Endemic Animals of Australia

The common ringtail possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus, Greek for "false hand" and Latin for "pilgrim" or "alien") is an Australian marsupial. It lives in a variety of habitats and eats a variety of leaves of both native and introduced plants, as well as flowers, fruits and sap. This possum also consumes a special type of faeces that is produced during the daytime when it is resting in a nest. This behaviour is called caecotrophy and is similar to ...
that seen in rabbits. Less

The western pygmy possum (Cercartetus concinnus ), also known as the southwestern pygmy possum or the mundarda, is a small marsupial found in Australia. Genetic studies indicate its closest relative is probably the eastern pygmy possum, from which its ancestors diverged around eight million years ago. Less

The antilopine kangaroo (Osphranter antilopinus ), also known as the antilopine wallaroo or the antilopine wallaby, is a species of macropod found in northern Australia: in Cape York Peninsula in Queensland, the Top End of the Northern Territory, and the Kimberley region of Western Australia. It is a locally common, gregarious grazer. Less

The common wallaroo (Osphranter robustus ), also known as the euro, hill wallaroo, or simply wallaroo, is a species of macropod. The word euro is particularly applied to one subspecies (O. r. erubescens ).The eastern wallaroo is mostly nocturnal and solitary, and is one of the more common macropods. It makes a loud hissing noise and some of the other subspecies are sexually dimorphic, like most wallaroos. Less

The Eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus) is a marsupial found only in Australia. It is the second largest and heaviest living marsupial and native land mammal in Australia. It is also known as the Great grey kangaroo and the Forester kangaroo. Less

The parma wallaby (Notamacropus parma ) is the smallest member of the marsupial genus Notamacropus. It inhabits wet sclerophyll (hard-leaved) forests of northern New South Wales, Australia. Adult parma wallabies typically weigh 4–5 kg, with the body length of about 0.5 m (1.6 ft).The parma wallaby was first described by British naturalist John Gould in the 1840s. Shy, nocturnal, and rarely encountered by people, it was believed to be extinct, but ...
was rediscovered in the 1960s on several locations. The species remains rarely seen, with some evidence for a recent population decline. Less

The Red kangaroo (Osphranter rufus) is the largest of all kangaroos, the largest terrestrial mammal native to Australia, and the largest extant marsupial. It is an iconic symbol of Australia and like all Australian wildlife, the Red kangaroo is protected by legislation. Less

The western grey kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus ), also referred to as a western grey giant kangaroo, black-faced kangaroo, mallee kangaroo, and sooty kangaroo, is a large and very common kangaroo found across almost the entire southern part of Australia, from just south of Shark Bay through coastal Western Australia and South Australia, into western Victoria, and in the entire Murray–Darling basin in New South Wales and Queensland. Less

The galah (Eolophus roseicapilla) is a member of the cockatoo family. It is found throughout Australia and is among the most common cockatoos. With its distinctive pink and grey plumage and its bold and loud behavior, it is a familiar sight in the wild and increasingly in urban areas. Less

The gang-gang cockatoo (Callocephalon fimbriatum ) is a parrot found in the cooler and wetter forests and woodlands of Australia, particularly alpine bushland. It is the only species placed in the genus Callocephalon. Mostly mild grey in colour with some lighter scalloping (more pronounced and buffy in females), the male has a red head and crest, while the female has a small fluffy grey crest. It ranges throughout south-eastern Australia. The ...
gang-gang cockatoo is the faunal emblem of the Australian Capital Territory. It is easily identified by its distinctive call, which is described as resembling a creaky gate, or the sound of a cork being pulled from a wine bottle.The name gang-gang comes from a New South Wales Aboriginal language, probably from one of the coastal languages, although possibly from Wiradjuri. It is probably an onomatopoeic name. Less

Major Mitchell's cockatoo (Lophochroa leadbeateri ), also known as Leadbeater's cockatoo or the pink cockatoo, is a medium-sized cockatoo that inhabits arid and semi-arid inland areas of Australia, though it is seen regularly in other climates, for example, South-East Queensland's subtropical region. Less

