Native Animals

Overview

The stocky Common Wombat (Vombatus ursinus) and the Eastern Grey Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus) are both found in the south-eastern parts of Australia. The Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) lives in eucalyptus forests along the eastern seaboard, and the endangered Numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus) is a small, striped marsupial confined in the wild to the south-west of Western Australia.

The carnivorous Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) has been threatened by Devil Facial Tumour Disease for the last two decades. The Short-beaked Echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) feeds largely on ants and termites and is found throughout Australia. Like the Platypus (the only other monotreme), the Echidna lays eggs rather than gives birth to live young.