Australia is so far away that it is difficult to get a complete picture of life in this continent country and on lands close to it. The nature of Australia is such that there are many animals and plants that few people know about. This attracts interest in the study of local nature. Endemic species of animals and plants - this is what Australia is famous for. Its flora and fauna are so unique that some species of animals are found only here.
Short excursion
For millennia, Australia's nature has followed its own path of development. Remoteness from other continents led to the fact that new representatives of flora and fauna were hardly imported here, which made the local natural environment absolutely unique and absent on other continents. This is the most remarkable and main feature of Australian nature. In addition, after the Old World met this continent, most of the animals remained endemic, that is, it lives exclusively in these territories under certain conditions.
Australia's unique forests and trees
Plants of this continent for many centuries were forced to adapt to difficult environmental conditions. So, inside the country, the soil is particularly dry, which makes it difficult to cultivate plants that love moisture, so for the most part flora grows here, which peacefully puts up with drought. A large part of the plants has a dull color, due to insufficient water. For example, most types of eucalyptus. But strangely enough, in the coastal regions of the country, bamboo thickets and other moisture-loving plants are perfectly developing .
Most of the green continent is known for its eucalyptus thickets and pandas that live there. It is not surprising, because a considerable part of the continent is covered with similar forests. In total, there are almost three thousand species of eucalyptus in Australia! In addition, the green continent is rich in acacias, which are found here at least a thousand varieties. This area is also characterized by other trees that are found on other continents except in botanical gardens. For example, here you can often find a tea tree, cypress pine or even mangrove, incredible for Europe.
Trees in Australia, as well as other vegetation, are distinguished by their originality. The third most common genus here is considered Grevillea. It has about two hundred species. Ferns are often found here, although they grow exclusively in moist mountain forests.
Not only the city of Sydney attracts many tourists. There are tropical rainforests on the continent where you can find huge vines and palm trees. Savannahs and savannah forests Australia is famous for are more common. Flora and fauna in them are extremely dependent on seasonal changes. During the wet season, the local savannahs are full of plants of all colors and sizes, which bloom together, creating real flower beds. Here you can often find eucalyptus trees and other trees with a thick stem that can retain moisture for a long time. Northern Australia, with its flowery savannahs, is moving smoothly into western and eastern, and these regions are much more arid.
With a decrease in the water level in the soil, vegetation also changes. The closer to the east, the less forests and savannas become, the poorer the vegetation. As a result, close to the arid regions, you can find the so-called scrabs - thickets of shrubs and low trees that lack moisture. In central Australia, the humidity level is the smallest, making it an extremely unfavorable area for plants.
A bit about animals
Everyone knows that marsupials are considered a symbol of Australia and Oceania. And this is not surprising, given the fact that there are 140 species. The most popular and common among them are koalas, kangaroos and wombats. Kangaroos are also depicted on the arms of the continent. In addition, Australia is the only habitat for egg-laying mammals such as the platypus and echidna. Half of all bird species living here are also endemic.
The territory of Australia boasts such rare birds as the black swan and the small penguin. Despite the fact that they are not found here so often, there is still the possibility of encountering rare animals in natural conditions. However, it is better not to meet with some representatives of the flora and fauna of the green continent. For example, with poisonous snakes, by the number of which Australia occupies a leading position worldwide. And with crocodiles, which can often be found in marshy areas, it is also better to miss each other.
Natural areas of Australia
The table shows which regions the continent can be divided into by the areas of distribution of flora and fauna. Even taking into account the above that the Australian nature is unique, the continent still has similarities in fauna with South America, Asia and even Antarctica.
Zone | Flora and fauna of the zone |
Australian (includes mainland and Tasmania) | This region is distinguished by endemic species and a small number of species. Penguins are found in Tasmania. |
New Guinean | Many varieties of climbing animals; species characteristic of Asia periodically occur. |
New Zealand | Very rare animal species live here. |
Polynesian | Flora and fauna differ from island to island. |
Natural areas of Australia (the table describes only the main characteristics) differ both in representatives of the fauna and flora. You can familiarize yourself with them below in more detail.
The Australian natural zone numbers one and a half hundred species of marsupials. They are well distributed almost throughout the continent. Various natural zones of the mainland were formed under the influence of both geographical features and historical development, as the fossils of Australia perfectly prove. So, for example, in the country there are significant differences between some species of animals from the eastern and western regions. This is due to the fact that a few millennia ago these regions were divided by the sea. In the northern and eastern parts and the New Guinea region, various species of climbing animals, especially koalas, are often found. This widespread beast lives in forests, spending most of the day on trees, feeding on various leaves. Opossum and tree kangaroo can often be found .
