Australia flora and fauna animals. Flora and fauna in Australia

Vegetation and precipitation

It is obvious that the spread of individual plant groups depends on microclimate and soils, but the location of large vegetation zones in Australia (at the level of formation types) reveals a close relationship with average annual precipitation. A striking feature of the Australian climate is the presence of an arid center of the continent, from which the amount of precipitation consistently increases towards the periphery. Vegetation changes accordingly.

1. Average annual precipitation is less than 125 mm. Sandy deserts are developed. Stiff-leaved perennial grasses of the genera Triodia and Spinifex dominate.

2. Average annual precipitation is 125–250 mm. These are semiarid regions with two main types of vegetation. a) Shrub semi-desert – open areas with a predominance of representatives of the genera Atriplex (quinoa) and Kochia (sweetweed). Native plants are exceptionally drought-resistant. The area is used for sheep pasture. b) Arid scrub on sandy plains or on bedrock outcrops on remnant hills. These are dense thickets of low-growing trees and shrubs with a predominance of various types of acacias. The most widely used mulga scrub is made with veinless acacia (Acacia aneura). Both types of vegetation are characterized by vigorous development of annual plants after infrequent rainfall.

3. Average annual precipitation is 250–500 mm. There are two main types of vegetation here. In the south, where precipitation occurs only in the winter months, the mallee scrub is common. These are dense thickets dominated by various bushy eucalyptus trees, forming several trunks (arising from one underground root) and tufts of leaves at the ends of the branches. In the north and east of Australia, where rainfall occurs mainly in the summer, grasslands are common with a predominance of representatives of the genera Astrebla and Iseilema.

4. Average annual precipitation is 500–750 mm. Here you can see savannas - open park landscapes with eucalyptus trees and a grass-forb lower layer. These areas were intensively used for grazing and growing wheat. Grass savannas are found in places on more fertile soils and in the zone of sclerophyllous (hard-leaved) forests.

5. Average annual precipitation is 750–1250 mm. Sclerophyllous forests are typical for this climatic zone. They are dominated by different species of eucalyptus, forming a closed tree stand, and a dense undergrowth of hard-leaved shrubs is developed, and the grass cover is sparse. On the more arid edge of this zone, forests give way to savanna woodlands, and on the more humid edge, to tropical rainforests. Relatively dry sclerophyllous forests have the highest concentrations of typical Australian species. These forests are an important source of timber hardwood.

6. Average annual precipitation is over 1250 mm. Tropical rainforests are confined to areas with high rainfall and soils usually developed on basaltic rocks. The species composition of trees is very diverse, without clearly defined dominants. Characterized by an abundance of vines and dense undergrowth. These forests are dominated by species of Indo-Melanesian origin. In more southern temperate-humid forests, the role of the Antarctic element of the flora increases (see below).

Floristic analysis

In Australia, approx. 15 thousand species of flowering plants, and about 3/4 of them are indigenous. Even J. D. Hooker, in his Introduction to the Flora of Tasmania (J.D. Hooker, Introductory Essay to the Flora of Tasmania, 1860), pointed out that three main elements played a decisive role in the development of the Australian flora: Antarctic, Indo-Melanesian and local Australian.

Antarctic element

This category includes groups of species common to southeastern Australia, New Zealand, the subantarctic islands and the southern Andes of South America. Examples of genera with such ranges are Nothofagus, Drimys, Lomatia, Araucaria, Gunnera and Acaena. Their representatives were also found in fossil remains of Paleogene age on the now ice-covered Seymour Island and on Graham Land (Antarctic Peninsula). Such plants are not found anywhere else. It is believed that they or their ancestors arose at a time when Australia was part of Gondwana. When this supercontinent split into parts that moved to their current positions, the ranges of representatives of the Antarctic flora turned out to be greatly separated. However, it is obvious that these plants were widespread in Australia in the Paleogene, since Nothofagus and Lomatia were found in the Oligocene deposits of South Australia and Victoria, along with such Australian genera as Eucalyptus, Banksia and Hakea. Currently, this element of the flora is best represented in temperate humid forests. The term "Antarctic element" is sometimes used to designate larger groups of plants now found only in the Southern Hemisphere and common to South Africa and Australia, such as the genera Caesia, Bulbine, Helichrysum and Restio. However, Australia's ties with South Africa appear to be more distant than those with South America. It is believed that closely related plants found in the first two regions descended from common ancestors who migrated there from the south.

Indo-Melanesian element

These are plants common to Australia, the Indo-Malayan region and Melanesia. Floristic analysis reveals two clearly defined groups: one of Indo-Malay origin, the other of Melanesian origin. In Australia, this element includes paleotropical representatives of many families, especially the tropical plexifalates, and reveals a close relationship with the flora of the Asian continent, especially India, the Malacca Peninsula and the Malay Archipelago.

Australian element

It includes genera and species that are found only in Australia or are most widespread there; There are few endemic families, and their role is insignificant. Typical Australian flora concentrated in the southwest and southeast of the mainland. The south-west is rich in distinctive Australian families, with about 6/7 of them best represented in this region, and the remainder in the south-east. Whether this element actually formed locally or whether it originates from older paleotropical or Antarctic migrants is difficult to determine. In any case, it is clear that some groups of modern plants are found exclusively in Australia.

The importance of native plant species to humans has only recently become recognized, although many of them have been consumed by indigenous peoples of Australia for thousands of years. For example, Macadamia ternifolia has been widely cultivated in Australia for its tasty nuts since the 1890s (it is cultivated on an even larger scale in Hawaii and is known as the Queensland nut). Gradually in Australia, the cultivation of plants such as the local species of ficus (Ficus platypoda), Santalum (Santalum acuminatum, S. 1anceolatum), desert lime (Eremocitrus glauca), Australian capers (Capparis sp.), various so on began to be established. n. “desert tomatoes” from the nightshade genus (Solanum sp.), small-flowered basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum), a local species of mint (Prostanthera rotundifolia) and many other cereals, root vegetables, fruits, berries and herbaceous plants.

Australia forms the bulk of the Australasian zoogeographic region, which also includes Tasmania, New Zealand, New Guinea and the adjacent islands of Melanesia and the Malay Archipelago west of the Wallace Line. This imaginary line, limiting the distribution of typical Australian fauna, runs north between the islands of Bali and Lombok, then along the Makassar Strait between the islands of Kalimantan and Sulawesi, then turns northeast, passing between the Sarangani Islands in the Philippine archipelago and Miangas Island. At the same time, it serves as the eastern border of the Indo-Malayan zoogeographic region.

Mammals

There are 230 known species of mammals in Australia. Three of them are monotreme oviparous, about 120 are marsupials, bearing their young in “pockets” on the abdomen, the rest are placental, in which embryonic development is completed in the uterus.

The most primitive order of mammals currently existing is the monotremes (Monotremata), which are not found in other parts of the world. The platypus (Ornithorhynchus), with a duck-like beak, is covered in fur, lays eggs and feeds the hatchlings with milk. Thanks to the efforts of Australian conservationists, this species is relatively abundant. Its closest relative, the echidna (Tachyglossus), is similar to the porcupine, but also lays eggs. The platypus is found only in Australia and Tasmania, while the echidna and the closely related proechidna (Zaglossus) are also found in New Guinea.

The kangaroo, a well-known symbol of Australia, is far from a typical representative of marsupials. Animals of this order of mammals are characterized by the birth of immature cubs, which are placed in a special bag, where they are born until they can take care of themselves.

The fact that marsupials have long lived in Australia is evidenced by the fossil remains of the giant wombat (Diprotodon) and the carnivorous marsupial “lion” (Thylacoleo). In general, less adaptable groups of mammals were slowly pushed to the southern continents as more aggressive groups appeared. As soon as monotremes and marsupials retreated to Australia, the region’s connection with the Asian continent was severed, and both groups were spared from competition with placentals better adapted to the struggle for survival.

Isolated from competitors, marsupials divided into many taxa, differing in animal size, habitats and methods of adaptation. This differentiation occurred largely parallel to the evolution of placentals on the northern continents. Some of the Australian marsupials are similar in appearance to carnivores, others to insectivores, rodents, herbivores, etc. With the exception of the American possums (Didelphidae) and the peculiar South American caenolesidae (Caenolesidae), marsupials are found only in Australasia.

Carnivorous marsupials (Dasyuridae) and bandicoots (Peramelidae) with 2-3 low incisors on each side of the jaw belong to the group of multi-incisors. The first family includes marsupial martens (Dasyurus), devil marsupial (Sarcophilus) and arboreal brush-tailed marsupial rats (Phascogale), feeding on insects, etc. The latter genus is widespread throughout Australasia. Close relative predatory marsupials - the marsupial wolf (Thylacinus cynocephalus), which was widespread in Tasmania at the beginning of the era of European settlement, but is not found anywhere else, although there is evidence of its presence in prehistoric times in Australia and New Guinea. Despite problematic sightings in some areas, most experts consider the species to be extinct because it was hunted to extinction and the last individual died in captivity in 1936. The marsupial anteater (Myrmecobius) and the marsupial mole (Notoryctes), living in northern and central Australia, originated from a group combining predatory marsupials and the marsupial wolf. The bandicoot family (Peramelidae), distributed throughout Australasia, occupies the same ecological niche as insectivores (Insectivora) on the northern continents.

Two-incisor marsupials, distinguished by the presence of only one pair of low incisors, are known more widely than multi-incisor marsupials. Their distribution is limited to Australasia. Among them are the family of climbing marsupials (Phalangeridae), which includes the cuzu, or brushtails (Trichosurus); dwarf cuscus (Burramyidae), including the dwarf flying cuscus (Acrobates pygmaeus), which can glide between trees and fly up to 20 m, and marsupial flying squirrels (Petauridae), of which there are several species. The beloved koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), which looks like a funny miniature bear cub and was chosen as the emblem of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, belongs to the family of the same name. The wombat family (Vombatidae) includes two genera - long-haired and short-haired wombats. These are quite large animals, similar in appearance to beavers and found only in Australia. Kangaroos and wallabies, belonging to the kangaroo family (Macropodidae), are common throughout Australasia. The large gray or forest kangaroo (Macropus giganteus), the most numerous representative of this family, lives in open forests, while the red gigantic kangaroo(M. rufus) is common in the plains of inland Australia. Open habitats are characteristic of rock kangaroos (Petrogale sp.) and dwarf rock kangaroos (Peradorcas sp.). Interesting are tree kangaroos (Dendrolagus), whose limbs are adapted for both climbing trees and jumping.

The fact that marsupials have long lived in Australia is confirmed by the findings here of the fossil remains of the giant wombat (Diprotodon) and the predatory “marsupial lion” (Thylacoleo).

