Animals of Australia

By: Katie Schleper

Kangaroo• Kangaroos are

marsupials (females have pouches) from the family of Macropodidae (a macropod), meaning “large foot”

• Largest type of kangaroo is the Gray Kangaroo. Other types of kangaroos are Red Kangaroos, wallabies, and Rat Kangaroos.

Bandicoot

• Bandicoots are marsupials native to Australia, New Guinea, Papua, and Tasmania.

• The bandicoot ranges from about 10 to 20 inches long.

• The bandicoots fur is orange, gray, brown, and sometimes striped.

Cuscus • The Cuscus is a marsupial found in Australia, Tasmania, the Solomon Islands, Moluccas, and Celebes.

• They are arboreal animals, meaning they are adapted to living in trees.

• Their diet includes fruit, leaves, nectar, insects, and sometimes small birds.

Platypus• The Platypus is an

egg laying mammal of Eastern Australia. The Platypus has a duck-like bill and a wide flat tail.

• Males have a poison spur on their hind feet that they use to kill small animals.

• Platypus’ use their bill to crush and eat crustaceans.

Kookaburra

• Kookaburras can be found in Australia and New Guinea.

• They eat large insects, mice, small birds, small snakes, and sometimes fish.

• The kookaburras’ call sounds like a laugh.

Tasmanian Tiger/Wolf• The Tasmanian

tiger/wolf lives in Tasmania and off of Australia’s Southeast coast.

• There are not many left on Earth.

• Tasmanian tigers/wolves eat kangaroos and wallabies.

• They are marsupials.

Numbat• The Numbat is a

marsupial anteater that is the only living species of the family Myrmecobiidae.

• They have gray, brown, or dull red backs which are crossed by six or seven white stripes.

• The Numbat has a long sticky tongue used to pick up ants and termites.

Nabarlek

• Nabarleks eat grasses and ferns that are native to Australia.

• Most babies are born in the Winter.

• They are marsupials.• They stay in their

mother’s pouch for 26 weeks.