The Red-tailed black cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus banksii) is a large black cockatoo native to Australia. These birds like to live in eucalyptus woodlands, or along water courses. They are cavity nesters, and as such depend on trees with fairly large diameters, generally Eucalyptus. Less

The Australian snubfin dolphin (Orcaella heinsohni ) is a dolphin found off the northern coasts of Australia. It closely resembles the Irrawaddy dolphin (of the same genus, Orcaella ) and was not described as a separate species until 2005. The closest relative to the genus Orcaella is the killer whale, Orcinus orca. The Australian snubfin has three colors on its skin, while the Irrawaddy dolphin only has two. The skull and the fins also show ...
minor differences between the two species. Less

The eastern bettong (Bettongia gaimardi ), also known as the Balbo (by the Ngunnawal People who used to keep them as pets), southern bettong and Tasmanian bettong, is a bettong whose natural range includes southeastern Australia and eastern Tasmania. Less

The eastern pygmy possum (Cercartetus nanus ) is a diprotodont marsupial of south-eastern Australia. Occurring from southern Queensland to eastern South Australia and also Tasmania, it is found in a range of habitats, including rainforest, sclerophyll forest, woodland and heath. Less

The Julia Creek dunnart (Sminthopsis douglasi ) is a marsupial with a buffy brown upperside and white underside. This dunnart has a body length of 100–135 mm with a tail of 60–105 mm to make a total length of 160–240 mm. Its weight is between 40 and 70 g. The length of the hind foot is 22–24 mm. The species has a dark brown triangle colour from above and below the eye with the point at the nose, and another dark stripe on top of the skull. A healthy dunn ...
art has a carrot-shaped tail filled with fat stores. Less

Gould's mouse (Pseudomys gouldii ), also known as the Shark Bay mouse and djoongari in the Pintupi and Luritja languages, is a species of rodent in the murid family. Once ranging throughout Australia from Western Australia to New South Wales, its range has since been reduced to five islands off the coast of Western Australia. Less

The crested bellbird (Oreoica gutturalis ) is a medium-sized passerine bird in the family Oreoicidae. It is native to drier parts of Australia where its typical habitats are acacia scrublands, eucalypt woodlands, spinifex and saltbush plains, and dunes. The male is about 20 cm (8 in) long and has a grey head, a black crest and breast, and a grey or olive brown body. The female and juvenile are similar but the colours are more muted and the black b ...
reast is lacking. The distinctive call is a high pitched bell-like sound, audible at some distance. Sometimes a pair of birds duet.The crested bellbird feeds on seeds and small invertebrates, foraging on the ground or in low bushes. The deep, cup-shaped nest is usually within a couple of metres of the ground, built in the fork of a branch or in a crevice in a stump. It is made from small twigs and bark and lined with finer material. Up to four eggs are laid and these are incubated by both parents. Overall this bird is quite common, but in some regions, such as Victoria, it is threatened by fragmentation of its habitat Less

Carnaby's black cockatoo (Zanda latirostris ), also known as the short-billed black cockatoo, is a large black cockatoo endemic to southwest Australia. It was described in 1948 by naturalist Ivan Carnaby. Measuring 53–58 cm (21–23 in) in length, it has a short crest on the top of its head. Its plumage is mostly greyish black, and it has prominent white cheek patches and a white tail band. The body feathers are edged with white giving a scalloped appea ...
rance. Adult males have a dark grey beak and pink eye-rings. Adult females have a bone-coloured beak, grey eye-rings and ear patches that are paler than those of the males.This cockatoo usually lays a clutch of one to two eggs. It generally takes 28 to 29 days for the female to incubate the eggs, and the young fledge ten to eleven weeks after hatching. The young will stay with the family until the next breeding season, and sometimes even longer. The family leaves the nesting site after the young fledge until the following year. Carnaby's black cockatoo forms flocks when not breeding, with birds in drier habitats usually being more migratory than those in wetter ones. It flies with deep and slow wingbeats, generally high above trees. Seeds of plants of the families Proteaceae and, to a lesser extent, Myrtaceae form a large part of its diet.Carnaby's black cockatoo nests in hollows situated high in trees with fairly large diameters, generally Eucalyptus. With much of its habitat lost to land clearing and development and threatened by further habitat destruction, Carnaby's black cockatoo is listed as an endangered species by the Federal and Western Australian governments. It is also classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Like most parrots, it is protected by CITES, an international agreement that makes trade, export, and import of listed wild-caught species illegal. Less