Before the arrival of Europeans, placental mammals were represented in Australia by chiropterans and small rodents, which probably entered there from the north. The former include numerous genera of both fruit bats (Megachiroptera) and bats(Microchiroptera); Flying foxes (Pteropus) are especially noteworthy. Rodents, including Anisomys, Conilurus, Crossomys, and Hydromys, were probably carried across the sea on fins. Humans and dingoes (Canis dingo) were the only large placentals, with dingoes most likely introduced to Australia by humans around 40,000 years ago.

The ecological balance of Australia has been greatly disturbed by the introduction of exotic placental mammals after the arrival of Europeans. Rabbits, accidentally introduced in the 1850s, and livestock began to decimate native vegetation across much of Australia, supported - albeit on a smaller scale - by wild boar, goats, buffalo, horses and donkeys. Foxes, cats and dogs competed with local animals and often hunted them, which led to their extermination in various areas of the mainland.

The avifauna of Australia includes many very valuable and interesting species. Flightless birds include the emu (Dromiceius novaehollandiae) and the cassowary (Casuarius casuarius), which is native to northern Queensland. The Australian mainland abounds in different species of ducks (Casarca, Biziura, etc.). Birds of prey include the wedge-tailed eagle (Uroaetus audax), the Australian kite (Haliastur sphenurus), the peregrine falcon (Falco peregrinus) and the Australian hawk (Astur fasciatus). Weed chickens (Leipoa) are very peculiar, constructing mounds-“incubators”; bush bigfoot (Alectura); bowers (Ailuroedus, Prionodura) and birds of paradise (Paradisaeidae), honeyeaters (Meliphagidae), lyrebirds (Menura). There is a great variety of parrots, pigeons and ducks, but vultures and woodpeckers are completely absent.

Reptiles

Australia is home to a variety of reptiles, including snakes, crocodiles, lizards and turtles. There are almost 170 species of snakes alone. The largest of poisonous snakes- taipan (Oxyuranus scutellatus), and the Queensland python (Python amethystinus) reaches a length of about 6 m. Crocodiles are represented by two species - the combed one (Crocodilus porosus), which attacks people and kills them, and the Australian narrow-snouted one (C. johnsoni); both of them live in northern Australia and New Guinea. There are about 10 species of turtles - from the genera Chelodina and Emydura. Among the more than 520 species of Australian lizards, legless lizards (Pygopodidae), found in Australia and New Guinea, and large monitor lizards (Varanidae), reaching a length of 2.1 m, are noteworthy.

The fauna of Australia is characterized by the complete absence of tailed amphibians (Urodela) and the diversity of frogs and toads. Among the Australian toads of the subfamily Criniinae, morphologically the most primitive of the true toads, the genera Crinia, Mixophyes and Helioporus are typical, and a total of 16 of them live in the region.

In Australia approx. 230 species of local freshwater fish, but there are no carp, carp, salmon and few catfish. Most representatives of the freshwater ichthyofauna descended from marine ancestors - cods (Oligorus), perches (Percalates, Plectoplites, Macquaria), terapons (Therapon), herrings (Potamalosa), half-snouts (Hemirhamphus) and gobies (Gobiomorphus, Carassiops). There are, however, two notable exceptions - the lungtooth (Neoceratodus) and the bone-lingual Scleropages. Australia and New Zealand are home to a number of Galaxias species, as well as Gadopsis.

Invertebrates

The invertebrate fauna of Australia includes at least 65 thousand species of insects, some of which are very unique.

Bibliography

To prepare this work, materials were used from the site http://www.krugosvet.ru/

The differences between the areas of relict and young endemics are illustrated by the diagram: An indispensable condition for the existence and preservation of endemism is isolation. And the longer the isolation remains, the higher the degree of endemism in the flora and fauna, the more unique the biota. Therefore, the share of endemism on the islands is understandable, and in high altitude zones mountains: Caucasus - 25% Mountains of Central Asia -30% Japan - 37% Canary Islands -45% ...

The waters are home to a large number of aquatic inhabitants that are dangerous to humans. One of the most dangerous is, perhaps, the geographic cone1. 13. Sports and cultural events in Australia Australia's tourist attractions also include sporting events. Adelaide hosts the annual Formula 1 Australian Grand Prix; Australian Open Championship in Melbourne...

Orogenesis, uplift of platforms and regression of the sea occurred. In some areas the climate became drier, but still remained warm and mild, even in high latitudes. The Mesozoic stage of the development of life on Earth and the evolution of the biosphere has ended Cretaceous period. It was during this period that one of the most extensive transgressions of the Phanerozoic occurred. The maximum development of transgression occurred approximately...

Species, including hare, hare, wild rabbit, tolai, Manchurian hare. Some species are adapted to fast running, digging, swimming, and climbing. Distributed everywhere, with the exception of the island of Madagascar, the southern regions of South America and Antarctica. Lead an active, solitary lifestyle; They do not have permanent shelters. They reproduce up to 4 times a year. There are 2-8 (up to 15) cubs in a litter. Cubs appear on...

Australia is an amazing continent. According to scientists, this is the oldest continent on our planet, lying on the Precamberian platform, which was formed more than 3 billion years ago.

Due to the fact that Australia was discovered to the world much later than other continents, the nature here is better preserved. The mainland itself is located in three climatic zones: tropical in the central part of the continent, subtropical in the south and subequatorial in the northern part. From the north, from the equator, winds and waters of the Indian Ocean bring heat to the shores of Australia. Cold winds often blow from the south, bringing frost from the shores of Antarctica.

The uniqueness of Australian nature is also explained by its landscape: the coastal areas are drowned in the greenery of trees, the center of the continent is a zone of semi-deserts and savannas, occasionally interspersed with islands of vegetation in the deep lowlands and along the floodplains of rivers. However, Australia receives little rainfall, which is why there are few rivers and lakes.

Mountains are located in the east and southwest. But the mountains are low, not exceeding 1300 m above sea level, despite their sonorous name - the Australian Alps.

There are currently more than 1,000 wildlife sanctuaries in Australia.

Flora of Australia

Unique climatic conditions and the location of Australia determined the originality of its flora and fauna.

Eucalyptus is considered the plant symbol of Australia. The huge tree has powerful roots that go 20 or even 30 meters into the ground! This amazing tree has adapted to the arid Australian climate. Eucalyptus trees growing near swamps are able to draw water from a reservoir and thereby drain the swamp. In this way, for example, the marshy land of Colchis on the Caucasus coast was drained. In addition, eucalyptus has narrow leaves that are turned edge-on towards the sun. Just imagine a huge eucalyptus forest, and there is practically no shade in it!

The east coast of Australia, where it is washed by the Pacific Ocean, is surrounded by bamboo thickets. Closer to the south there are bottle trees, the fruits of which resemble a bottle in shape. The Aborigines extract rainwater from them.

In the north there are dense subtropical forests. Here you can see huge palm trees and mangroves. The entire northern coast, where precipitation falls the most, grows acacias and pandanuses, horsetail and ferns. Towards the south the forest thins out. The savannah zone begins, which in the spring is a lush carpet of tall grasses, and by summer it dries out, burns out and turns into a soulless desert. Central Australia is a grassland area.

But cultivated plants were brought to Australia by Europeans. Only after the colonization of the mainland began to grow cotton, flax, wheat, vegetables and fruits characteristic of European flora.

Australian fauna

The fauna of Australia is very rich and diverse. The first feature of the animal world: Australia is home to a huge number of endemic animals, that is, animals that are not found anywhere else on the planet. These are, of course, kangaroos and koalas, which are recognized as symbols of the southern continent. There are 17 genera and more than 50 species of kangaroos alone. The smallest of them are only 20-23 cm tall, and the largest reach a height of 160 cm. Did you know that there are kangaroo rats, rock and tree kangaroos and even derby kangaroos? However, in Australia itself, the word “kangaroo” is used to describe only two representatives of this genus of marsupials: the gray giant and the red one. The rest are called wallabies.

There are also amazing platypuses, brave flying squirrels that flutter from tree to tree, creepy echidnas, and funny frilled lizards that can walk on two legs. Wombats and possums live in the Australian forests and are valued for their fur. Flying foxes look very bloodthirsty, although they feed on nectar and flowers. But the truly terrifying ones are the huge Australian bats. The wingspan of these animals can reach 1.5 meters, and their weight can reach 1 kg!

There are also many birds that have lived on these lands from time immemorial. These are powerful emu ostriches, huge cockatoo parrots, resounding with their screams in the forests of Australia. These are lyre birds, whose twitter resembles the sound musical instrument and crowned pigeons. Walking through the forests of Australia you can hear sounds similar to human laughter. These are the kookaburras, amazing Australian birds that live in tree holes, chirping. Many birds are brightly colored.

In the south you can meet penguins, which are brought here from Antarctica. The waters are roamed by huge whales, which migrate north towards Africa with the onset of cold weather. There are dolphins and bloodthirsty sharks. The rivers of Australia have become home to huge crocodiles. The Great Barrier Reef is the kingdom of corals and polyps, moray eels and stingrays.

The second feature of Australia: there are no mammals from the class of predators, with the exception of the only representative of this species: wild dogs Dingo.

Europeans also brought domestic animals to Australia. Since colonization, fat herds of sheep began to roam the expanses of the Australian savannah. Goats, cows and horses, dogs and cats appeared.

In Australia there are more than 378 species of mammals, 828 species of birds, 300 species of lizards, 140 species of snakes and two species of crocodiles. Of the mammals, almost half are marsupials. The rest are either placental or monotreme mammals. Australia's most famous animals include the kangaroo, koala, echidna, dingo, platypus, wallaby and wombat. Australia has more than 140 species of marsupials, including kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, wombats and the Tasmanian devil. There are 55 different species of kangaroos and wallabies in Australia. Kangaroos vary significantly in size and weight, ranging from half a kilogram to 90 kilograms. The main difference between wallabies and wallabies is size: wallabies are usually smaller in size. Some members of this family can be as tall as a human when standing, while others are as small as domestic cats. In many rural areas where large colonies of these animals live, kangaroos are considered pests because they compete with sheep and cattle for grazing on pastures and for space near water bodies. Controlling kangaroo offspring contributes to sustainable agricultural development in some areas of Australia. Australia's kangaroo population estimates range between 30 and 60 million. The dingo is a wild dog endemic to Australia and the continent's largest carnivorous mammal. In some agricultural areas, dingoes are also considered a pest due to the threat of predation as they prey on sheep and other farmed animals. To keep fertile south-eastern Australia relatively safe for farming, the world's largest fence was built, stretching 5,320 kilometers from Queensland to South Australia.

