Australian Flora and Fauna

(Plants and Animals)

Fauna - Animals

Australia is an island, it was separate from other continents for a long time. So the plants and

animals are very different. 70% of its plants and animals can only be found in Australia.

Kangaroo

A kangaroo is a marsupial, with large feet, a strong tail and females have a pouch for joeys. Kangaroos only eat plants and they can be red or grey. There are more than 40 million kangaroos in Australia.

Marsupial: a mammal which carries its baby in a pouchJoey: a baby kangaroo

Tasmanian Devil

The Tasmanian Devil is about a metre long and has black and white fur. It eats dead animals. It is very rare, only found in Tasmania and a disease, like cancer, is killing a lot of devils.

Koala

A koala is about the size of a cat. They have thick grey/brown fur, fluffy ears and live in trees. Koalas sleep a lot and eat eucalyptus leaves.

Wombat

A wombat is a short, muscular marsupial about 1 metre in length. Wombats live on the ground in burrows. Their pouch faces backwards, so that no dirt can get it. Wombats eat plants and they are grey brown.

Platypus

A playtpus is a mammal which lays eggs and lives in and around water. It has a bill, like a duck, feet like an otter and tail like a beaver. It is venomous.

Echidna

An echidna is a mammal that lays eggs. They are brown and black and have spikes and eat ants and termites.

Emu

An emu is the biggest bird in Australia. It has soft brown feathers and is about 2 metres tall. Emus can run and they eat plants and insects. They lay big green eggs. Emus cannot fly.

Kookaburra

A kookaburra is a brown and white bird. It’s call sounds like laughter. Kookaburras eat small animals

and insects.

Snakes

Australia has many venomous snakes.

Spiders

Australia has a lot of spiders, many of which are dangerous.

Crocodiles

Australia has two types of crocodiles, saltwater (they live in the sea) and freshwater (they live in rivers and lakes). Fresh water crocodiles can grow to 3 metres long. Saltwater can grow to 7 metres long. They lay eggs.

Flora – Plants

Australia has 24 000 kinds of plants, which are only found in Australia. England has 1700.

Bottle Brush

WattleGrevilla

Banksia

Melaluca

Queensland Grass Tree Eucalyptus TreePaperbark Tree

Jacaranda Tree