Australian Animals

Australia is a country blessed with an abundance of wildlife, be it their birds, reptiles, or larger mammals. A specific set of mammals that carry their young in a pouch within their body, known as marsupials, are mostly natives of the land down under. Kangaroo, koala, wombat, wallaby, and potoroo are some of the best-known examples.

Many animals have also gone extinct as a result of increasing human settlement in Australia. Some examples are the Tasmanian tiger, paradise parrot, and pig-footed bandicoot. Nonetheless, the country is home to a variety of wildlife, as listed below:

Australian animals list

Mammals

• Whale (Minke, Sei, Pygmy Bryde’s, Omura’s, Blue, Fin, Humpback, Pygmy killer, Short-finned pilot, Long-finned pilot, Melon-headed, False killer, Pygmy sperm, Dwarf sperm, Pygmy right, Sperm, Arnoux’s beaked, Southern bottlenose, Longman’s beaked, Andrews’ beaked, Blainville’s beaked, Ginkgo-toothed beaked, Gray’s beaked, Hector’s beaked, Strap-toothed, True’s beaked, Shepherd’s beaked, Cuvier’s beaked, Killer)
• Dolphin (Short-beaked common, Risso’s, Fraser’s, Hourglass, Dusky, Southern right whale, Irrawaddy, Australian snubfin, Indo-Pacific hump-backed, Pantropical spotted, Striped, Spinner, Rough-toothed, Indo-Pacific bottlenose, Burrunan, Bottlenose)
• Seal (New Zealand fur, Australian fur, Antarctic fur, Subantarctic fur, Australian sea lion, New Zealand sea lion, Leopard, Weddell, Crabeater, Southern elephant, Ross)
• Antechinus (Tropical, Agile, Fawn, Yellow-footed, Atherton, Cinnamon, Swamp, Brown, Subtropical, Dusky, Sandstone false, Fat-tailed false, Alexandria false, Ningbing false, Rory Cooper’s false, Woolley’s false)
• Mulgara (Crest-tailed, Brush-tailed)
• Quoll (Western, Northern, Tiger, Eastern)
• Ningaui (Pilbara, Wongai, Mallee)
• Phascogale (Red-tailed, Brush-tailed)
• Planigale (Paucident, Long-tailed, Common, Narrow-nosed)
• Dunnart (Fat-tailed, Kakadu, Carpentarian, Julia Creek, Stripe-faced, Red-cheeked, White-tailed, Kangaroo Island, Grey-bellied, Boullanger Island, Long-tailed, Chestnut, Little long-tailed, Sooty, Gilbert’s, White-footed, Slender-tailed, Hairy-footed, Ooldea, Sandhill, Lesser hairy-footed)
• Possum (Northern brushtail, Short-eared, Mountain brushtail, Common brushtail, Coppery brushtail, Scaly-tailed, Mountain pygmy, Long-tailed pygmy, Southwestern pygmy, Tasmanian pygmy, Eastern pygmy, Honey, Striped, Leadbeater’s, Lemuroid ringtail, Rock ringtail, Common ringtail, Western ringtail, Green ringtail, Daintree River ringtail, Herbert River ringtail)
• Mouse (Forrest’s, Broad-toothed, Ash-grey, Silky, Bolam’s, Little native, Desert, Shark Bay, Smoky, Eastern chestnut, Sandy inland, Long-tailed, Kimberley, Western chestnut, New Holland, Western, Hastings River, Pilliga, Heath, House, Pacific, Brown, Black)
• Bandicoot (Pig-footed, Rufous spiny, Golden, Northern brown, Southern brown, Western barred, Desert, Eastern barred, Long-nosed)
• Marsupial mole (Northern , Southern)