Australia is also home to another unique group of animals - the monotremes, or oviparous animals, which are egg-laying mammals and are also often called "living fossils". The most famous members of this family are the platypus, a river-dwelling animal that has a duck-like beak, but its body is covered with hair and its feet are webbed. Of the 828 species of birds found in Australia, approximately half are found nowhere else. Isolation also contributed to the development and survival of unusual birds. Here you can find tiny honey suckers to large wingless emus, which reach almost two meters in height. Australia is also home to many unique species of aquatic birds, seabirds and birds that live in open woodlands and rainforests. The following species are especially worth noting - cassowaries, black swans, penguins, kookaburras, lyrebirds and flute crows. There are 55 species of parrots in Australia. Many of these bird species are numerous and quite colorful, including a fascinating variety of cockatoos, rosellas, lorikeets, parrots, and budgerigars.

Australia has more species of venomous snakes than any other continent (21 of the 25 most venomous snakes in the world). Fear of snake bites is common among people planning to visit Australia, however, bites are rare and most often occur when a snake is deliberately provoked by a person. Australia's waters are equally diverse, containing approximately 4,000 of the world's 22,000 species of fish and 30 of the world's 58 species of seagrass. Australia is also home to the world's largest coral reef system, with UNESCO designating the Great Barrier Reef as a World Heritage Site. Marine species include the predatory great white shark, which reaches six meters in length; a giant whale shark that can reach a length of 12 meters; a dung fly or a Portuguese man-of-war, which is the most dangerous inhabitant Australian coastal waters; and box jellyfish, which are among the most poisonous animals in the world.

Further:

Australian white-headed grebe This is one of two known species of white-headed grebes, from the family of grebes. The white-headed grebe is found throughout Tasmania and Australia. You can find this bird in New Zealand, but extremely rarely. This is a squat, small bird. The length of an adult does not exceed 29-31 cm, and their weight does not exceed 250 g. The plumage is rather inconspicuous, gray-white, the iris of the eye is brown.

Australian Bustard The Australian Bustard belongs to the bustard family and is the only representative of this family in Australia. The Australian bustard lives in fields, woodlands and open agricultural areas of northern Australia and southern New Guinea. Aboriginal people in central Australia often call this bird the "bushland turkey". The Australian bustard is a fairly large representative of the family, the height of the male reaches 1.2 m, his wingspan is 2.3 m, and the average weight is 7.5 kg. The female is similarly colored, but significantly smaller in size.

Australian Cattle Dog The Australian Cattle Dog, better known as the Australian Heeler, is a man-made breed. It appeared in the 19th century in Australia. All the experiments that were carried out to create this breed lasted quite a long time, and they all failed. But then, at one fine moment, a group of specialists finally found those breeds of dogs that, when crossed, gave the desired result. The “parents” of this breed are the dingo, dalmatian and Scottish blue collie.

Australian tree frogs are a joke of nature We know from school that Australia has inexplicably become a kind of paradise for marsupials. Whoever here isn’t running and jumping with bags on their stomachs. As for the tree frogs, nature decided to play a joke. Marsupial frogs, on a whim, settled not here, but in distant America. But Australia has become a haven for a great variety of other, most diverse and amazing tree frogs.

Australian flying foxes. For centuries, such mysterious and extraordinary creatures as flying foxes have been frequent heroes of myths and dark legends. Australian flying foxes belong to the fruit bat family, to the order Chiroptera.

Australian penguins Australian penguins are the smallest penguins in the world, with an average height of no more than 33 centimeters. Thanks to the special structure of their eyes, penguins see perfectly underwater and in twilight on land, but are very sensitive to bright flashes. For this reason, it is prohibited to photograph penguins.

Australian parrots The inhabitants of the Australian forest are very difficult to spot. Standing under a tree, you might think that its leaves are singing, but these are numerous birds, disguised under a colorful background. The most beautiful of them are cockatoo parrots, of which there are 21 species. But only a few are widely known, due to the existing law in Australia prohibiting the export of any type of fauna from the continent (permission, of course, can be obtained, but only in cases where the exported animal was not taken from the wild, but was bred in captivity) .

Australian Dancing Cranes The largest of existing species cranes is the Australian crane; in addition to its size, it surprises with its incredible ability to dance in an original genre. He performs complex dances during the crane mating season.

Sandhill crane Grus rubicunda – large bird, belonging to the crane family, previously living on the entire continent of Australia, and now only on its eastern and northern parts, which is explained by the reorientation of the crane to feeding on grain. The Australian crane is a sedentary bird, roaming within its range. The crane has a height of 160 cm, a wingspan of about 180 cm, and a weight of 6 kg. The body has gray-blue plumage, except for the flight feathers: the feathers of the first order on the wing are black, very elongated and overlap the tail, like a train, the wings of the second order are gray. The crane's throat pouch and cheeks are bright orange or coral red. The crown is shaped like a gray-greenish cap, there are no feathers. The head of young cranes is covered with gray (red) feathers. Legs are long and black. The beak is gray. The eyes of an adult crane are orange. A young crane has brown eyes; after a couple of years the color changes to “adult”.

Sandhill crane The Australian crane is a large member of the crane family, similar in appearance to the Indian crane, but slightly darker and smaller. This bird leads a sedentary lifestyle and lives in Australia and New Guinea. The distribution of the sandhill crane has been poorly studied, so its number is not precisely known and may range from 20 to 100 thousand individuals. The height of this crane is about 161 cm, wingspan is 180 cm, weight is 6 kg.

Australian scalefish The scalepod is a legless, snake-like lizard from the family Squamopod, native to Australia. Quite often she is mistaken for a snake and killed for no reason. She really looks more like a snake than a lizard. And not only by his appearance, but also by his behavior. The length of the serpentine lizard is about 70 cm, it is the largest of all Australian legless lizards, while its size resembles the poisonous Bardick snake, with which this reptile is often confused. In case of danger, the scalyfoot, which has a very flexible body, raises it and takes a pose characteristic of an attacking snake, while showing a flashing tongue.

Australian coneberry The Australian conefish are amazing fish, the appearance of which simultaneously resembles a pineapple, a knight and his chain mail. Moreover, the character of cones is even more interesting than their extraordinary appearance. Conefish, which closely resemble the Australian knightfish, are native to several regions in the Indian and Pacific oceans. There is a Japanese cone, and there is a New Zealand one.

Asian - aka Indian buffalo. This type Buffalo is one of the species of animals found in Australia. In addition, as you can easily guess from its name, it lives mainly in Asia, from which it migrated not only to the territory of the Green Continent, but also to other corners of the Earth, for example, to America, and both to the south and and to the central, and in addition, also to Africa.

African ostrich. The African ostrich is considered the only representative of its kind at this time in the ostrich family. This ratite flightless bird can be found not only in the wild, but also in captivity it breeds and grows remarkably well.

Bandicoots Bandicoots are small land animals, members of the family marsupial mammals. They live in Australia, New Guinea and several eastern islands of Indonesia. There are representatives of very small sizes, weighing about 140 g, others are slightly larger, their weight reaches 2 kg. But most species weigh 1 kg. The animal has a compact body with a thin tail and a long, pointed muzzle with large ears.

great egret The great egret is a member of the heron family, a wading bird that is common in tropical and warm temperate latitudes of both hemispheres of the earth. It settles along reservoirs, on the sea coast, on the banks and floodplains of rivers, in swampy lowlands, near salt and fresh lakes, mangroves and estuaries. But it can also be found in farmers' fields, rice fields and drainage ditches. The white heron hunts only on land or in shallow water. Egret has a height of 94-104 cm, weight - 912-1140 g. The wingspan reaches 131-145 cm. Males are larger than females.

Bigfoot or weed chickens Big legs or weed chickens - big family birds in the order Gallinae, which includes 6 genera and 19 species. Their representatives live in Australia and on the islands to the north. From most of all other birds, megapods differ, first of all, in that they do not hatch their eggs, but bury them in a pile of humus or simply in the ground, where they develop, thanks to the heat of the sun and the heat that is released when plants rot. Only the male always looks after the eggs

Great Lyrebird The Greater Lyrebird can rightfully be called one of the most amazing birds in the world. Two features make it so unique - it is a very beautiful tail and the gift of adopting and reproducing a wide variety of sounds.

Bronze-winged dove The crested bronze-winged pigeon belongs to the pigeon family. It is endemic to Australia and lives in arid areas. It makes nests in trees. The bronze-winged pigeon has a relatively thin long body, 32-34 cm long, the head is decorated with a crest of long thin feathers, the beak is dark, gray at the base, the beak is strongly bent downwards.

Bronze-winged dove The bronze-winged crested pigeon is a member of the pigeon family. It lives in the arid regions of Australia, building nests high on tree branches in cities, gardens, parks and fields. A distinctive feature from ordinary pigeons is their take-off and flight technique. Taking off, it makes several strong flaps of its wings, after which, without moving them, it rises up. It can live in captivity; caring for it is similar to caring for a turtledove. It reproduces even in captivity; eggs incubate for 17-19 days. At the age of three weeks, the chicks leave the nesting site, but their parents feed them for another two weeks.

Wallabies - tree kangaroos Wallabies are a genus of tree kangaroos with 6 species. Of these, Dendrolagus Bennettianus - Bennett's wallaby (Tharibina) and Dendrolagus Lumholtzi - Lumholtz's wallaby (or bungaree) are found in Australian Queensland. These tree kangaroos originally lived in New Guinea, and now they are found in Australia. Wallabies live in mountainous areas and live in tropical forests. Their body length is 52-81 cm, a rather long tail can be from 42 to 93 cm. Depending on the species, male wallabies weigh 7.7 - 10 kg, females - 6.7 - 8.9 kg.

Encountering a Taipan - Kill or Die When faced with a taipan against his will, a person is faced with a choice: kill this reptile and stay alive or die. If a person deliberately went out to catch a taipan, the choice changes a little - to stay alive after catching it, to kill the deadly snake, thereby losing the chance, or, again, to say goodbye to life. The fact is that even an already invented antidote gives only one chance out of two of a successful outcome in case of a bite. Every second person bitten, alas, still dies, since he is given no more than three minutes to administer the vaccine.

The Australian cuttlefish is a giant representative of the cephalopod species belonging to the genus Cuttlefish. The length of the mantle of one individual reaches 50 cm, and the weight is 10.5 kg - this is the largest cuttlefish in the whole world, which is why the Australian cuttlefish is called giant. Its habitat is coastal waters off the southwestern and southeastern coasts of the Australian continent. This mollusk is an endemic species, found in seagrass beds, rocky reefs, and muddy and sandy seabeds up to 100 m deep.

