By Josie
February 3rd, 2023
Wildlife in Australia to many is pretty scary, as almost everything seems to be somewhat “deadly.”
But then again, it's also what makes it so fascinating!
The Fitzroy River turtle is capable of obtaining up to 70% of its oxygen needs from the water through its cloaca, in a process called cloacal respiration.
This allows the Fitzroy River turtle to remain underwater for up to three weeks.
This species shows a clear preference for fast flowing water (near sand banks for egg laying) and has been found at depths as shallow as 6 inches.
There is limited sexual dimorphism with the tail of the female being cutely shorter than that of the male
Saltwater Crocodiles can reach lengths of more than 23 feet and weights over 2,200 pounds.
This makes it the largest reptile on the planet and is a formidable predator throughout its range.
The extremely powerful jaws of the saltwater crocodile are responsible for creating the strongest bite in the animal world, and their teeth can grow 5 inches.
These two characteristics and the animal’s ability to hold its breath for long periods of time make it the perfect predator for hunting large land mammals.
They are vaguely bearlike in appearance and weigh up to 26 pounds, it is 20 to 31 inches long and has a bushy tail about half that length.
Gaping jaws and strong teeth, along with its husky snarl and often bad temper, result in its devilish expression and has granted them their name.
It is mainly a scavenger, feeding on carrion such as roadkill and dead sheep.
The teeth and jaws of Tasmanian devils are in many respects developed like those of a hyena.
Their diet is relatively poor in nutrients and provides the koala little spare energy, so the animal spends long hours simply sitting or sleeping in trees.
To aid in digesting as much as 3 pounds of leaves daily, the koala has an intestinal pouch about 7 feet long.
Although placid most of the time, koalas produce loud, hollow grunts.
Formerly killed in huge numbers for their fur, especially during the 1920s and ’30s, koalas dwindled in number from several million to a few hundred thousand.
Kangaroos are large marsupials that are found only in Australia.
Like all marsupials, a sub-type of mammal, females have pouches that contain mammary glands, where their young live until they are old enough to emerge.
Kangaroos are the only large animals that hop as a primary means of locomotion.
According to the San Diego Zoo, kangaroos can cover 15 feet in a single hop and can hop as fast as 30 mph.
Australia's wildlife is particularly different from the rest of the world due to being an isolated island.
Swipe up for even more details on these incredible animals!
Maybe it's time to take a trip and experience their unique wildlife face to face?