Most of the animals on Australia are found no where else. Many of the animals are marsupials, an ancient mammalian branch that carries its young in a pouch. In Australia, these unique marsupials fill most of the niches in the environment.
Beautiful and Deadly
Australia is known as the land of deadly creatures. It is home to some of the most deadly creatures walking the Earth today. The salt water crocodile grows to over 25 foot long and kills 20 or more people a year. The box jellyfish is another deadly Australian native. This sea creature has 26 foot long tentacles that are nearly invisible and full of deadly poison. Simply swimming by the box jellyfish can kill. Australian snakes include the coastal Taipan, also known as the most deadly snake in the world. Just a single drop of its venom can kill 20 people.
Cute and Cuddly
Australia is also home to some of the cutest creatures living today. The koala is arguably the cutest animal alive. This animal looks a lot like a living teddy bear and lives on a strict diet of eucalyptus leaves. The wombat is another contender for that title. These creatures are roughly the size of a small pig and are covered in long shaggy gray fur. These gentle herbivores often live happily underneath homes. Sugar gliders are sweet loving little creatures that glide through the air on a softly furred skin flap. These little guys are nocturnal insectivores who share their homes with a number of other sugar gliders.
Amazing and Unusual
The kookaburra bird, with its raucous laughter, is found in many suburbs and in the brush. This large kingfisher will steal sausages off the BBQ as happily as it will brunch on a lizard. They may not want to lunch on a blue-tongued lizard though. These large and friendly lizards have a scary blue tongue that contradicts their laid back nature.