Giant Australian cuttlefish The giant Australian cuttlefish belongs to the genus true cuttlefish and is a cephalopod of the cuttlefish family. The length of this mollusk is about 50 cm along the length of its mantle, and its live weight is 10.5 kg. Of all the cuttlefish living on Earth, this is their largest representative.

Giant snake-necked turtle This species of turtle, called the giant snake-necked or broad-shelled turtle, naturally lives on only one continent - Australia. It is most common in the basin of the South Australian Murray Darling River. Also found in Queensland, its south-eastern regions and adjacent rivers, Fraser Island and New South Wales.

Giant Australian monitor lizard The giant Australian monitor lizard is often confused with the Komodo dragon, whose size and strength are unmatched by other species of the monitor lizard family and ranks first. In second place is the striped monitor lizard, capable of living on land and in water. Third place is shared by two species of monitor lizards - the giant Australian monitor and the crocodile monitor (El Salvador monitor). The crocodile monitor lizard differs from other monitor lizards in having a very long tail, due to which its total length can even exceed the body length of the Komodo monitor lizard.

Giant monitor lizard Native to Australia, the giant monitor lizard is sometimes confused with the Komodo dragon, the largest and strongest of all lizards. However, despite such a sonorous name, the giant monitor lizard is only the third largest among living lizards (after the famous Komodo monitor lizard and striped monitor lizard). In addition, the giant monitor lizard competes for its honorable third place with another equally huge lizard - the El Salvador monitor lizard, or crocodile monitor lizard.

Deep sea "hell" vampire The family Vampyroteuthidae is represented by only one species - Vampyroteuthis infernalis ("Hell Vampire"). It is unclear where this relict deep-sea mollusk got such a nickname, since it is not aggressive, not poisonous, is not a predator and has a medium-sized body.

Blue Australian tree frog Blue Australian tree frog - large tree frog. Its habitat is Australia and New Guinea. The name of these frogs is not at all indicative of them, since they are not actually blue. Their color can range from dark brown to light green. True, there is one subspecies that is blue. Some Australian tree frogs have yellow or white spots on their backs. The abdomen is cream to light pink

Two-clawed turtle The flattened carapace and head of the two-clawed turtle are dark olive in color. Its head ends with a funny, blunt proboscis (hence its other name - pig-nosed turtle). The paws of this turtle are flipper-shaped and also dark olive in color. Its front paws are equipped with two claws, and its hind paws visually resemble oars. The neck below, the forelimbs in their lower part and the plastron are painted white. The blunt proboscis on the turtle's muzzle is somewhat elongated and resembles a pig's snout. The total length of the turtle can reach up to 50 cm, and its weight exceeds 15 kg. Distributed in the northern territories of Australia, as well as in Guinea, in the lowlands of its southern regions.

Denisonia splendid Denisonia splendor is a rarely seen snake with a very strong poison neurotoxic effect. In its family, it is not the largest representative - only 1.5 meters in length. There are 19 species of Denisonia on the Australian mainland, so this genus is considered endemic to Australia. The main distinguishing property of Denisonia splendor is viviparity - a quality that is practically not characteristic of reptiles.

Wild brumbies From time immemorial, the best friend and unsurpassed helper for man has been the noblest animal - the horse. Brumby is also a horse, but all of the above does not apply to it, since the fate of this breed of horses is sad.

Wild rabbit in Australia Since Australia is a country of rich vegetation, a warm climate and a small number of predators, rabbits began to breed en masse on this continent. There is an opinion that the reproduction of these animals in Australia is associated with the single importation of several individuals. However, in reality this fact was not unique. Rabbits very quickly eat up grassy vegetation, gnaw tree branches, and compete with local rodents and marsupials. They do not dig many holes; they hide in bushes and low trees, in ditches and holes. The twentieth century is a time of constant struggle against rabbits in Australia, without any special successes. Sometimes the number decreased slightly due to the implementation of the following measures:

Wood and maned ducks The Eaton's wood duck is also called the yellow-legged wood duck. This is a representative of a species of birds of the duck family, whose habitat is Australia and New Guinea. In Western Australia it occurs in the Kimberley region of southern Queensland, and also breeds in New South Wales in the northern part of the mainland.

Tree kangaroo Despite the fact that there are as many as 55 species of tree kangaroos, this animal is considered very rare. The name speaks for itself - the tree kangaroo lives not on the ground, but in trees. This strange and rare animal is found in Australia not on the mainland itself, but on nearby islands. Compared to ordinary Australian kangaroos, an arboreal relative is smaller in height - together with the ears, it barely reaches half a meter. Adult males weigh no more than ten kilograms, the female is correspondingly smaller and lighter.

Dugong - general information In the order of sirens there is a family of dugongs, the only representative of which is modern look an aquatic mammal with the name dugong. This name has Malay roots and means “sea maiden” or “mermaid”.

Echidna Echidnas are the most beautiful animals of the order Monotremes, which, along with them, includes only one representative - the platypus. Not every person will be able to immediately reproduce in their memory the appearance of this mammal. The appearance of the echidna is immediately associated with two representatives of the fauna: the porcupine - for its body completely covered with quills, and the anteater - for its narrow, elongated muzzle, resembling a tube, as well as its usual type of feeding. The echidna's body length is small, it can reach only 30 cm. The small mouth and complete absence of teeth are compensated by strong limbs endowed with sharp claws.

Jacaranda Jacaranda is a plant (tree), reaching 30 m in height, growing in the southern hemisphere of the Earth; it is most often planted along the streets in Australia. During the flowering period, it resembles our plum, cherry or apple trees “in bloom”. True, jacaranda flowers predominate in color in a lilac shade. Australian spring according to our calendar for October and November, our trees are already shedding their leaves, and the streets in Australia are decorated with a “lilac mist” of blooming jacarandas.

Fierce snake The fierce snake is a type of taipan, otherwise called the inland taipan. This is a large and one of the most poisonous snakes on earth; it belongs to the aspid family. The venom of snakes belonging to the taipan family is considered the most dangerous for humans. Actually, the entire family includes only two species - the taipan itself and the cruel (or otherwise called - ferocious) snake.

Animal echidna The echidna animal belongs to the echidna family. This family previously had several more subspecies, but today, unfortunately, they are extinct. Among oviparous mammals This animal is the largest.

The mysterious kingdom of marsupials It's truly puzzling. And, of course, first of all, from the point of view of understanding the motives that motivated the creators of animals of this type. After all, such a large-scale and diverse biological kingdom could not have been created if there had not been a very numerous and at the same time influential social demand for this.

Green Sea (Soup) Turtle The Green Sea Turtle is the only member of the genus Green Turtle, which formerly included the species Australian Sea Turtle, now classified in the genus Natator. This turtle got its name from the color of its meat and its very pleasant taste, which made the soup turtle also an object of fishing. Turtle soups made from green sea turtles are popular all over the world. This increased interest in this species of turtles has had a negative impact on their numbers and distribution. Green sea turtles are now endangered and are listed by the IUCN conservation union.

Spine-footed owl The cuckoo-crested owl is the smallest regional owl species in Australia, as well as the most widespread. The sizes of these owls range from 28 to 36 cm (in length). The upper side has dark brown plumage. The underparts are reddish-brown with white spots and stripes. The eyes are large yellow. The cuckoo owl lives up to its name by producing a deep, two-syllable call similar to that of a cuckoo.

The highlight of the Australian fauna is the terrier. It is not for nothing that this breed of dog is called the highlight of the Australian fauna - these small and very active dogs have a very developed sense of self-esteem, accumulating the blood of most of the breeds of the British “ancestors”.

Mudskipper Many people believe that all fish necessarily live only in water, but it turns out that this is not so. The mudskipper is exactly the fish that prefers to live on the shore. Mudskippers appeared at a time when the inhabitants of the seas began to move onto land, thereby making them one of the pioneers who adapted to life outside of water.

Giant lizards Gigantic lizards, or as they are more often called, smooth lizards, belong to the skink genus of lizards. There are a total of 8 varieties in the genus. These animals live in Australia and on some islands of Oceania. Gigantic lizards come in large and medium sizes, their average body length is about 50 cm.

A historically realistic look at Australian fauna. It is quite obvious that it is aggressive, which means it was created by an evil society, which, of course, lived with conflict, and a very serious one at that. In light of this, the question immediately arises about where the ancient idiots, and the villains are always consistently stupid, they are smart only in the movies, could have come up with such serious biological engineering technologies?!

Cassowary Cassowaries are amazing birds of the cassowary family of the cassowary order. There are three types in total. They are distinguished by their loose and soft plumage, somewhat reminiscent of animal fur. All types of cassowaries, and, as we have already said, there are only three of them - helmeted, dwarf, orange-necked - live in tropical forests in which there is dense undergrowth. Cassowaries are impressive and extremely beautiful. The smallest is the muruk (its height is only 70-80 centimeters). On its blue neck you will see small reddish spots located on the sides. Muruk also has a “helmet” on his head. Two other species of cassowaries are adorned with so-called “earrings,” which are skin projections that extend from the neck to the chest.

Cockatoo One of the brightest representatives of the parrot family is the cockatoo. This is a fairly large parrot. Its length can reach 70 centimeters. Characteristic features cockatoos are: long feathers on the forehead and crown, the color of the crest is not similar to the general plumage, white-black-pink-yellow color, complete absence of green color, the same color, but different sizes of females and males, short straight or slightly rounded tail.

Cape fur seal The Cape (or South African) fur seal is a species fur seals belonging to the family eared seals. It should be noted that its name is not entirely accurate, since this animal lives not only on the coast of South Africa, but also in Australia.

Karavayka Among the birds living in Australia, the locust is quite widespread. This is a bird of the ibis family. The body length of the loaf reaches 56 cm. The color of adult individuals is dark brown with a metallic tint of green and bronze. Young birds do not have a cast, but have white shading in the head and neck area, which gradually disappears as they mature.

Cuttlefish and their games Cuttlefish is an interesting marine life. It belongs to the class of cephalopods, but is very different from such typical representatives as mollusks and squids. The size of cuttlefish can reach one and a half meters due to its long arms. In total, the cuttlefish has ten arms with suction cups, two of which, in the most incredible way, can fit into the bags under the eyes. And in males, one of the arms is also an organ for procreation.

Catta or ring-tailed lemur The catta or ring-tailed lemur is one of the members of the lemur family identified on the island of Madagascar. This species of the lemur family is widespread in the southwestern and southern parts of the island, and can also be found in the Andringita mountains.