Animals
The lower mammals that survived, unlike the higher ones, are widespread here - the latter on the mainland are represented exclusively by bats and ordinary mice. This is due to the fact that during their distribution throughout the continents, access to them to the green continent was ordered. The remaining vertebrates here are also mostly endemic. In riverine areas, you can find a platypus, a web-footed animal that obtains food in water.
Birds
In the rainforests, you can find a huge number of birds of various colors and sizes. The so-called birds of paradise - hummingbirds, honeybees, lyrebirds - nevertheless quietly coexist with weed chickens - an Australian curiosity unique to the European.
But the people of Australia for some reason are not surprised that instead of hatching eggs, a chicken bury them in rotting garbage. In abundance here you can find waterfowl species. In addition, in Australia there are Siberian birds that go there to winter. Here you can find some flightless birds, for example, emu and grass parrots. Other species from the northern hemisphere arrive to visit Australia .
Insects
The moist forests of the northern and eastern parts of the continent are characterized by some species of insects we know. For example, ants, butterflies. In the northern part of the continent, you can even meet with worms, the length of which can be several meters.
Kangaroo
Speaking of the green continent, a special place should be given, of course, to the kangaroo, which Australia is famous for. Flora and fauna are most favorable for them in the northern and central parts of the country, animals can eat well in these regions, so they are inhabited by many species. Kangaroos are collected in herds. In case of danger, they make jumps, the length of which can be up to ten meters with an animal's body length of up to three meters. In the rocky and shrubby areas there is a species of wallaby. Over the twentieth century, the population of kangaroos has decreased significantly, this is more due to human activities and the extermination of animals, to a lesser extent - to predators.
Dingo dog
Not only mammals marsupials are a symbol of Australia. There is also a dangerous beast that destroys these marsupials - the dingo dog. In size it is a small animal that is distinguished by its special endurance. In pursuit of prey, the dingo dog can run for many hours in a row, until the victim decides to surrender, so she overcomes the kangaroo. The animal is able to go far away for food. Most of the dingo dogs are located near Lake Eyre, from where they can go for many tens of kilometers in pursuit or in search of food.
Not only the kangaroo gets from this animal. Many species of peaceful fauna were affected by them. The nature of Australia is such that, due to an increase in the population of wild dogs, sheep breeding is no longer as profitable as before. On the mainland of the continent, attempts were made to cross this species with a domestic dog, but the new breed was not widespread, the new species lives mainly in a national park on Fraser Island.
Echidna
One of the most famous national endemic animals is echidna. The animal is covered with needles, lays eggs in a bag, where it bears. Echidna leads a mostly nocturnal lifestyle in order to avoid dangers.
New Zealand Nature
Although New Zealand is a separate country from Australia, their natural areas are closely related. The extinct animal species of Australia are preserved here. In addition to the kangaroo, the animal is almost not found in this area, but here you can find incredible species of birds.
A distinctive feature of the birds of the New Zealand natural zone is the land-based lifestyle. However, dangerous animals are almost never found here.
Pests and problems
On its difficult path of development, which Australia has traveled, flora and fauna with all their rare representatives are very often in danger. Europeans brought new animals to the continent, which eventually went wild and began to harm local species. For a while, rabbits were the real misfortune. Globalization also affects the development of nature, the city of Sydney and other large cities with many plants and factories harm rare, unique species of animals that continue to disappear from the face of the Earth.
Dangerous to humans flora and fauna
In addition to the above dingo and kangaroo dogs, which can attack a person if they feel danger, in Australia there are a couple of reasons to stay alert. For example, as mentioned above, snakes, of which there are a huge number of species. Many of them are extremely insidious and dangerous.
In addition, here you can often meet with spiders, which are even worse than snakes. However, they are not always poisonous. Often you can see here ants, which can cause a lot of trouble. In more humid areas, mosquitoes, mosquitoes and ticks, which Australia has long been famous for, are found. Flora and fauna here can both please and hide the danger. Some marine inhabitants, for example, sharks, which are found quite close to the shore, are also worth fearing. In addition to dangerous animals, here you can meet with not the most pleasant plants. For example, dewdrop-shaped, although for humans they are not dangerous. They are quite rare.
Come to Australia
All the incredible local animals and plants are a great reason to visit this distant continent. It hides many mysteries, but this is what attracts lovers to solve them. Acquaintance with charming animals, which in Europe can be found not even in every zoo, will not leave anyone indifferent, well, who can not fall in love with a little panda chewing bamboo?
Black swans, koalas and centennial eucalyptus trees along with a pleasant climate, the sea coast and beautiful resort towns are just the smallest part of the reasons to come to admire the local beauties. The charm of Australian nature cannot be expressed in words, it must be seen personally once and fall in love forever.