• Wombat (Northern hairy-nosed, Southern hairy-nosed, Common)
• Cuscus (Southern common, Common spotted)
• Glider (Yellow-bellied, Sugar, Mahogany, Squirrel, Greater, Feathertail)
• Bettong (Rufous, Southern, Burrowing, Northern, Nullarbor dwarf)
• Rat-kangaroo (Musky, Desert)
• Potoroo (Gilbert’s, Long-footed, Broad-faced, Long-nosed)
• Tree-kangaroo (Bennett’s, Lumholtz’s)
• Hare-wallaby (Central, Spectacled, Eastern, Banded)
• Wallaby (Agile, Black-striped, Tammar, Toolache, Western brush, Parma, Whiptail, Red-necked, Bridled nail-tail, Crescent nail-tail, Northern nail-tail, Swamp)
• Kangaroo (Antilopine, Western grey, Eastern grey, Red)
• Rock-wallaby (Allied, Short-eared, Cape York, Godman’s, Herbert’s, Unadorned, Black-flanked, Purple-necked, Mareeba, Brush-tailed, Proserpine, Rothschild’s, Sharman’s, Yellow-footed, Quokka)
• Pademelon (Tasmanian, Red-legged, Red-necked)
• Blossom bat (Northern, Common)
• Tube-nosed bat (Northern, Eastern)
• Flying fox (Black, Spectacled, Large-eared, Black-eared, Grey-headed, Little red)
• Ghost bat
• Horseshoe bat (Eastern, Large-eared)
• Leaf-nosed bat (Dusky, Fawn, Diadem, Arnhem, Semon’s, Northern, Orange)
• Sheath-tailed bat (Yellow-bellied, Papuan, Bare-rumped, Coastal, Common, Hill’s, Arnhem, Troughton’s)
• Free-tailed bat (Great Northern, Northern, Western little, Eastern little, East-coast, Bristle-faced, Cape York, Inland, South-western, Southern, White-striped)
• Bent-wing bat (Little, Common)
• Wattled bat (Gould’s, Chocolate, Hoary,
• Pied bat (Large-eared, Little pied)
• Pipistrelle (Western false, Eastern false, Forest, Christmas Island, Northern)
• Broad-nosed bat (Rüppell’s, Western, Little, Eastern, Northern)
• Forest bat (Inland, Large, Eastern, Southern, Little)
• Cave bat (Northern, Finlayson’s, Eastern)
• Long-eared bat (Arnhem, Eastern, Lesser, Gould’s, Lord Howe, Tasmanian, Northern, Western, South-eastern, Pygmy)
• Melomys (Grassland, Cape York, Fawn-footed)
• Tree-rat (Black-footed, Golden-backed)
• Hopping mouse (Spinifex, Short-tailed, Northern, Fawn, Dusky, Mitchell’s)
• Pebble-mound mouse (Kakadu, Western, Central, Eastern)
• Rat (Greater stick-nest, Prehensile-tailed, Plains, Giant white-tailed, Masked white-tailed, False water, Dusky, Bush, Cape York, Swamp, Canefield, Pale field, Long-haired, Brown)
• Rock rat (Common, Arnhem Land, Carpentarian rock, Central rock, Kimberley rock)
• Squirrel (Five-lined palm, Grey)
• Dugong
• Platypus
• Short-beaked echidna
• Kaluta
• Kowari
• Dibbler
• Kultarr
• Tasmanian devil
• Numbat
• Bilby
• Lesser bilby
• Koala
• Woylie
• Mala
• Wallaroo
• Monjon
• Nabarlek
• Bare-backed fruit bat
• Flute-nosed bat
• Large-footed bat
• Large-footed myotis
• Yellow-lipped bat
• Brush-tailed rabbit rat
• Rakali
• Dingo
• Red fox
• Domestic cat
• Indian grey mongoose
• European polecat
• Donkey
• Domestic horse
• Water buffalo
• Goat
• Banteng
• Dromedary camel
• Red deer
• Hog deer
• Sambar deer
• Chital
• Rusa deer
• Fallow deer
• Pig
• European rabbit
• European hare