Quolla Due to their external resemblance, quolls are often called marsupial cats, and sometimes marsupial martens, but this separate species marsupial carnivores living in Australia. These animals are also found in New Guinea. On average, their length ranges from 25 to 75 cm, including a long fluffy tail. The pouches of these animals, or rather the females, open only during the breeding season, when quolls raise their young.

Quolla - marsupial cat Quolla (marsupial cat, marsupial marten) is one of the types of marsupial cats. In size, males resemble a small domestic cat, 60 cm long and weighing 1.3 kg. Females are slightly smaller. Quolls have thick, soft fur that is tan, brown or black in color.

Kea Kea is a bird of the parrot family. The body length is 46 centimeters, weight – from 600 to 1000 grams. The plumage is most often olive-green, less often a brownish color is present, and the feathers under the wings are usually bright red. The bird's paws are gray. They have a strongly curved dark gray beak with a long beak. The parrot received this name because of its characteristic cry “keee-aa”. The main habitat is New Zealand and regions of Australia.

Kangaroo rat Kangaroo rats (potoroos) belong to the family of marsupial mammals. These are small animals with brown fur, similar to both large rodents and miniature wallabies. By the beginning of the 19th century, kangaroo rats lived throughout almost the entire territory of Australia, except for the northeastern and extreme northern regions. Today, their numbers have decreased significantly, as they were intensively exterminated by introduced foxes and dogs. Two species of potoroo are already extinct. All other species are small in number. The remaining kangaroo rats are found in Australia and Tasmania.

Kangaroo Kangaroo is an interesting animal that lives in Australia. Most people have known about kangaroos since childhood. And in general, Australia and kangaroos - these two concepts are firmly connected in the minds of many, many people. Kangaroos were first described by James Cook. in April 1770. The body temperature of these animals is 34-36.5 °C. Kangaroos have a pouch for carrying their young (the famous kangaroo pouch), which opens towards the head, like an apron pocket. Interestingly, kangaroos are born just a few weeks after conception.

Kangaroo Eugenia This species of mammal of the green continent belongs to the category of the smallest local animals of this type. Why were they called that? But because the first such animal was found on an island with exactly the same name, and then they simply did not fantasize and assigned the same name to the discovered kangaroo, forgetting to add that they meant a creature from such and such an island formation.

Koala The most common misconception about this animal is that it is classified as a “bear”. This is absolutely false family ties Koalas have no more relationship with bears than humans. When talking about a koala, it is impossible not to say the word “charming”; this cute animal, living in Australia, surprisingly resembles a plush toy. Well, yes, of course, a bear. The koala is fantastically lazy, his daytime sleep lasts twenty hours, so if you managed to see this lazy animal awake, consider yourself very lucky.

Carpet pythons The carpet python belongs to the family of pseudopod snakes; this genus currently includes only 12 species, but a significant part of them have been studied and described in detail relatively recently. The carpet python is common in New Guinea, Indonesia, Australia and the Moluccas. It can be classified as a semi-arboreal or arboreal snake, throughout its life, for the most part, they spend in the crown of trees. The food for the carpet python includes small birds, lizards, wallabies, fruit bats, and medium or small marsupial rats.

King Penguin Birds of this type are considered one of the largest of their kind, second in size only to their imperial relatives. They live on islands located in the subantarctic territorial zone, limited by southern latitudes of forty-five and fifty-five degrees.

Kraken - an octopus and a squid rolled into one The octopus is an ancient animal that has still been studied very little. This creature is so fantastic that people preferred to create legends about it rather than study it. Ancient sailors called them krakens, considered them incredibly bloodthirsty and were very afraid. In Greek mythology, the squid was called the hydra, the one with which the fearless Hercules fought. Presumably, the terrible Gorgon jellyfish is also an ordinary squid. The sailors told creepy stories about how giant krakens dragged ships and even entire flotillas under the water.

Speckled or freckled duck The Freckled or Speckled Duck is a waterfowl of the Anatidae family found in Australia. It is the only species of its subfamily. The size is average, reaches from 50 to 60 cm in length, weighs about 800-1000 g. The wingspan is usually 75-85 cm. The plumage is shiny, the color is dark, gray.

Red-eared turtles threaten Australia's ecosystem Red-eared turtles were brought to Australia in the state of Queensland in the 60s and 70s of the last century by smuggling. Once in the wild, they began to actively reproduce and in a very short time became quite common local inhabitants. They displace local flora and fauna from water bodies and even cause significant damage to the country's ecosystem. The expression “snail speed” is quite common in the world, but has nothing to do with red-eared turtles it doesn't have. In Australia they are called red-eared slider turtles, which literally means “red-eared slider.”

Hook-nosed sea snake This snake has a fairly wide distribution beyond the Australian continent all the way to India. Experts are divided on its nature. Some describe it as very shy, calm and even docile, while others consider these snakes to be aggressive and wild. Perhaps, when meeting her, some were more fortunate, and others were more fortunate.

Kookaburra - the laughing bird The kookaburra is a bird whose cry sounds similar to human laughter, but people themselves perceive it differently. Some consider laughter a bad omen, others believe that it is a good sign, and still others, walking through the thicket of the forest, are simply scared. At the beginning of the kookaburra's laughter, it is heralded by a quiet chuckle, which quickly develops into a loud, guttural laugh that can be heard several kilometers away.

Chicken goose Chicken geese were a fairly large population in the early years of European settlement of the continent. Soon they began to be killed simply and in large numbers, for fun and “chicken” soup. This continued until the beginning of the 20th century. Then ornithologists, conservationists and the state took the chicken goose under protection. After all, the number of animals began to decrease at an alarming rate. Thoughtless shooting of these birds was prohibited.

Ocellated chicken The ocellated chicken is a fairly large bird belonging to the Galliformes family. Appearance This bird weighs approximately 1.5-2 kg, and its body dimensions range from 50 to 60 cm.

Couscous Couscous is a remarkable animal native to Australia. They are not uncommon, as they live in Australian parks and forests and have easy contact with humans, accepting treats and sometimes allowing themselves to be petted. They are called possums by analogy with the name and external resemblance to American possums. Today they are presented in 20 types. The bear glider is considered the largest, growing up to 120 cm (with tail). Its weight can reach 10 kg. This species contrasts greatly with the other, smallest species, whose representatives weigh no more than one kilogram.

Lyrebirds The lyre bird or lyrebird belongs to the passerine order. It includes two species of Australian birds. These birds are revered as the national bird of Australia, but despite this, they are rarely found in the natural environment of this continent, or indeed in nature in general. Male lyrebirds have a huge tail of simply amazing beauty, thanks to which these birds have become so widely known. The male opens his tail while courting a female or simply for display.

Australia's favorite wombat. In Australia, wombats (Vombatidae) are marsupial mammals that resemble small teddy bears in appearance. Therefore, they are the closest relatives of koalas.

Malay krait The Malayan krait is another very dangerous snake for humans (and not only others). The situation is further aggravated by the fact that this snake has an extremely unfriendly disposition. Its venom is so strong that even with the timely use of a special vaccine, approximately 50% of bitten victims still die.

Little Australian penguin The little blue penguin (other names: elf penguin or small penguin) is the smallest species of its entire family, its height is 375-425 mm, its fin is 104 mm (average length). Males are larger than females and have a larger beak. Habitat: the coast of South Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania. The population of this penguin species is stable, numbering about 500 thousand individuals.

Box jellyfish The box jellyfish or wasp jellyfish is a deadly poisonous jellyfish wasp that lives in the coastal waters of the Pacific and Indian oceans and in the seas of northern Australia. The body of the jellyfish has a clear “box” shape of 20 by 30 cm, from which translucent tentacles extend up to 8 m long. The average weight reaches 2 kg. The jellyfish stings in a special way: its tentacles contain stinging cells, which, upon contact with the victim, literally shoot a tightly coiled thread at it. The victim dies almost instantly from the deadly poison.

Denisonia splendor habitats The main habitat of Denisonia splendid is the south-west of Australia, but occasionally it can be found in the northern part of the island of Tasmania. At the same time, the biotopes it chooses are very diverse. These include mountains, valleys, wetlands and coastal areas. It loves denisonia and lowlands that are subject to seasonal flooding. That is, this snake prefers those places that are located close to water. Most likely, this is due to the peculiarities of her diet.

Saltwater Australian crocodile Inhabitants of the northern coast of Australia - saltwater crocodiles - are the largest reptiles on the planet. They can often be found on the mainland. Average length is 4 meters, but there are giants reaching seven meters. The females of these individuals lay about 60 eggs at a time, but only a small part of the cubs survive to adulthood, the rest die even in natural conditions. The breeding season coincides with the rainy season. A predator by nature, the saltwater crocodile can easily cope in the water, and sometimes on land, with a fairly large animal, for example, a water buffalo.

Mulga or brown king This is a poisonous species from the family of snakes, found in Australia. Despite its extreme venomousness, the mulga is not an aggressive snake at all. With the exception of the states of Tasmania and Victoria, the brown king is widespread literally throughout the entire Australian territory. Sometimes found in Papua New Guinea

Names of Australian tree frogs Australian tree frogs have so many varieties that when one of them is discovered, researchers sometimes find it difficult to choose a name for the new species. At the same time, sometimes incidents even occur, as, for example, with white litoria, which are so loved by lovers of home aquaterrariums, and which in fact are not white at all. The confusion was “due to” the researcher who described this species, whose name was John White (translated as white), who gave the name to this species.

Deceptively not very dangerous Australian fauna. It is really specific because it has little large predators, among which the largest, most dangerous and nimble - the dingo dog - is the brainchild of modern civilization, which subsequently littered the Australian fauna with wild dogs, as well as, for example, rabbits. This kind of circumstances may seem very harmless, however, this will be a mistaken opinion.

Barramundi snapper - a symbol of Australia From time immemorial in Australia, barramundi have been caught in wicker traps. Today this perch is one of the symbols of this country. Barramundi live at depths reaching 50 m. There are individuals that grow to a meter in length and weigh 15-20 kg. However, the bulk of representatives of this population are smaller.

Wedge-tailed eagle This is a bird of prey, the body length without wings is up to 1 m, the wingspan sometimes exceeds 2 m. It is one of the largest species of eagles in the world. The feather color of an adult is almost black, while that of a juvenile is rusty. There are usually no more than 2 eggs in a nest, both of a rather rough appearance. At the end of the summer season (or at the beginning of autumn), the female lays eggs, the nest is at the top of the tree. Until the eggs hatch, the elements of nature rule over them; when the chicks appear, the female remains to guard them, and the male takes care of the family’s food.

