Unique Animals Of Australia That You Shouldn’t Miss

The city of Darwin in northern Australia is a little more than 2,000 miles from Singapore on the tip of the Asian mainland. These 2,000 miles harbor thousands of islands acting as stepping stones toward the Timor, Banda, and the Arafura Sea. However, it is still a long way for plants, animals, and people to migrate. As a result, Australia’s ecosystem developed in ecstatic isolation for eons which led to some striking wildlife you won’t find anywhere else. Like many, Australia has battled against invasive species, but the below “Unique Animals of Australia” is its icon. 

Also Read: 11 Incredible Australian Animals You Haven’t Heard Of

Unique Animals Of Australia

Australia is a must-visit destination for all animal lovers. If you are not that much into common animals, then check out this page for finding out all about the continent’s unique ones. Get ready to get awed by these six unique animals you’ve heard of but never seen in your lifetime.

1. Kangaroo
2. Bilby
3. Wallaby
4. Koala
5. Dingo
6. Wallaroo

1. Kangaroo

Let’s be honest whenever you hear the name Australia, what comes to your mind? Kangaroos! Of course! These marsupials are found on the Australian coat of arms, its currency, and on the tail of all Qantas Airlines jets. There are 45 species of kangaroo in Australia, namely Red Kangaroo, Eastern Greys, Western Greys, and Antilopine Kangaroos. Red Kangaroos are found over most of arid Australia, and they prefer flat open plains. Eastern Greys are found from Cape York to Tasmania. Western Greys cover a wide area from Western Australia to Victoria. Both of these species prefer dense vegetation. Antilopine Kangaroo is the most common kangaroo on the continent and lives across northern Australia in monsoonal tropical woodlands. Among these, Red Kangaroo is the one we think the most of.

Did you know the population of kangaroos in Australia exceeds the population of people living there? Yes, Australia is home to 25 million people and an estimated 50 million kangaroos. For this reason, some Aussies refer to this as “plague proportions.” Kangaroos undergo several biological adaptations to help them survive in Australia’s hot and arid climate. These include a network of blood vessels on their forelimbs to help cool themselves during the scorching afternoon heat. Well known as social creatures, they are mostly seen to move about in groups.

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2. Bilby

If you want to see one of the most unique animals of Australia, travel far into Australia’s great red center to find this tiny desert-dweller in its native habitat. Male bilbies can reach almost two feet long and weigh about as much as a rabbit when they are full grown. However, most specimens are much smaller. Renowned as prolific borrowers, bilbies create multiple temporary homes for themselves across their home range. They stay in those borrows, which are closest when it is time to go to bed. The nocturnal bilbies stay up all night and dig into the deep when it is dawn. This prevents their skin from scorching under the blistering midday sun.

Did you know bilby obtains all its water from its food and never has to find watering holes? The little bilby used to be widespread in the Outback before, but today, it’s classified as a vulnerable species.

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3. Wallaby

The word “wallaby” is something of a catch-all. Because of their small size, wallabies were once the victims of exotic predators, including foxes, hounds, and house cats. Today, thanks to concerted efforts by conservationists, wallaby populations across Australia have rebounded. For so many different types of wallaby, scientists have to come up with inventive names to tell them apart.

Did you know there are about thirty species of wallaby in Australia? However, the best definition anyone can come up with is ‘a marsupial that’s smaller than a kangaroo or a wallaroo’. If you ever find yourself in Australia, keep an eye out for the bridled nail-tail wallaby, the dusky pademelon, and the monjon.

Also Read: 10 Australian slang- Be ready for an enthralling Australian tour!!

4. Koala

The cuddly but territorial koala proves the common phrase that looks can be deceiving. If koalas had their druthers, they’d happily spend all day chomping on eucalyptus leaves in the treetops. Koalas demonstrate territorial is not the same thing as aggressive. These fuzzy little marsupials live entirely on eucalyptus, a plant that’s toxic to most other animals.

But, koalas have built special defenses against the toxins in eucalyptus. However, the still low nutritional content in leaves may create a slight narcotic effect despite the koala’s evolutionary adaptations. Koala is a creature that eats until it sleeps and then sleeps until it eats. They spend 16-18 hours per day motionless and 3-5 hours per day eating. Do seek out to see this special creature, as it is one of the most unique animals of Australia.

Also Read: 10 Tourist attractions in South Australia – Take a ride into the wine state

5. Dingo

Did you know Dingo is Australia’s largest predator? This creature is also known as the “warrigal”. If you are a dog lover, you will surely love these blond-colored canines. Also, domesticated dingoes are kept as pets throughout the country. However, dingoes were once viewed as congenital pets. As a result, Australians went to extraordinary measures to eradicate them. The Dog Act of 1852 emphatically encouraged the eradication of native dogs and strengthened an entire country on dingo hides. But herders continued to lose their livestock to the dingoes.

As a result, the herders and their political allies resorted to poisoning dingoes near Australia’s southeast population centers. This, not being enough for the herders, in 1885, they completed the Dingo Fence. This fence was a series of barriers stretching from the Darling Downs region outside Brisbane and all the way to the Eyre Peninsula on the Great Australian Bight. Covering a stretch of 3,488 miles, the Dingo Fence is among the longest manmade structures on Earth. Keeping this history aside, today, humans interact with dingoes more humanely.

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6. Wallaroo

You will always find a wallaroo somewhere between a wallaby and a kangaroo. Barely distinguishable from their larger and smaller cousins, you can pick out a wallaroo by paying attention to their forelimbs and shoulders. No matter how much similar wallaroos are to kangaroos and wallabies, their actions seem to differ. Wallaroos tend to keep their “hands” in one spot, with their elbows tucked in close to their bodies and their shoulders thrown back.

Just like kangaroos, wallaroo mothers keep their babies in their pouch. Did you know the young ones, called joeys, can nurse? Contrary to kangaroos, wallaroos live alone throughout their entire adult lifetimes. Moreover, while kangaroos spend most of their days in the open expanses of the Australian Outback, wallaroos seek shelter from the heat in cool caves.

Also Read: Spring Destinations In Australia: Make The Most Of The Shoulder Season

Tips for Your Australia Tour

1. Learn the local language. Aussies speak English, but it’s better to catch up with some common Australian terms.
2. Summer is different right across Australia. Each Australian city offers a different type of summer. Regardless of that, do wear plenty of sunblock wherever you are.
3. You will not see wildlife everywhere, nor is everything deadly. The hopes of seeing kangaroos and koalas roaming the streets are unrealistic. Many creatures in Australia can be very dangerous, but they are not deadly.
4. Don’t smoke when you are in Australia. It is not a cheap habit at all. One packet of cigarettes will set you back $40 (£22), so don’t forget to save your pockets.
5. Be prepared to go offline. You can experience slow and expensive internet in some areas of Australia. Buying yourself a hotspot to take around with you is the best and the cheapest option.

Also Read: Meet The Australian Native Wildlife At The Featherdale Wildlife Park

Frequently Asked Questions for Your Australia Trip

These 6 unique animals of Australia will win your heart. Know them by meeting them in person. How to do that? Head straight to Australia to run into some adorable animals. Go, visit Pickyourtrail where you can customize your Australia itinerary. Also, find our packaged Australia tour packages and choose which package suits you the most.