Original photo by Martin Pelanek/ Shutterstock
Australia’s geographic isolation has given rise to some of the world’s most extraordinary and unique creatures. Having been separated from other landmasses for around 30 million years, the continent is home to wildlife found nowhere else on Earth. And the country’s diverse landscapes, from arid deserts to tropical rainforests, have resulted in remarkable adaptations that shaped the evolution of its many strange and wonderful species.
Around 400 mammal species are found in Australia, and about 90% of its terrestrial mammals live nowhere else on the planet. According to some reports (exact numbers differ between studies), as many as 70% of birds and nearly 90% of reptiles are also endemic to the country. This extraordinary level of endemism makes the continent a treasure trove of biodiversity and a testament to the power of evolutionary isolation.
Some of Australia’s unique animals have become iconic and are almost synonymous with the country itself, such as kangaroos, koalas, wombats, and platypuses. Here, we look at some of the lesser-known animals you’ll only find in Australia, from thorny devils to pygmy possums and numbats.
Thorny Devil
The marvelously named thorny devil is one of the most spectacular lizards in the world. It owes its striking appearance to the sharp spines that cover its entire body, giving it the look of a particularly fearsome dragon — albeit one that’s only about 8 inches long.
The thorny devil specializes in eating ants, anywhere from 600 to 2,500 per meal. It also has one of the most unusual drinking methods in the animal kingdom: These little devils can drink by standing in puddles and absorbing water through skin capillary channels between the overlapping scales that lead the water to their mouths.
Tasmanian Pygmy Possum
Australia is home to 23 possum species. The most widespread of these primarily nocturnal, tree-dwelling mammals are the common brushtail possum and common ringtail possum, which can grow to lengths of 23 inches and 14 inches, respectively. At the other end of the size spectrum, we have the appropriately named Tasmanian pygmy possum, also known as the little pygmy possum. These miniscule creatures inhabit the forests, heathlands, and alpine regions of Australia. At just 2 inches to 4.7 inches in length and a weight of about 7 grams, they’re also the smallest possums on Earth.
Superb Lyrebird
The superb lyrebird — one of the world’s largest songbirds — looks something like a large brown pheasant. Adult males possess a distinctively ornate tail, with special curved feathers that assume the shape of a lyre when unfurled for their elaborate courtship displays.
This musical connotation also applies to the lyrebird’s incredible vocal abilities. They communicate through a complex array of calls and noises, around 80% of which consist of expert mimicry. Along with their territorial whistles and cackling notes, they can imitate almost anything in their environment, including chainsaws, car engines, alarms, camera shutters, and dog barks, as well as the songs and calls of other local birds.
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Tasmanian Devil
Tasmanian devils are stocky, carnivorous marsupials that in some ways resemble baby bears. They are the largest carnivorous marsupials in the world, often reaching around 30 inches in length and weighing up to 26 pounds. They also have one of the most powerful bites of any mammal, which aids in their voracious — and often ferocious — feeding habits, a defining attribute shared by the Looney Tunes cartoon character of the same name.
Tasmanian devils were once found throughout Australia but are now found only on the island state of Tasmania. Their extinction on the mainland may have occurred around 400 years ago with the introduction of East Asian dogs (the possible ancestors of Australia’s dingoes).
Turtle Frog
Australia is home to many endemic frog species, from the tiny, black-and-yellow southern corroboree frog to the peculiar sunset frog that’s found exclusively in peat swamps near Walpole, Western Australia. But one particular frog found only in Australia merits a special mention, due in large part to its bizarre appearance.
The turtle frog has an extremely small and narrow head, short and stocky limbs, and a round body, giving it the appearance of a tiny turtle with its shell removed. When it comes to reproducing, turtle frogs skip the tadpole phase altogether; all development takes place entirely inside the egg before the tiny newborn frogs emerge.
Numbat
The numbat is a beautiful little marsupial that looks somewhat like a more elaborate squirrel. Unlike most of Australia’s marsupials, numbats are diurnal (active during the day). Their distinctive striped fur helps camouflage them against the woodland floor to protect them from predators such as birds of prey, snakes, and goannas.
Numbats feed almost exclusively on termites, eating between 15,000 and 20,000 each day. Their sensitive noses can detect termites underground, which the numbats can then extract using their long, narrow, and sticky tongues. A numbat’s tongue measures, on average, about 4 inches long — an impressive length considering the animal’s body (minus the tail) is only about 8 inches to 10 inches long.
Tony is an English writer of nonfiction and fiction living on the edge of the Amazon jungle.
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