Octopus Dumbo The habitat of the Dumbo octopus is off the coast of Australia and Tasmania. The name of this deep-sea octopus evokes an association with the famous cartoon elephant calf, and this is no coincidence, since it was named after this hero. The reason for this was, of course, the huge ears, which in fact, of course, are not ears at all, but fins. But they stick out on both sides of what an octopus would like to call its head, but is actually a head-like organ. Be that as it may, this octopus looks impressive, unusual and bright, which greatly distinguishes this sea creature from a number of other various octopuses.

Floating snails Snails are often jokingly called “slow movers,” due to their slow movement. Having a rather vulnerable and soft body, without legs, they are forced to carry their own house on themselves. This is the lot of all representatives of the animal world who wear a heavy shell. True, there are snails that move much faster - these are swimming snails, these small creatures organize something akin to a real regatta among themselves.

frilled lizard The frilled lizard is the only species in the genus Chlamydosaurus from the agamidae family. The homeland of these lizards is northwestern part Australia and southern New Guinea. Prefers dry forests and forest-steppes. Frilled lizards can reach a length of 80-100 cm, with females slightly smaller than males. Their body can have different colors: from yellow to black-brown.

Behavior and lifestyle of Denisonia splendor The lifestyle of Denisonia splendor is not strictly daily. This snake obtains food for itself mainly at night, but is not averse to hunting during the day. The snake spends most of the daylight hours in various shelters - between stones, in cracks in the soil, in small holes of other animals, etc. If the weather is hot, then Denisonia splendor does not show up at all. open space, and comes out of its hiding place only with the onset of coolness at night. However, like any other cold-blooded creature, it requires ultraviolet radiation and heat from external sources, for which it usually uses stones heated throughout the day, onto which the snake crawls to bask. As you know, her body is not able to independently regulate its body temperature.

Striped wallaby hare The striped wallaby hare, this marsupial mammal, is related to the kangaroo. Previously, this animal in various forms was quite common throughout Australia; now only one species has survived, living on several islands off the western Australian coast.

Semi-footed goose The semi-footed goose is the only species of the family Anseranatidae, belonging to the order Anseriformes. It can also be classified as a separate genus belonging to the duck family. In the wild it is most often found on the Australian continent. This species of geese is found in New Guinea, as well as in Tasmania and northeastern Australia. But at the same time, the semi-footed goose has common characteristics with the spur-footed geese from South America. These are, first of all, rather long paws and neck, as well as reduced membranes.

possum The name "possum", which immediately evokes the name possum, is indeed in some way derived from it. Captain J. Cook, who discovered this animal, immediately noticed that it was very reminiscent of the American opossum. But in the report he made a mistake and wrote “possum”, and since these animals really belong to different groups, zoologists left this historical “typo”, and the small representatives of the family Phalangeridae were called possums.

Why did the marsupial wolf become extinct? You won’t believe it, but the Australians, their ruling majority, simply didn’t like him, after which they first strongly pushed him aside, and then completely destroyed him when they were completely tired of him. Everything is so simple in relation to the description of this issue.

Freshwater crocodile The Australian freshwater crocodile (Johnston's crocodile) belongs to the family of true crocodiles. This is an inhabitant of fresh water bodies in northern Australia. This is a relatively small species of crocodiles; even males rarely grow more than 2.5 m, unless at the age of 25-30 years. The length of the female is 2.1 m. A very narrow muzzle with sharp teeth, of which there can be from 68 to 72.

Rainbow (multicolored) lorikeet The lorikeet is a bird belonging to the parrot family. The habitat is predominantly the island of Tasmania and Australia (its eastern and northern parts). Size Total length - 30 cm, wingspan reaches 17 cm, weight - no more than 130 grams. External description It has a bright color: a bluish-lilac head, an orange beak, a blue (dark) belly and anterior cervical region. The bird has a bright yellow belt on its neck, its breast is red in the center and orange along the side lines. The back, wings and tail (its upper part) are painted dark green.

Rainbow lorikeet This extraordinarily beautiful parrot was called Rainbow for a reason. Here you can find, perhaps, all the colors famous saying about a pheasant that a hunter is looking for. There are about sixty species of lorikeets in total, but the rainbow lorikeet is the most variegated of them, despite the fact that they all have quite bright colors. Translated from Dutch, the word “lorie” itself is translated as “clown”. However, no matter how strange it may seem. But this parrot does not need bright plumage in order to attract attention to itself.

Paradise Bird Birds of paradise are probably the most beautiful birds in the world, but they are considered relatives of our crows. Now this genus includes almost fifty species living on the Australian mainland.

Horntooth The cattail is a large lungfish, a member of the Ceratodontidae family. Its massive, laterally compressed body reaches a length of 175 cm and weighs up to 10 kg. The scales are very large, and the fins are quite fleshy. The horntooth has a uniform color from reddish-brown to bluish-gray, somewhat lighter on the sides. The belly may be whitish-silver or light yellow.

Fish drop This is one of those creatures that are found, in general, only in Australia, more precisely, in its coastal waters. Especially, many of these terribly strange fish are found near the island formation called Tasmania. Seeing them these days is becoming less and less common, not only because drops are inhabitants not just of the depths of the sea, but of the very bottom, but also because there are fewer and fewer of them.

light hawk The light hawk is widespread in Australia, mainly in its northern and eastern parts. This is a bird of prey, lives in forests, and also often nests near rivers. Its body length is about half a meter, its wingspan can reach one meter. Males are much smaller than females.

light hawk A predatory inhabitant of the forests of the north and east of Australia, the light hawk is a typical representative of the genus of true hawks from the accipitridae family. It has relatively short, round wings, a long tail and relatively long legs. The length of the light hawk reaches 44 - 55 cm, and the wingspan is 72 -101 cm. This species has very pronounced sexual dimorphism, the height of males does not exceed 65% of the size of females.

Blue-ringed octopus The most poisonous invertebrate that lives in the seas and oceans is the blue-ringed octopus - a cephalopod about 20 cm long (with tentacles). You can meet it in the tropical coastal waters of the Australian mainland, Indonesia, the Philippines and Guinea.

Blue tongue skink The common blue-tongued skink (or tiliqua) is a large lizard belonging to the skink family, the length of which is up to 50 cm. It has a wide, flattened and long body, covered with large smooth scales. The powerful and large head of the skink is equipped with equally powerful jaws. The animal's limbs are five-fingered and short. The tail, the length of which accounts for almost 60% of the length of the lizard’s entire body, is thick and, oddly enough, short. The coloring of the blue-tongued skink varies depending on its species.

Deadly viper snake There are three phyla of Australian deadly snakes: fire snake, viper snake and New Guinea snake. Each of them settles in its own separate habitat. The viper-shaped snake is found everywhere on the mainland, except for the cold areas of the southeastern coast and the desert of the central part. Prefers rain forests, hills covered with cereals, and coffee plantations. More active at night, mainly lives on land. During the daytime, the viper-shaped snake is very secretive. Either she sits in ambush, where she is almost impossible to notice, or she rests in a secluded place.

Laughing kookaburra The laughing kookaburra is also called the giant kingfisher. This bird belongs to the category of predators, is of medium size and has a rather dense build. The wingspan is up to 45 cm and weighs an average of half a kilo. The kookaburra's head is slightly disproportionately large for its body, and its beak is long. This species differs from other kookaburras in its plumage with a predominance of gray-brown and off-white tones.

Marsupial wolf, or thylacine The marsupial wolf, or thylacine, is an incredible animal, the last of which died in 1936 at the Hobart Zoo. The homeland of the thylacine is Australia, from where it was displaced three thousand years ago by dingoes brought there by settlers. The thylacine belongs to the order of carnivorous marsupials of the class of marsupial mammals. Its representatives constitute a separate family of marsupial wolves. In its appearance, the thylacine resembles representatives of the canine family (dogs, wolves and others), but if you look closely at its appearance and movements, it becomes obvious that the thylacine has nothing in common with dogs. The front part of its body resembles that of a dog, and the back part resembles that of a marsupial.

Marsupial mole The marsupial mole is a blind animal that leads an underground life. It rarely rises to the surface and only after the rainy season. Despite their blindness, marsupial moles have rudimentary eyes that are capable of crying rather than seeing. They serve this animal as a means of rinsing the nostrils after digging underground tunnels and passages.

Marsupial anteater or numbat The marsupial anteater, also known as nambat, belongs to the family of marsupial anteaters. Habitat: Western Australia. Numbats live mainly in acacia and eucalyptus forests, as well as in dry woodlands. The animal is small in size, body length ranges from 17 to 27 cm, and the tail size is about 17 cm. An adult animal weighs up to 550 g. The muzzle is pointed, large eyes, small mouth, fluffy tail.

Taipan The very mention of the taipan causes considerable horror among Australians living in the northeast of the mainland. Of all the snakes living in Australia, many of which are poisonous, this one is the most terrible. Also found in New Guinea. Every year there are cases of people being bitten by taipan, after which not a single victim survives. Fortunately, this terrible snake lives in sparsely populated areas, and yet tragedies occur periodically.

Tasmanian devil The Tasmanian devil, or marsupial devil, marsupial devil is a mammal of the family of predatory marsupials. The black color of his fur, huge mouth with sharp fangs, terrible screams at night and ferocious disposition earned him the name “devil”, given by the first European settlers. The phylogenetic analysis proved the close relationship of the Tasmanian devil and quolls, and a more distant relationship between the devil and the marsupial wolf thylacine.

Tiger snake The distribution range of the tiger snake is Australia, New Guinea and the island of Tasmania. This is not just a deadly poisonous snake, its poison is considered one of the strongest and most dangerous for humans. The color varies, from olive to dark brown, and sometimes there are varieties with transverse stripes. And on the island of Tasmania the tiger snake is generally black.

Tiger snake - lifestyle and habitats Tiger snake deservedly belongs to the brightest representatives of the aspid family. Its length (1.5-2 meters) is inferior to the taipan, but its toxicity is not only ahead of it. According to herpetologists, of all existing land snakes, this large Australian snake has the most powerful venom. It ranks 5th on the list of all poisonous snakes in the world. Small animals die instantly from its bite. And if we take into account that representatives of this species are distributed in large numbers throughout almost the entire territory of the Australian mainland (with the exception of Darwin and the regions located north of it), then it can well be considered the most dangerous snake.

Platypus One of the most amazing and mysterious animals on earth: on the one hand, very similar to a waterfowl due to its paws and beak, on the other hand, to an animal due to its body covered with hair. The unusual nature of the platypus is amazing. His image combines the species of several other animals. For example, with its nose it resembles a duck (although it is a muzzle covered with skin with nerve endings, adapted for catching food), and with its tail it resembles a beaver; its paws have membranes, like those of waterfowl.