The satin bowerbird (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus ) is a bowerbird endemic to eastern Australia.A rare natural intergeneric hybrid between the satin bowerbird and the regent bowerbird is known as Rawnsley's bowerbird. Less

The grey-headed flying fox (Pteropus poliocephalus ) is a megabat native to Australia. The species shares mainland Australia with three other members of the genus Pteropus : the little red P. scapulatus, spectacled P. conspicillatus, and the black P. alecto. The grey-headed flying fox is the largest bat in Australia.The grey-headed flying fox is endemic to the south-eastern forested areas of Australia, principally east of the Great Dividing ...
Range. Its range extends approximately from Bundaberg in Queensland to Geelong in Victoria, with outlying colonies in Ingham and Finch Hatton in the north, and in Adelaide in the south. In the southern parts of its range it occupies more extreme latitudes than any other Pteropus species.As of 2021 the species is listed as "Vulnerable" on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Less

The little red flying-fox (Pteropus scapulatus ) is a megachiropteran bat native to northern and eastern Australia. The species weighs about half a kilogram, one US pound, and is the smallest species of Pteropus in mainland Australia. P. scapulatus occurs at the coast and further inland, camping and flying to the tropical to temperate regions that provide them with an annual source of nectar. They exhibit an unusual method of obtaining drinking ...
water during dry periods, skimming a stream's surface to gather it onto their fur while they are in flight. Less

The brush-tailed phascogale (Phascogale tapoatafa ), also known by its Australian native name tuan, the common wambenger, the black-tailed mousesack or the black-tailed phascogale, is a rat-sized arboreal carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae, characterized by a tuft of black silky hairs on the terminal portion of its tail. Males of this species do not live past the age of one, as they die after reproducing. Less

Dibbler is the common name for Parantechinus apicalis, an endangered species of marsupial. It is an inhabitant of the southwest mainland of Western Australia and some offshore islands. It is a member of the order Dasyuromorphia, and the only member of the genus Parantechinus. The dibbler is a small, nocturnal carnivore with speckled fur that is white around the eyes. Less

The fat-tailed dunnart (Sminthopsis crassicaudata ) is a species of mouse-like marsupial of the Dasyuridae, the family that includes the little red kaluta, quolls, and the Tasmanian devil. It has an average body length of 60–90 millimeters (2.4–3.5 in) with a tail of 45–70 millimeters (1.8–2.8 in). Ear length is 14–16 millimeters (0.55–0.63 in). One of the smallest carnivorous marsupials, its weight varies between 10–20 grams (0.35–0.71 oz). The tail becomes fat a ...
few mm from the proximal end and remains so right up to the tip. They have trichromat vision, similar to some other marsupials as well as primates but unlike most mammals which have dichromat vision. They are eaten by many things, including invasive foxes and cats, as well as other feral animals that live among its environment. Less

The Tasmanian devil is a carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae. The size of a small dog, the Tasmanian devil became the largest carnivorous marsupial in the world, following the extinction of the thylacine in 1936. It is related to quolls, and distantly related to thylacine. It is characterized by its stocky and muscular build, black fur, pungent odor, extremely loud and disturbing screech, keen sense of smell, and ferocity when ...
feeding. The Tasmanian devil is so called by the early European settlers due to its overall black coloration, bad temper, and terrifying screeching sounds it emits. And indeed, this marsupial often has aggressive behavior and is commonly known for its spine-chilling calls. Moreover, this animal has extremely strong jaws and teeth, allowing it to totally destroy its meal, including bones and fur. Less

The Common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) is a nocturnal, semiarboreal marsupial native to Australia. It is the second-largest of the possums. It is mainly a folivore and in most Australian habitats, eucalyptus leaves are a significant part of the animal’s diet. The Common brushtail possum is the Australian marsupial most often seen by city dwellers, as it is one of few that thrive in cities and a wide range of natural and h ...
uman-modified environments. It was introduced to New Zealand in the 1850s to establish a fur industry, but in the mild subtropical climate of New Zealand, and with few to no natural predators, the Common brushtail possum thrived to the extent and became a major agricultural and conservation pest. Less

The common wombat (Vombatus ursinus ), also known as the coarse-haired wombat or bare-nosed wombat, is a marsupial, one of three extant species of wombats and the only one in the genus Vombatus. The common wombat grows to an average of 98 cm (39 in) long and a weight of 26 kg (57 lb). Less

The eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus ), found only in Australia, and formerly known as the eastern native cat, is a medium-sized carnivorous dasyurid marsupial. They are widespread and even locally common in Tasmania. They have been considered extinct on the mainland since the 1960s, however have been reintroduced back into fenced sanctuaries in 2016, and more recently into the wild in March 2018. It is one of six extant species of quolls. Less

The feathertail glider (Acrobates pygmaeus ), also known as the pygmy gliding possum, pygmy glider, pygmy phalanger, flying phalanger and flying mouse, is a species of marsupial native to eastern Australia. It is the world's smallest gliding mammal and is named for its long feather-shaped tail.A second species, the broad-toed feathertail glider (Acrobates (Dromicia) frontalis, De Vis 1887) is recognised by some authors based on unpublished ...
genetic studies and cryptic morphological differences in toe and tail characteristics. With this recognition, it is suggested that Acrobates pygmaeus takes the common name narrow-toed feathertail glider. Less

Gilbert's potoroo (Potorous gilbertii; formerly Hypsiprymnus gilbertii) is Australia's most endangered marsupial. It is the rarest marsupial in the world and one of the world's rarest critically endangered mammals. Gilbert’s potoroo was thought to be extinct for much of the 20th century, having not been spotted for around a century, until its rediscovery in 1994. The only naturally located population is found in Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve in W ...
estern Australia, where they co-exist with quokkas (Setonix brachyurus), but in 2015 a huge fire destroyed 90% of their habitat. Less

The golden bandicoot (Isoodon auratus ) is a short-nosed bandicoot found in northern Australia. It is the smallest of its genus.The golden bandicoot is now a threatened species. It was once found throughout much of northwestern Australia, with even a patch on the New South Wales/South Australia border, but it is now restricted to the Kimberley region of Western Australia, and to Augustus, Barrow and Middle Islands off of Western Australia (I. ...
auratus barrowensis ) and Marchinbar Island of Northern Territory. It is distinguished from the brown bandicoots by its golden colouring and much smaller size.It averages about 35 cm (or 14 in.) in length from head to tail and weighs between 260-655g (or 9–23 oz) with an average of 310 g (11 oz). It is the smallest of the short-nosed bandicoots with a golden colour back, hence the name, finely streaked with black fur. The sides and face are a faded light rust colour, and the underbelly is pale amber. The feet are the same colour as the underbelly and have sharp claws. The species was first described in 1897 from a specimen collected near Derby, Western Australia. As with most bandicoots, the golden bandicoot has a rather long, flat, pointy nose. It is an omnivore, consuming succulents, insects, plant bulbs, and small reptiles. The golden bandicoot is nocturnal, foraging at night by digging small holes in the ground to find food.The largest golden bandicoot population lives on Barrow Island because no cats or foxes have been introduced to the island, and other populations exist on Middle, Marchinbar, Augustus Islands. Small populations on mainland Australia are located in the Northern Territory and Western Australia. The golden bandicoot once lived all throughout Central Australia, but by 1992 it had been reduced to a small area in northwest Kimberly and Arnhem Land. In 2000, it was assumed that the species was extinct on the mainland. Birds are the main threat to the species, and bandicoots must compete with rabbits for resources. Less

The honey possum or noolbenger (Tarsipes rostratus ), is a tiny species of marsupial that feeds on the nectar and pollen of a diverse range of flowering plants. Found in southwest Australia, it is an important pollinator for such plants as Banksia attenuata, Banksia coccinea and Adenanthos cuneatus. Less

Leadbeater's possum (Gymnobelideus leadbeateri ) is a critically endangered possum largely restricted to small pockets of alpine ash, mountain ash, and snow gum forests in the Central Highlands of Victoria, Australia, north-east of Melbourne. It is primitive, relict, and non-gliding, and, as the only species in the petaurid genus Gymnobelideus, represents an ancestral form. Formerly, Leadbeater's possums were moderately common within the very ...
small areas they inhabited; their requirement for year-round food supplies and tree-holes to take refuge in during the day restricts them to mixed-age wet sclerophyll forest with a dense mid-story of Acacia. The species was named in 1867 after John Leadbeater, the then taxidermist at the Museum Victoria. They also go by the common name of fairy possum. On 2 March 1971, the State of Victoria made the Leadbeater's possum its faunal emblem. Less

The mahogany glider (Petaurus gracilis ) is an endangered gliding possum native to a small region of coastal Queensland in Australia. Less

The musky rat-kangaroo (Hypsiprymnodon moschatus ) is a small marsupial found only in the rainforests of northeastern Australia. First described in the later 19th century, the only other species are known from fossil specimens. They are similar in appearance to potoroos and bettongs, but are not as closely related. Their omnivorous diet is known to include materials such as fruit and fungi, as well as small animals such as insects and other ...
invertebrates. The local Aboriginal name for the species is durrgim yuri. Less

The northern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus krefftii, NHN) or yaminon is one of three extant species of Australian marsupials known as wombats. It is one of the rarest land mammals in the world and is critically endangered. Its historical range extended across New South Wales, Victoria, and Queensland as recently as 100 years ago, but it is now restricted to one place, a 3 km2 (1.2 sq mi) range within the 32 km2 (12 sq mi) Epping Forest Natio ...
nal Park in Queensland. With the species threatened by wild dogs, the Queensland Government built a 20-kilometre (12 mi)-long predator-proof fence around all wombat habitat at Epping Forest National Park in 2002.In 2003, the total population consisted of 113 individuals, including only around 30 breeding females. After recording an estimated 230 individuals in 2015, the number was up to over 300 by 2021. Less

The northern quoll (Dasyurus hallucatus ), also known as the northern native cat, the North Australian native cat or the satanellus is a carnivorous marsupial native to Australia. Less

The woylie or brush-tailed bettong (Bettongia penicillata ) is an extremely rare, small marsupial, belonging to the genus Bettongia, that is endemic to Australia. There are two subspecies: B. p. ogilbyi, and the now extinct B. p. penicillata. Less

Bennett's tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus bennettianus ) is a large tree-kangaroo. Males can weigh from 11.5 kg up to almost 14 kg (25 to 31 lbs), while the females range between about 8 to 10.6 kg (17.6 to 23 lbs). They are very agile and are able to leap 9 metres (30 ft) down to another branch and have been known to drop as far as 18 metres (59 ft) to the ground without injury. Less

The bridled nail-tail wallaby (Onychogalea fraenata ), also known as the bridled nail-tailed wallaby, bridled nailtail wallaby, bridled wallaby, merrin, and flashjack, is a vulnerable species of macropod. It is a small wallaby found in three isolated areas in Queensland, Australia, and whose population is declining. In early 2019 the total population of the species was estimated to be fewer than 500 mature individuals in the wild and 2285 in ...
captivity. Less

Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus lumholtzi ) is a heavy-bodied tree-kangaroo found in rain forests of the Atherton Tableland Region of Queensland. Its status is classified as near threatened by the IUCN, and authorities consider it as rare. It is named after the Norwegian explorer Carl Sofus Lumholtz (1851–1922), who was the first European to record a specimen in 1883. The local indigenous Dyirbal and Yidiny language name may have been e ...
ither "mabi" or "mapi". Less