Australia has a wide diversity of animals and plants that are not found anywhere else in the world. The continent has a unique evolutionary history and isolation from other continents since it has been geographically isolated for millions of years, allowing its native wildlife to evolve in distinct ways. This is the primary reason for many unusual species, such as the kangaroo, koala, platypus, and echidna. Here is the list of 10 forest animals from Australia:
Forest Animals from Australia
1. Albert’s lyrebird
Albert’s lyrebird is a bird species endemic to the subtropical rainforests of Australia and in the small areas on the state border between New South Wales and Queensland. The bird species is named after Prince Albert, the prince consort of Queen Victoria, queen of the United Kingdom. The body length of bird species is up to 75 cm (30 in) in length, where males are larger than females and can grow up to 90 cm (35 in), and the average weight of both sexes is up to 930 g (33 oz). The primary diet consists of insects (including beetles) and their larvae, as well as other soil-dwelling invertebrates.
Image Source: Wikimedia
2. Australian brush turkey
The Australian brush turkey is one of the popular forest animals from Australia and is found in eastern Australia, from Far North Queensland to Eurobodalla on the South Coast of New South Wales. They are solitary birds by nature, and they only gather at night in trees. The dietary habit is omnivorous in nature and feeds on insects, fallen fruit, and seeds. The body length is between 60 and 75 cm, and the average weight is between 2 and 2.5 kilograms. The average lifespan of Australian brush turkeys is between 10 and 12 years in the wild.
Image Source: Wikimedia
3. Australian fur seal
The brown fur seal, also known as the Cape fur seal, South African fur seal, and Australian fur seal, is found off the coast of Tasmania and in the Bass Strait, with one colony on the Tasmanian mainland. They are diurnal seal species that are active during the day and sleep at night. The primary diet of Australian fur seals is octopi, small fish, crustaceans, and rock lobsters. The average lifespan of an Australian fort seal is between 19 and 21 years in the wild. The body length is between 125 and 225 cm, and the average weight is between 50 and 360 kilogrammes.
Image Source: Leo
4. Australian pelican
The Australian pelican is one of the birds with long beaks distributed along the shore and inland of Fiji, Australia, and New Guinea and occasionally found in New Zealand and Indonesia. These dural animals are usually found in groups of up to 40,000 birds and communicate by means of visual signals, using their beaks, necks, wings, and pouches. The primary diet of Australian pelicans is crustaceans, tadpoles, shrimp, and, sometimes, turtles. These birds are monogamous in nature, which means they mate once in every mating season.
5. Bare-nosed wombat
The bare-nosed wombat, also known as the coarse-haired wombat or common wombat, is an animal species native to Australia. The body length is between 700 and 1100 mm, and the average weight is between 20 and 35 kilograms. They are found on Tasmania and Flinders Island, are often smaller than their mainland counterparts, and are endemic to Tasmania and southeastern parts of Australia. The average lifespan of bare-nosed wombats is between 15 and 20 years.
Image Source: Wikipedia
6. Brown-striped frog
The brown-striped frog, also known as the stripped marsh frog, is native to coastal Eastern Australia. The body length is up to 65 mm and is distributed across southern parts of the Cape York Peninsula in North Queensland, through all of coastal New South Wales, Southern Victoria, southeastern South Australia, and Northern Tasmania. Talking about the appearance, they have distinct darker stripes running down the frog’s back, hence the specific name, and there is a black “mask” that runs from the nostril, through the eye, and down to the shoulder.
Image Source: Wikimedia
7. Common brushtail possum
The common brushtail possum is one of the forest animals from Australia distributed across Australia, Tasmania, and many offshore islands such as Barrow Island and Kangaroo Island. The body length of the common brushtail possum is between 32 and 58 cm, and its average weight is between 1.2 and 4.5 kilograms. They have large and pointed ears, and their bushy tail is adapted to grasping branches. They are prehensile at the end with a hairless ventral patch. The dietary habit is herbivore in nature and feeds on leaves, shoots, and flowers, supplementing their diet with clovers, seeds, and garden fruits. The average lifespan of a common brushtail possum is between 13 and 15 years in the wild.
Image Source: Andrew
8. Common ringtail possum
The common ringtail possum is an Australian marsupial distributed across Australia’s eastern coastline, Western Australia’s southwestern corner, and Tasmania. The body is up to 30 cm in length, and the average weight is between 550 and 1100 grams. Talking about the appearance, the ommon ringtail possum is grey in colour, along with orange-brown tinges on its legs and tail and white patches on its belly and behind the eyes. The oriamey diet includes a variety of leaves and native plants, as well as fruits and flowers. The average lifespan of the common ringtail possum is between 5 and 8 years in the wild.
Image Source: Wikimedia
9. Cumberland Plain land snail
The science of Cumberland The plain land snail is Meridolum corneovirens is a species of land snail that belongs to the family Camaenidae. This animal species is endemic to Australian forests, and very little is known about it in terms of feeding habits. It has a broad dietary range with a preference for fungi. There are also instances where it feeds on dead conspecifics, and the species is listed under endangered status because of habitat loss.
Image Source: Pinterest
10. Eastern bentwing-bat
The Eastern bentwing bat is a species of bat that belongs to the family Vespertilionidae. It is found in South Asia, Far East Asia, the East Caucasus Mountains, and also in Southeast Asian regions. They have long and narrow wings, along with high wingspans and low wing loadings, which helps them in quick and long flights. It was initially considered a subspecies of the common bent-wing bat; however, it is now accepted that the eastern bent-winged bat and the Australasian bent-winged bat are two separate species. The colour of bat species varies from reddish brown to dark blackish brown above, with the underparts being lighter.
Image Source: Manda
These are the 10 forest animals from the Australian continent. Kindly share and post your comments.