Firs – dangerous but peaceful Another of the extremely poisonous snakes found in Australia is the firs. Its habitat is small, a desert area in the middle of the Australian continent. Despite the fact that its poison is extremely toxic and can kill a hundred people with one dose, the loud “fame” has bypassed this deadly snake. The reason for this is that firs live extremely secretly, far from human settlements, so their chance encounters are practically impossible. If such a meeting for some reason (oh omnipresent man!) took place, then the firs will do everything to avoid closer contact. But if a person leaves her no other choice, and this contact takes place, then the outcome is known.

Frigate - bird of war The bird with the name "Frigate" is considered the closest relative of cormorants and pelicans. Now there are five species of this amazing bird, the most interesting of them is the magnificent frigatebird, a large and very beautiful bird.

fruit pigeon The Pied Violet-breasted Pigeon (or Wompoo, also called fruit pigeon) is native to New Guinea and, for the most part, Australia. Habitat: lowland tropical forests, where palm trees grow in large numbers. This is the east coast of Australia from central New South Wales all the way to Cape York. Sometimes the fruit pigeon can be found within the city. Its appearance is incredibly beautiful; females and males have almost the same plumage.

Proboscis-headed cuscus One of the two-incisor order of the family of marsupial mammals, the only one of its kind is the Proboscis-headed Cuscus, otherwise known as the Honey Possum. Its habitat is the southwestern coastal region (Western Australia), bushland and open forests. During the cold season it hibernates. It feeds on flower nectar and pollen, which it takes out from the bud thanks to its muzzle elongated into a proboscis and a long tongue (protrudes 2.5 cm), covered with long bristle-like papillae. To the tail, the length of the Honey Possum is 7-8 cm, the tail itself is about 10 cm, total weight animal - 13-17 grams. The tail is long and bare, the fur of the animal is short, coarse, gray in color with three longitudinal brown stripes, one stripe along the spine from the back of the head to the tail. The other two stripes are located on the sides of a pale orange color at the level of the shoulder-hip line.

Great Grebe Great Grebe (Great Grebe) is a waterfowl, a member of the Grebe family. This bird is smaller in size than a duck, its appearance is extraordinary - it has a thin neck, a straight and somewhat elongated beak. The color of the feathers on the back is reddish-brown, on the head, neck and belly - white. Only in the spring, with new plumage, the grebe grows two tufts of dark-colored feathers on its head, similar to ears, and around its neck there is a rufous feathering in the form of a collar. By winter, these decorations disappear until next spring.

Bowerbird - a skilled decorator During the mating season, many birds transform significantly and become very original - they spread their tails, sing, dance or stage fights. But the male bowerbird, without unnecessary fuss, knows how to show that he is the real man.

Schindleria In the same ocean that washes the shores of Australia, the largest animal living on the planet lives, and the tiniest sea creature, such as Schindleria, swims. Everything about this creature is measured in small quantities - weight - in milligrams, size - in millimeters, and short life - in weeks.

Emu The Emu bird is quite large in size and looks like an ostrich, which is why these birds were previously called Australian ostriches. Today, after numerous studies, it has been proven that Emu can be classified as a cassowary. Although the Emu is similar to an ostrich, it is significantly smaller in size. The height of an adult bird ranges from 150 to 180 cm, weight is in the range of 35-50 kg. As for peculiar features, Emu simply does not have them. For example, the same ostrich has two-toed paws, etc. Outwardly, it looks like an ordinary bird.

Echiopsis Bardika Echiopsis Bardik is an inhabitant of the Southwestern part of Australia, which can sometimes be found in the eastern United States. These snakes are most active in the spring, but during rainy summers they do not slow down even in the fall. Echiopsis Bardika is a stocky snake no more than 71 cm long, with a wide head and a keel raised along the back. The color range is quite wide: from gray to Brown different shades, in some cases there are small dark spots. There are good white scales on the neck and around the mouth. Echiopsis are nocturnal animals, but can hunt at dusk or in cloudy days. These snakes are viviparous, with females giving birth to 3 to 15 young per year.

Yabiru The species of black-necked storks belongs to the stork family. Its representatives live in northern Australia in aquatic or swampy places. The local population calls the black-necked stork “yabiru,” although this name goes to a separate genus of storks living in South America. The Australian jabiru is a large bird, reaching a length of up to 150 cm, its wingspan is 230 cm, and its average weight is 4-5 kg. The black-necked stork has a very impressive color: the whole body is white, only the head, neck, wing edge and tail are jet black with purple,

Venom of the cruel snake When bitten by a cruel snake, there are practically no visual changes at the site of the lesion, neither redness nor swelling. But the venom of this snake, like others belonging to the species of asps, has a neurotoxic effect on humans (and animals). The victim dies quickly due to paralysis of the respiratory system and the entire nervous system generally.

Poisonous and dangerous arthropods “Wolf spiders” live on the outskirts of Australian cities, and there are dozens of their varieties. They are most widespread in gardens, where they hunt flies in old fallen leaves. These spiders are relatively small sizes and are not aggressive. However, gardeners can get into their living space quite often. The bites of these spiders lead to local necrosis (death) and swelling of the skin. Very painful ulcers can sometimes appear at the sites of their bites. They are usually treated with antibiotics, systemic and local vasodilators, and hyperbaric oxygen therapy.

Moloch lizard The horned devil (or moloch) is the name of a species of lizard with a terrifying appearance, belonging to the agama family, common in Australia - in its western and central sandy semi-deserts and deserts. With a body length of 22 cm, it has a rather small head, a polished and wide body, covered with horn-type curved and short spines of different sizes. In the area of ​​the cushion-shaped outgrowth on the neck and above the eyes, there are also spikes, which gives the moloch’s muzzle a terrifying appearance.

12/21/2009 Snakes

Marsupial mole

Kalong, the flying dog The Great Bat (Pteropus vampyrus) is the world's second largest bat by weight, and has the largest wingspan. The Latin name of the species is P. vampyrus, however, this animal is not a vampire, this bat- what is called a megabat or large fruit bat. They are sometimes called flying foxes; however, they have no direct relation to foxes and only resemble them in passing in appearance. The large flying dog has a wingspan of seven feet (2 meters), and weighs 3 pounds (1.5 kg), has small pointed ears, large eyes, and resembles a fox in appearance.

Ornithoptera priamus Ornithoptera priamus is a widespread butterfly species in Australia and Oceania (eastern New Guinea - Solomon Islands - southern Australia).

Giant Australian cuttlefish The giant Australian cuttlefish (Sepia apama) can be found in waters ranging from less than one meter deep to probably about 100 m in southern and eastern Australia.

The vegetation of Australia and Oceania is very unique.

This is especially true of Australia, which over a long period of geological history developed in isolation from other parts of the globe.

The Australian flora is dominated by elements not found in other parts of the world.

The geological features of the development of the Australian flora determined its main features: antiquity and a high degree of endemism. In terms of the number of endemic plants, the Australian region has no equal on the globe - 75% of the species growing within its borders are endemic.

Main types of vegetation in Australia

Remote sensing maps of Australia's vegetation show that the dominant vegetation types in Australia are turfgrass steppe (occupying 18% of the area), eucalyptus woodland (12%) and acathic grassland (11%).

The five largest non-forest vegetation types by area are steppes, shrubs, scrublands and savannas.

Over the past 200 years, eucalyptus woodlands have reduced their area the most due to anthropogenic pressure.

Other vegetation types that have declined are woodlands and mallee scrubs, eucalyptus bleached woodlands and acacia woodlands and woodlands. The vegetation types occupying the smallest area (less than 2% all together) are rain forests and vines, tall eucalyptus light forests, forests and open woodlands or cypress pine, closed low-growing forests and closed tall shrubs, mangroves, low eucalyptus open forests.

For general idea On the distribution of vegetation, here is a rough diagram of the vegetation of Australia.

1 – woodlands and mallee scrapes

2 – urban development zones

3 – shrub communities of different types

4 – fields and improved pastures

5 – savannas

6 – cleared and closed forests

7 – mangroves

8 – turf steppes and meadows

9 – deserted steppes with sparse shrub savannas

Eucalyptus is a tree of miracles.

What other tree could have grown on the amazing land of the Green Continent? Eucalyptus trees are special in that they can adapt to the conditions of frequent fires in Australia (they recover quickly).

Eucalyptus trees are able to disinfect the air, grow quickly and drain wetlands. In the humid eastern regions of Australia you can see the regal eucalyptus. This is very tall trees: Eucalyptus at the age of 350-400 years reaches a height of 100 meters.

Eucalyptus wood is very dense, heavy (sinks in water) and does not rot. Eucalyptus absorbs and evaporates 320 liters of moisture from the soil per day (for comparison, birch - 40 liters).

It is always light in eucalyptus forests because the leaves of this tree turn parallel to the falling rays of the sun. This helps the tree retain moisture. It’s easy to breathe in the eucalyptus forest - the air is filled with a fresh smell essential oils. And they are known to kill various harmful bacteria.

Australians also respect eucalyptus for its extraordinary love of life - frequent fires that occur in the country's dry climate are not capable of destroying green spaces. Eucalyptus trees crack in the fire, and after a few days shoots begin to grow wildly from the cracks.

Eucalyptus trees have a weapon against pests: their leaves contain a cocktail of odorous monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes and formylated phloroglucinol derivatives. And, as it turned out, the proportion between the components of the odorous mixture in the tree differs in different branches and in different leaves; the tree had a genetic mosaic. That is, in different parts of it, different genes worked to produce a working mixture. So, even if insects almost completely destroyed the leaves, the tree still had resources to continue photosynthesis, growth and reproduction.

Trees with thickened trunks in which moisture accumulates, represented by several species of the genus Strecularia, the so-called “bottle trees,” are also very common.

bottle tree

(Latin name Brachychiton rupestris) are trees native to Australia. Their distribution area covers the entire central and northern parts of the continent.

The height of the bottle tree rarely exceeds 15 meters. In soil, the diameter of the trunk is one and a half to two meters. The trunk begins to branch high above the ground. Externally, the tree trunk resembles a bottle or flask. The foliage of the bottle tree litters its few branches quite densely. The leaf is small, only 8 centimeters in length.

But it is not the external resemblance to a bottle that gave the plant its name; the fact is that inside the trunk the bottle tree has two chambers. One of them (located closer to the root system) is filled with water, which the root absorbs during the rainy season. The second chamber (located above the first) is filled with juice, which in its consistency resembles thick syrup. This sweet juice is quite edible and tasty. The plant uses the accumulated water during hot and dry periods.

