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The red kangaroo is the largest extant macropod and is one of Australia's heraldic animals, appearing with the emu on the coat of arms of Australia. [1]The fauna of Australia consists of a large variety of animals; some 46% of birds, 69% of mammals, 94% of amphibians, and 93% of reptiles that inhabit the continent are endemic to it.
A marsupial lion skeleton in the Naracoorte Caves, South Australia. The term Australian megafauna refers to the megafauna in Australia [1] during the Pleistocene Epoch.Most of these species became extinct during the latter half of the Pleistocene, and the roles of human and climatic factors in their extinction are contested.
Koala Humpback whale. A total of 386 species of mammals have been recorded in Australia and surrounding continental waters: 364 indigenous and 22 introduced. [1] The list includes 2 monotremes, 154 marsupials, 83 bats, 69 rodents (5 introduced), 10 pinnipeds, 2 terrestrial carnivorans (1 recent introduction, and 1 prehistoric introduction), 13 introduced ungulates, 2 introduced lagomorphs, 44 ...
Australia has over 860 species, a large number in comparison to other continents; for example, North America's total is about 280. [1] The most species-rich group is Squamata, the snakes and lizards. They are especially diverse in the arid areas of Australia, where other fauna are scarcer.
The word kangaroo derives from the Guugu Yimithirr word gangurru, referring to eastern grey kangaroos. [14] [15] The name was first recorded as "kanguru" on 12 July 1770 in an entry in the diary of Sir Joseph Banks; this occurred at the site of modern Cooktown, on the banks of the Endeavour River, where HMS Endeavour under the command of Lieutenant James Cook was beached for almost seven weeks ...
The Macropodiformes are divided into three families that are found in all Australian environments except alpine areas: the Hypsiprymnodontidae, with the musky rat-kangaroo as its only member; the Potoroidae, with 10 species; and the Macropodidae which had 53 members in Australia, but some species are extinct. The Potoroidae include the bettongs ...
This animal manages well in areas without permanent water and on a diet of nutrient-poor grasses, but it does need shelter. [ 6 ] The eastern wallaroo ( O. r. robustus )—which is dark grey in colour—occupies the eastern slopes of the Great Dividing Range , and the euro ( O. r. erubescens )—which is mostly brownish in colour—occupies the ...
Successful reintroductions have also occurred on other conservation lands, including islands and the Australian Wildlife Conservancy's [42] Scotia [43] and Yookamurra Sanctuaries. [44] There is a highly successful bilby breeding program at Kanyana Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre, [45] near Perth.