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Australia's very distinguishing fauna includes 800 species of
birds of which 400 are found nowhere else, 300 species of lizards,
140 species of snakes, 230 species of native mammals, and 2
species of crocodiles.
The monotremes and the marsupials are the two predominant kinds of
native mammals in Australia. The monotremes are egg-laying
mammals; the marsupials give birth to young in a very immature
state, which are carried in a maternal pouch.
There are two kinds of monotremes; the platypus and echidna. There
are hundreds of kinds of marsupials, including koalas, wombats,
and more than 50 species of kangaroo. Monotremes are often called
"living fossils" because they are egg-laying mammals and are
considered to represent the stage of evolution between reptilian
and placental mammals.
Kangaroos
The Kangaroo is unique to Australia and New Guinea. Its forelimbs
are shorter than its back limbs. It has a front opening pouch, and
a large muscular tail. A baby kangaroo is only partially developed
at birth, and must reach the safety of its mother's pouch
unassisted. Kangaroos are extremely social animals, and travel in
groups.
 Koalas
The koala is a medium sized marsupial mammal native to Australia,
and found nowhere else. The southern subspecies, found in Victoria
and South Australia, weighs between 7 and 13 kg. Dominant males
hold loose territories that overlap with the home ranges of
several females. Sub-dominant males live around the fringes of
these territories. Dispersal to new habitat is mostly by juvenile
males. They live for over a decade.
Wombats
Wombats are small, bear-like animals, with a large blunt head and
short-legs. The female has a pouch containing two teats. The baby
wombat is born in autumn and weaned in the spring.
Platypus
It is often regarded as the missing link between sea mammals and
land mammals. The platypus can only remain under water for two to
three minutes before it has to resurface. It collects food from
along the riverbed, and stores it in a pair of duck-like cheek
pouches.
Echidna
It is a small monotreme, with a long slender snout, short-legs,
long spines, and sticky tongue, for the collection of ants. It is
most famous for its bizarre defensive manoeuvre of digging itself
vertically into the ground. The echidna lays its egg directly into
the pouch, where it is hatched, and the young is kept there until
the development of its spines.
Emu's
Emus are the world's second largest birds, and Australia's
largest. They stand 1.5m high and weigh up to 55kg. Flightless,
they can run up to 50kph. It breeds from April to November, laying
six to twelve eggs. Their nests are a circle of stone and grass.
 Parrots
There are fifty-five Australian species of Parrots, more than a
fifth of the world's parrot population. These colorful birds vary
widely from region to region.
 Crocodiles
Crocodiles are the closest living relative to the dinosaurs, and
can out-run a man on land. They are dangerous animals. Australia
has two species of crocodiles, freshwater and saltwater.
Snakes
Out of the 2,400 species of snakes currently recognized around the
world, 170 of them, in five families, are found in Australia and
its coastal waters.
Lizards
There are over 520 species of lizards found in Australia, out of
these only one group of lizards appears to have evolved completely
in the Australian region. The five main families of lizards are
Geckos, Legless lizards or Snake lizards, Dragon lizards, Monitor
lizards or Goannas, and Skinks.
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