Birds

• Wandering Albatross
• Emu
• Black Swan
• Australian Magpie
• Australian King Parrot
• Tawny Frogmouth

Reptiles

• Snakes: Python (Amethystine, Green tree, Spotted, Woma, Rough-scaled, Children’s, Stimson’s, Pygmy, Black-headed, Oenpelli, Bluff Downs giant, Carpet), Adder (Common death, Desert death, Death, Mud, Northern death, Kimberley death, Barkly Tableland death, Rough-scaled death, Pilbara death), Taipan (Inland, Coastal), Brown snake (Eastern, Ringed, Ingram’s, Strap-snouted, Speckled, Peninsula), Black snake (Red-bellied, Papuan, Collett’s), Tree snake (Brown, Green), Sea snake (Yellow-bellied, Spine-bellied), Whip snake (Olive, Yellow-faced, Grey, Black-necked, Rufous, Greater black), Sea krait (Blue-lipped, Yellow-lipped), Tiger snake, Mulga snake, Broad-headed snake, Red-naped snake, White-lipped snake, Ornamental snake, Golden-crowned snake, Spotted mulga snake, Dwyer’s snake, Short-nosed snake, Pygmy mulga snake, Orange-naped snake, Dunmall’s snake, Brown-headed snake, Yellow-naped snake, Eastern dwarf mulga snake, Black-striped snake, Papuan pygmy mulga snake, Arafura File snake
• Crocodiles: Saltwater crocodile, Freshwater crocodile
• Dragons: Australian water dragon, Jacky dragon, Eastern bearded dragon, Boyd’s forest dragon, Central netted dragon, Central bearded dragon, Mountain dragon, Rankin’s dragon, Mulga dragon
• Turtles: Sea turtle (Green, Flatback, Olive ridley, Leatherback, Hawksbill, Loggerhead), River turtle (Fitzroy, Murray), Snapping turtle (Gulf, Bellinger River, Namoi River, Northern, Manning River), Western swamp turtle, Pig-nosed turtle, Saw-shelled turtle, Southwestern snake-necked turtle, Mary River turtle, Irwin’s turtle, Red-bellied short-necked turtle, Red turtle, Red-faced turtle, Razor-backed musk turtle, New Guinea snake-necked turtle, Yellow-faced turtle, Eastern long-necked turtle, Red-faced turtle
• Geckos: Leaf-tailed gecko (Cape Melville, Northern, Champion’s), Spiny-tailed gecko (Northern, South-western, Mount Augustus, Western, Goldfields, Southern), Ground gecko (Mottled, Pilbara, Pale-striped), Beaked gecko (Northern, Eyre Basin, Border, Eastern, Brigalow), Common house gecko, Broad-tailed gecko, Indo-Pacific gecko, Beaded gecko, Alligator River gecko, Knob-tailed gecko, Helmeted gecko, Giant cave gecko, Southern spotted velvet gecko, Western beaked gecko, Velvet gecko, Fat-tailed gecko, Cape York pad-tail gecko, Short-tailed striped gecko, Robust striped gecko, Marbled gecko, Thick-tailed gecko, Eastern stone gecko, Chameleon gecko
• Lizards: Legless lizard, Monitor lizard, Worm-lizard, Frilled-necked lizard, Thorny devil
• Skinks: Earless skink (Two-toed, Four-toed, Three-toed), Comb-eared skink, Common garden skink, Christmas Island forest skink, Blue-tailed skink, Eastern three-lined skink, Common dwarf skink, Blue Mountains water skink, Striped skink, Lancelin Island skink, Great desert skink, White’s skink, Coastal plains skink, Cunningham’s skink, Southern grass skink, earless skink, Cape Melville shade skink, Desert rainbow-skink, Spotted skink, Southern water skink, earless skink, Bougainville’s skink, Asian snake-eyed skink, She-oak skink, Tasmanian tree skink, Suter’s skink, Palfreyman’s window-eyed skink, Lord Howe Island skink, Rainbow skink, Three-toed snake-tooth skink, Satinay sand skink, Mountain skink, King’s skink, Shingleback skink, Wastern water skink, Blue-tongued skink