Eucalyptus savannas characterized by large distances between trees, so that steppe or shrub vegetation types dominate the landscape. They are found mainly in arid areas on plains and foothills, sometimes on rocky slopes. In southern Australia, many savannas have been cleared for fields or pastures. In northern Australia, eucalyptus savannas are used for grazing by livestock. Most of these savannas are located on the lands of traditional environmental management of aboriginal communities and are therefore in good condition.

Desertified spinifex steppe formed by perennial grasses that form cushion-shaped clumps - triodia Triodia spp. and spinifex Plechrachne spp. (both are often called spinifex).

Spinifexes are evergreen perennial, holly-leaved, tough grasses that grow on loose sand and rocky soils, forming sparse but dense bushy turfs. After seasonal or cyclone rains, numerous colorful annual plants, ephemeral and short-lived, appear between the spinifexes (and growing through the cushions). Steppes run along hilly or gently undulating plains on sandy or skeletal soils in semi-arid and arid regions of Australia, but not only inland: for example, they are common on the limestones of Barrow Island in Western Australia.

Vegetation tropical deserts Western and South Australia

Surface Big sandy desert raised above sea level to a height of 500–700 m.

The usual form of relief is latitudinal sand ridges running from east or southeast to west.

The Great Sandy Desert is characterized by red sandy desert soils. They are developed on aeolian ridges of red sands.

Coarse and medium-grained sands with the inclusion of coarse gravel and crushed stone predominate.

The region is characterized by steppes dominated by Triodia basedowii. Large areas are covered with open woodlands and savannas, mainly eucalyptus with an admixture of Acacia aneura.

Spinifex, or Basedow's triodia Triodia basedowii is a common grass of the deserts of Australia, forming desert steppes and ground cover in savannas and woodlands.

Old individuals form rings with a diameter of up to 20 m. Triodia, growing on loose sand, secure them.

The so-called “Giles Corridor” runs across the entire Victoria Desert - a narrow strip of akatniks, the only continuous contour of bushes here. This corridor connects the Pilbara region of Western Australia with the Central Ranges, passing through the Lakes region. Carnegie in the Victoria Desert and the southern Gibson Desert.

One of the desert acacias, Acacia tetragonophylla, grows in the upper reaches of dry riverbeds and on the slopes of quartzite hills.

It is a shrub or tree 2–3 m tall with phyllodes instead of true leaves, which have long, sharp, spiny ends.

This acacia got its local name “finish” from the fact that it is the last species eaten by animals during drought - it is too thorny.

Sclerolaena divaricata is another shrub from the family. Chenopodiaceae, very spiny and common in the desert.

Many species of this family are rich in mineral salts.

Its leaves are succulent, glabrous, and its fruits are yellowish. Succulents (from Latin succulentus, “succulent”) are plants that have special tissues for storing water. As a rule, they grow in places with arid climates.

Leaf succulents retain moisture in their thick leaves.

Savannas and woodlands of northern Australia

The tropical savanna region of the Arnhem Land Peninsula is a geographical landmark of northern Australia, determining the entire structure of the peninsula's ecosystems. Rivers flowing from the mountains to the coast are flooded during summer monsoon, and developed extensive floodplains in the sandstones.

Most of the peninsula is covered with wet savannas, combined with fragments of rain forests and shrubs on the ledges of the sandstone massif. The sandstone massif is home to highly endemic biota, including many rare plant species.

Southern Cordyline (lat. Cordyline australis) is a New Zealand species of woody plants. Endemic to New Zealand. Grows on rocky open slopes and damp plains. James Cook called it the "cabbage tree."

Young leaves are used for food. The juice of the plant has anti-infective properties.

Southern Cordyline is high in carbohydrates and, after cooking, becomes edible. For eight centuries it was an important source of food for the Maori.

Mangroves, or mangrove forests

Where in the tropics sea ​​shores protected from huge surf by nearby islands or coral reefs, or where rivers flow into the seas and oceans, one of the most distinctive plant formations of this zone develops - mangroves, mangrove forests, or mangroves. According to the descriptions of travelers, these are “trees growing in the sea”, in which during high tide only the crowns rise above the water, and at low tide the bizarre respiratory roots, different for different species of these plants, become visible.

Nepenthes, or pitcher plant (lat. Nepenthes) is the only genus of plants of the monotypic family Nepentaceae, which includes about 120 species. In the east - New Guinea, Northern Australia and New Caledonia - amazing Nepenthes (Nepenthes mirabilis) grows. Along with ordinary leaves, peculiar pitcher-shaped leaves are developed. In such leaves, the lower part of the petiole, closest to the stem, is flat, wide and green. Next, the petiole transforms into a thin long tendril that wraps around the branch of the host tree. At its end, formed by a leaf blade, hangs a jug for catching insects, somewhat reminiscent of an unusual bright flower. Different types of Nepenthes have pitchers of different sizes, shapes and colors. Their length varies from 2.5 to 30 cm, and in some species it can reach 50 cm.

Grevillea parallela Grevillea cf. parallela is a tree from the Proteaceae family. State of Queensland, Australia.

Melaleuca Melaleuca bracteata is a plant of the family. Myrtaceae, Queensland, Australia.

Eremophila Fraser, tarpentine Eremophila fraseri - a shrub from the family. Myoporaceae (Myoporaceae). Eremophiles are extremely characteristic of the bush communities of western Australia.

Keraudrenia similar to Keraudrenia velutina is a shrub from the family. Sterculiaceae, common to southwest Australia.

During the flowering season, the desert grasslands and savannas of Australia are spread with colorful carpets of the ubiquitous daisies and other wildflowers. From June to September, more than 12,000 species of wildflowers bloom across Western Australia. From late August to mid-October, Kangaroo Island in South Australia is home to more than 100 varieties of wildflowers, many of which grow only here. As soon as the snow melts in the Australian Alps, the alpine meadows are covered with scatterings of silver and snow-white daisies, yellow daisies and pink styliums.

The unique Australian flora also boasts representatives of the Proteaceae family, such as banksia, grevillea and telopea. About 80 per cent of all plants, in particular all members of the Proteaceae family, growing in the south-west of Western Australia are found nowhere else in the world. The heathlands along Victoria's Great Ocean Road rival few areas in Australia for the abundance of orchids.

Esperance, Nullarbor and Coolgardie Plains in southwest Australia

Andersonia large-leaved Andersonia parvifolia is a low common shrub in Esperance, less than 1 m tall, from the family. Heathers (Ericaceae).

There are over 20 species in the genus. Under cultural conditions it can reach a height of 2 m or more. Characteristic of non-carbonate sands and pebbles throughout the Esperance Plain and Mallee zone.

Recovers quickly after fires (in the second to fifth year).

Blooms mainly from August to October.

Pink astro-flowered callithrix Calytrix duplistipulata is a common shrub of the Esperance family. Myrtaceae (Myrtaceae).

Characteristic of the Mount Ridley region and northern Esperance.

It usually forms compact clumps 1 m high, very often after clearing, felling or fires.

The bright pink flowers are about 2 cm in diameter.

Another type of callithrix, Calytrix leschenaultii, has blue, violet, lilac or purple flowers with bright yellow stamens, which turn red at maturity.

A common species in Western Australia, found mainly in non-forested (low shrub) communities, on non-carbonate sands or in the mallee zone.

The leaves of this shrub are so small (2 mm long) that not during the flowering period it is literally not visible in the vegetation. The height of the bush is 0.6–1 m.

Dodonaea lobulata is a shrub from the family. Sapindaceae up to 3 m in height, distributed over a 400 km radius around Kalgoorlie.

The species Dodonaea lobulata may be common in the Esperance region, but mainly on red loams around low-altitude granite outcrops (within a 20 m radius of them), and on small limestones slightly overlying granites. This type of ecotope is characteristic of the Mallee zone and the north-east of the Esperance Plain. Dodonea fruits, similar to hop fruits, are greenish-yellow at first, but quickly turn red and become scarlet as the fruit ripens.

Isopogon alcicornis is a strange-looking shrub from the family. Proteaceae with almost vertical olive-green long (up to 1.6 m long) leaves.

Australia's wildlife is unique, as many flora and fauna are found only here. This is due to the isolation of the Green Continent and its significant distance from other continents. The most important difference in the nature of mainland Australia is that there are no predators among mammals. This mission was taken on by wild dogs, foxes and some other animals brought to the continent, which led to a decrease in the population of the main representatives of the fauna of Australia

Marsupials in Australia are represented by 180 different species, which differ from each other, both in lifestyle and methods of reproduction, but they are similar in one thing: on the stomach of these marsupials there is a deep fold, which is called a bag, in which they nurse their young after birth.

This is extremely necessary, since marsupials are born very weak and are not independent individuals for a long time. We will now tell you about some representatives of marsupial animals in Australia.

A nocturnal marsupial that lives in trees

Many tourists are interested in the question of where the koala lives. The unusual animal spends most of its life in the trees, only occasionally descending to the ground.

When climbing trees, the animal's claws are locked into a strong lock, which allows it to stay on any trunk. The cubs also have exactly the same claws, which move by tenaciously grasping their mother’s fur.

These huge representatives of marsupials differ in their characteristics from other individuals of the same classification. But what’s so special about them, you ask, and in general, does a male kangaroo have a pouch? In fact, it is the prerogative of the mother to bear the baby in the most secluded place. The pocket, smooth from the inside, is framed by thick fluffy fur at the entrance. This way the baby is protected from any bad weather.

Kangaroos and emus have never been official symbols of Australia, but they are associated only with this state. The kangaroo and the emu cannot move backwards, which is why they ended up on the country’s coat of arms. These proud shield holders were called upon to express the federation's confident decision to always go forward! Kangaroos and emus live only here, as do the koala, platypus and the kookaburra bird, which has a roaring laugh. The platypus, as a symbol of Australia, is depicted on the Australian 20 cent coin

What kind of animals live in Australia - a small continent significantly removed from other continents? In our article you will find the answer to this question.

The flora and fauna of Australia amaze with their beauty and exoticism, and you can enjoy them not only away from cities and in specialized reserves, but also in numerous public gardens and parks, where nature is carefully protected and preserved.

Many of Australia's animals and plants are unique: about 12,000 species of wildlife and 550 species of eucalyptus trees are found nowhere else except on this amazing continent.

Interesting fact about Australia

Australia is the record continent for the number of poisonous animals

The secretive platypus lives on the banks of rivers and streams in Eastern and Southern Australia and Tasmania.

The platypus is an extremely peculiar animal that has adapted to extremely specific living conditions in aquatic environment. It has a smooth, streamlined body covered with short brown fur. Its front paws are equipped with membranes that facilitate movement in water and life in burrows.