I’d love to go to Australia! Not only is there amazing weather, and a completely unique culture, but there are animals there that I can only dream about! There are hundreds of species, from marine life to insects, and some that I’d love to get close to. Some I really wouldn’t, though... Here are 8 I can’t wait to meet.
Okay, so these might be found in some other countries too, but Australia has a huge supply, and you can get some amazing photos from there! The warm temperatures mean they are really happy, and there are huge pods to watch. I’d love to swim with them...
Photo Credit: ѕhadowdancer
I’ve always wanted a koala. How cute do they look? They just look like they’d be perfect to cuddle with. The word Koala comes from the Aboriginal word meaning ‘No Drink’, as Koalas get all of their moisture from eucalyptus leaves that they eat. The babies are born after just a five week pregnancy, but spends 6 months in its mothers pouch feeding. Awww!
Photo Credit: ianmichaelthomas
This little cutie is native to South East Australia, and is the smallest species of penguin. They grow up to 16 inches tall, and weigh just 2.2 pounds fully grown. They have gorgeous navy blue, and eat crab larvae and sea horses, among other things from the seabed. They lay three to four clutches of eggs per year, and live for around 7 years. They also mate for life...Animal knowledge aside, I love penguins, and fairy penguins look so, so cute!
Photo Credit: John_X
Kangaroos are so Australian...I remember growing up and wondering what seeing kangaroos would be like! There are 60 species of kangaroo, and red kangaroos are the largest. They live in ‘mobs’, ranging from a few individuals to thousands, of which there is usually a dominant male, lots of females, and the babies of either gender. The males are usually pale red, or sometimes pink, with the females being blue-ish. They look so fascinating...and playful!
Photo Credit: Steve Barber
How could anyone not be fascinated by these strange looking yet beautiful creatures? They come from the same family as seahorses, but there are a few key differences. They don’t have a pouch for the young, and they cannot grab things with their tails. They have no teeth, and no stomach. Swimming with them would be amazing...they lay 250 bright pink eggs, which the man carries in his tail until they are large enough to swim. So, there should be plenty around to watch!
Photo Credit: Pix Elate
These stunning mammals measure 15 to 17metres long, and can weigh up to 100 metric tons. They are black, with a small watch patch at the bottom, and they are relatively slow swimmers. They are very acrobatic, breech often and swim close to the surface. Which means they are amazing to watch...you can even hear them moaning under the water. Wow!
Photo Credit: AlexandraPhotos
I love lizards, and this one is truly beautiful. This lizard has always been a key embelm of Australia, and used to feature on a 2 cent coin. It is a member of the dragon family, and is sun loving, often being very active during the day. They can grow up to 95cm long, and they grow up the colour of the land that they live on. The most amazing part? The frill. It’s activated when they get scared, and open their mouth very wide. It is intended to scare away enemies, by displaying the red and orange scales, and helps the lizard to regulate its body temperature. It would be so, so amazing to see one with its frill out!
Photo Credit: Stavenn
When I was little, I used to go platypus hunting with my sister. We’d look EVERYWHERE. We never found one, of course, but I’d still love to see one! They live on the edge of rivers, where they can burrow, and are very, very shy. They are only active for a few hours a day, between dusk and dawn, and are amazing swimmers. Don’t they just look adorable?!
I can’t wait to visit Australia...I’ll be spending my days hunting out these animals, and trying desperately to avoid the spiders and other insects! They are truly amazing animals, though, and so different to the wildlife here! Have you got a favourite Australian animal? Please tell me about it!
Top Photo Credit: john white photos