known for its kangaroos and koalas, but delve a little deeper and you will find a whole host of unusual and interesting wildlife just waiting to be discovered on a tailor-made tour of Australia.
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Australia
Echidna
Found in: Shark Bay, Western Australia
Dugongs are marine mammals which can grow to three metres in length and weigh up to 400 kilogrammes. Very docile creatures, they drift around in family groups, surfacing only to breathe. Affectionately known as “sea cows” due to their feeding habit of grazing on sea grass, dugongs are amongst 16 endangered species which inhabit the Shark Bay World Heritage Area and Marine Park in Western Australia.
Found in: Cradle Mountain Lake St Clair National Park
Tasmania’s location, separated from the mainland by the blustery Bass Straits, has helped the survival of many species which have become, or are on the verge of, extinction in mainland Australia. One of the most fascinating creatures which continues its existence on this island is the quoll. Often referred to as native cats, eastern and spotted-tail quolls are carnivorous marsupials, distinguishable by their fawn, brown and black colourings, with small white spots covering all but their bushy tail. Last spotted on the mainland in the 1960s, these nocturnal scavengers are widespread throughout the island.
Found in: The waters around South Australia
Deriving its name from a mythical creature, the leafy sea dragon is native to the waters of southern and western Australia. Cleverly camouflaged, “Leafy” as they are popularly known, are able to change colour depending upon age, diet, location or mood. Perhaps the most amazing thing about the leafy sea dragon is that it is actually the male that gives birth.
Found on: Rottnest Island, near Perth
The quokka is a pint-sized kangaroo found only on the island of Rottnest, ten miles off Perth’s coast in Western Australia. These cute marsupial creatures were in fact thought to be large rodents when the island was discovered. The island is steeped in cultural history and is now a beautiful natural reserve, and the quokka is as important at attracting visitors as the stunning white beaches and dramatic scenery.
Found on: Kangaroo Island
Also known as "spiny anteaters", the echidna is a small mammal that is covered in spines and coarse hair. Similar in appearance to the hedgehog or porcupine, the echidna has an elongated snout which acts as both a mouth and nose. Short-beaked echidnas are very common in Australia from coastal areas to the Australian Alps. Approximately 30 to 45cm (12 to 18 in) in length and weighing between two and five kilograms, the mainland echidna is smaller than its Tasmanian counterpart.
Found in: Central & Outback Australia
Most at home in the arid desert scrub, ‘thorny devils’ can be found across the sand plains of central and western Australia. They are covered entirely by conical shaped spines which both protect them and help to collect the water that is channelled through grooves to the mouth. For food, the thorny devils feast on ants, eating up to a thousand in one sitting. Despite their ferocious spines they are hunted by bustards and goannas so their camouflage colouring and ‘false head’ on the back of their necks is essential for survival.