Amphibians

• Frogs: Tree frog (Eastern dwarf, Australian green, Peron’s, White-lipped, Desert, Southern brown, Mountain stream, Whistling, Ornate, Bleating, Tyler’s, Centralian, Littlejohn’s, Jervis Bay, Green-eyed, Spotted-thighed, Northern dwarf, Roth’s, Southern, Peppered, Davies’, Pearson’s green), Burrowing frog (Spencer’s, Painted, Giant, Striped, Northern), Grass frog (Spotted, Growling), Torrent frog (Sharp-snouted, Mount Glorious, Eungella), Rock frog (Copland’s, Masked rock frog), Striped marsh frog, Corroboree frog, Motorbike frog, Striped rocket frog, Pouched frog, Lost frog, Lesueur’s frog, Elegant frog, Broad-palmed frog, Marbled frog, Javelin frog, Main’s frog, Tusked frog, Revealed frog, Green-thighed frog, Wallum sedge frog, Long-thumbed frog, Trilling frog, Liem’s Frog, Kroombit Tinker Frog, Tinkling Frog, Whistling frog, Giant barred frog, Scanty frog, Haswell’s frog, Short-footed frog, Sandhill frog, Quacking frog, Rough frog, Salmon-striped frog, Wallum sedge frog, Moaning frog, Dahl’s aquatic frog, Armoured frog, Northern banjo frog, Stuttering frog, Humming frog, Wallum rocket frog, Pale frog, Shoemaker frog, Boulder frog, Barking marsh frog, Mount Glorious day frog, Hooting Frog, Sudell’s frog, Cave-dwelling frog, Giant frog, Watjulum frog, Fletcher’s frog, Kunapalari frog, Rock haunting frog, Loveridge’s frog, Western banjo frog, Western bell frog, Western spotted frog, Baw Baw frog, Tawny frog, Dainty green tree frog, Dainty nursery frog, Orange-thighed frog, Rain frog, Sand frog, Sharp snouted day frog, Goldfield’s bull frog, Western spotted frog, Black Mountain boulder frog, Tornier’s frog, Rockhole frog, Mountain mist frog, Great barred frog, Cooloola sedge frog, Ornate frog, Turtle Frog, Australian Wood Frog, Haswell’s Froglet
• Toads: Cane toad, Crucifix toad, Spadefoot toad (Desert, Northern), Douglas’ toad, Weigel’s toad, Toadlets

Insects

• Butterflies
• Beetles
• Ants
• Greenflies
• Mites
• Bugs
• Flies
• Moths
• Wireworms
• Grasshoppers
• Leafhoppers
• Armyworms
• Locusts
• Spiders
• Thrips
• Harvester ants
• Whiteflies

Habitat Types in the Country

Most of Australia is semi-arid desert, spread across the central region. There are also tropical rainforests, savannas, and alpine heathlands. The Australian outback, comprising remote areas of uninhabited land, is home to many animals and birds specially adapted to survive there.

Conservation

Being home to such a plethora of wildlife, Australia has effective conservation policies in place to preserve its unique biodiversity for future generations. At present, the IUCN has a list consisting of 86 species that are considered to be critically endangered, including the swift parrot, Kangaroo Island dunnart, and Christmas Island pipistrelle. However, efforts are underway to ensure that all these animals are brought back from the brink of extinction.

Did you know?

• Not many large carnivores are found in Australia, with the largest being the wild dog, dingo.
• The national animal of Australia is the red kangaroo.
• It is home to the strange-looking duck-billed platypus, the only egg-laying mammal in the world.
• Some of the largest birds in the world can be found in Australia, including the cassowary and emu.
• The land down under is one of the rare places on earth where deadly venomous snakes outnumber the non-venomous ones.