FLORA and FAUNA of AUSTRALIA - Characteristics and examples

Table Of Contents

Characteristics of the flora and fauna of Australia
Flora of Australia
Fauna of Australia
Endangered animals in Australia

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Australia is characterized by its nature, its incredible wildlife and for presenting a multitude of natural contrasts that include beaches, mountains, plains and deserts. The landscapes that this country houses are some of the most wonderful that exist, as well as a spectacular flora and fauna that at the same time can be dangerous. In addition, this country offers a wide variety of ways to experience wildlife that passes through landscapes such as Kimberley, Tasmania or the Kakadu National Park.

If you are passionate about biodiversity of australia and you want to know more about it, we encourage you to read this article about the flora and fauna of Australia that we present to you from Green Ecologist.

Characteristics of the flora and fauna of Australia

This country is characterized by its amazing nature, and it is that the ecosystems of Australia sare very varied and if we add that the australian climate is characterized by being widely diverse, but typically within the range between warm and temperate, we find a perfect combination for there to be great biodiversity. Therefore, there is a high percentage of Australian endemic flora and fauna.

Acacia and eucalyptus forests predominate in the coastal areas with a temperate climate and a Mediterranean climate.
There are more than 22,000 species of flora and of these more than 90% are indigenous.
As a curious characteristic of the Australian fauna, we can indicate that there are more species of poisonous snakes than innocuous ones.
Currently, there are 46 species of cetaceans (an order of marine mammals) that inhabit the Australian coasts.
Furthermore, two of the five known monotreme species are endemic to this country; it is about the platypus and the echidna.
In this country there are more than 800 species of birds and more than 5,000 species of fish and 90% of these fish species are endemic. In this article we show you +20 Australian birds.

Next, we go into detail on the characteristics of the flora and fauna of Australia and also detail some of the most remarkable species.

Flora of Australia

In Australia there are more than 22,000 species of flora. Among these, more than 90% are autochthonous and a large part of these species are only found in these lands, that is, they are endemic. The Australian vegetation is very diverse and includes dense populations of shrubs or eucalyptus, even Mugla and Mallee. However, the predominant vegetation is perennial. Three are distinguished characteristic areas in Australia:

The tropical zone: characterized by high temperatures and a monsoon climate. A large part of this area is forested population of deciduous trees.
The temperate zone: there are temperate sclerophyllous forests of sabanda, rainforests and alpine vegetation. Along the coastline, there are often long clusters of Pine trees.
The Eremic Zone (of the desert): characterized by a savanna of semi-arid shrubs and steppes, together with areas where there is no presence of vegetation.

Between the australian plants they find each other:

Allyogyne huegelii
Boronia heterophilla
Callistemon captain cook
Chamelaucium uncinatum
Brachychiton discolor
Grevillea crithmifolia

Fauna of Australia

Although the first names that come to mind when we think of the australian animals They are kangaroos and koalas, the truth is that this country is home to an exceptional biodiversity.

Australia has a unique fauna and this is because, during the Miocene, the Earth experienced a major climate change event, from which Australia stayed away. As a consequence, the species of animals that inhabited this country followed a different development compared to other species present in other areas of the planet. However, it is also commented that the high Australian endemic fauna It is due to the stability of the pías tectonic plates or the fact that there are atypical patterns of climate change in the area.

What best known animals of Australia they find each other:

The kangaroo.
The koala.
The demon of Tasmania.

However, there is a much longer list with examples like the wombats, small-sized marsupials, wallaby or wallaby , a medium-sized mammal with a strong resemblance to the kangaroo, or the dingo, commonly known as a wild dog.

Regarding the Australia's most dangerous animals, we find the coastal taipan, a type of snake native to Australia and New Guinea, is one of the most poisonous snakes in the world and, in turn, Australia's most poisonous snake. Within the catalog of dangerous Australian animals there are also:

Sidney's spider.
The viper of death.
The saltwater crocodile.

Beyond its lands, its marine waters also inhabit dangerous creatures such as the blue-ringed octopus, a cephalopod that can kill up to 20 people. We also found the sea wasp, listed as the deadliest animal in Australia, the bull shark or Sardinian shark and the cone snail. These species and several more, would form the dangerous australian wildlife What to keep in mind if you ever go on an adventure in these lands.

Finally, you have to list rare animals of Australia, among which we find the platypus. Although it has come to be described in a multitude of ways, it is a poisonous and oviparous mammal (monotreme), with a characteristic broad flattened bill. Here you can discover the 10 rarest animals in Australia.

All these species of Australian flora and fauna coexist in harmony with the Australian aborigines. If you want to know them better, here we talk about Names of Australian aboriginal peoples and their customs.

Endangered animals in Australia

The species extinction in Australia It has been a topic of debate for many years now. In the past, the uncontrolled expansion of agriculture and livestock has brought many species of Australian animals to the danger of extinction. Added to this event was the introduction of exotic species into the territory, some of which became potential predators of the country's endemic species. In addition, recently, more than 100 species have been threatened due to bushfires in Australia, pushing many of them to extinction. These are some of the endangered Australian animal species: