Nature

Australia is a country with a massively diverse - and dangerous! - wildlife, and also some of the world’s most iconic fauna. With 550 national parks, 15 World Heritage sites, a coastline that stretches for 50,000 km and beaches totalling 10,000 km, you’ll not be short of wildlife experiences. With everything from ancient rainforests, snow-capped mountains and the balmy waters of the Great Barrier Reef, there are a myriad of natural environments to explore.

Most Aussie wildlife is endemic to Australia - in fact 83% of mammals, 89% of reptiles, 90% of fish and insects and 93% of amphibians are only found here. This is due to the fact that 50 million years ago, Australia broke away from the super-continent Gondwana, and so its flora and fauna have remained isolated, and developed independently from the world ever since.

Kangaroo

One of Australia’s most unique and recognisable mammals, the iconic kangaroo is unique to the country and not found anywhere else. There are an estimated 40 million kangaroos in Australia, more today when Australia was first settled.

The kangaroo is a national symbol of Australia

Koala

Found in the coastal regions of eastern and southern Australia, the Koala survives solely on eucalyptus leaves and spends most of its time sleeping - three out of its five waking hours are dedicated to eating!

It is estimated there are only around 100,000 koalas left in the wild

Saltwater crocodile

The largest species of crocodile in the world, the adult male saltwater crocodile can grow to a length of 4.8 metres. They are generally found in the northern territories of Australia, and are called ’salties’.

Although unlikely, a bite from one of these 'salties' would prove fatal

The Little Penguin

Hard though it may be to believe, Australia is home to penguins! The Little Penguin is the only species of penguin that breeds on mainland Australia, and there are many beaches where you can sit and watch them waddle home at dusk.

Snakes

Australia is the only continent where venomous snakes outnumber the count of non-venomous snakes! There are several families of snake found in Australia, and the most venomous species are from the Elapidae family, and include the Fierce Snake, the Eastern Brown Snake, the Taipan and the Eastern Tiger Snake.

Sharks

Australia is home to the world”s biggest fish, the Whale Shark, and these can be seen on the Ningaloo Reef between April and June. Sharks inhabit all the coastal waters around the Australian coast, and there are a total of 166 species found in these waters. These include three of the most dangerous varieties, the bull shark, the tiger shark and the great white shark.

Flora

Australia supports 25,000 species of plants, compared to just 17,500 in Europe, and there are over 12,000 species of wildflowers in Western Australia alone! There are also a number of the unique living fossils, such as the Wollemi pine and the grass tree.

Ten most poisonous animals in Australia:

1. The Box Jellyfish
2. Irukandji (A Jellyfish)
3. Salt Water Crocodile
4. Blue Ring Octopus
5. Stone Fish
6. Red Back Spider
7. Brown Snake
8. Tiger Snake
9. Great White Shark
10. Funnel Web Spider

Plan your unforgettable wildlife experience.

Find out more about Australian fauna.