20 Weird & Cute Australian Animals

Original content owned & copyrighted by Green Global Travel.

There are few travel experiences that can match the visceral thrill of observing a wild animal in its natural habitat.

We’ve always been awestruck by the wondrous array of unique animals that can be found roaming our beautiful planet. But Australia has been blessed with more than its fair share.

From awesome Australian road trips to epic ecotourism activities in the Australian National Parks, there’s no shortage of adventure to be found in the land down under.

The continent’s quirky personality is mirrored in the many unique species of Australian animals that call this place home.

From adorable Kangaroos and Quokkas to the wonderfully strange Echidna and Platypus, there’s an abundance of fascinating creatures to be found.

Much of the wildlife in Australia is cute and cuddly, but some species are seriously unusual. So here’s a look at what we consider 20 of the most charming and weird animals in Australia.

CUTE AUSTRALIAN ANIMALS GUIDE

KANGAROO

Scientific Name: Macropus

Habitat: Forests, plains, savannahs, and woodlands of Australia and surrounding islands

Size: 85-150 pounds

Diet: Grasses, flowers, leaves, ferns, moss, and insects

Conservation Status: Vulnerable

More Cool Facts: Kangaroos are among the most popular species on the Australian wildlife list, and it’s not hard to see why. These amazing animals can jump up to an impressive 35 miles per hour. They’re also proficient swimmers, and will dive into water to avoid predators or even to drown attackers.

KOALA

Scientific Name: Phascolarctos cinereus

Habitat: Eucalyptus forests and low inland woodlands of southeastern and eastern Australia

Size: 9-20 pounds

Diet: Eucalyptus leaves

Conservation Status: Vulnerable

More Cool Facts: Koalas are another one of the most popular animals in Australia. They mostly consume eucalyptus leaves, which are tough to eat and poisonous. Luckily, their cerum (a digestive organ) breaks down the leaves, leaving the cute Koalas unharmed.

POTOROO

Scientific Name: Potorous

Habitat: Sheltered in understory vegetation on Tasmania and southeastern Australia

Size: Approximately 3 pounds

Diet: Underground fungi, fruit, flowers, seeds, insects

Conservation Status: Near Threatened

More Cool Facts: The long-nosed Potoroo is a strangely attractive Australian rodent. As one of the continent’s nocturnal animals, they are rarely seen in the wild. This small Kangaroo-like animal is solitary, but not territorial, and typically lives around 5 to 6 years.

QUOKKA

Scientific Name: Setonix brachyurus

Habitat: Shrubland areas around swamps near Perth and in western Australia

Size: 6-7 pounds

Diet: Leaves, stem, bark, grass

Conservation Status: Vulnerable

More Cool Facts: The notoriously friendly Quokka is one of the most adorable animals of Australia, made famous by countless tourist selfies. They are known as “the happiest animal on the planet,” and it’s not difficult to understand why when you see their seemingly smiling faces. Although they resemble large rodents, they are actually small Australian marsupials.

READ MORE: 10 Epic Australian Road Trips

RAINBOW LORIKEET

Scientific Name: Trichoglossus moluccanus

Habitat: Lowland forests and woodland areas in and around Sydney and Melbourne

Size: 2-6 pounds

Diet: Pollen and nectar from local flowers, insects, fruits

Conservation Status: Least Concern

More Cool Facts: The Rainbow Lorikeet is one of our favorite species on the Australian native birds list. They’re among the most common birds in Australia and are easily distinguishable by their vibrant array of colors. They like to congregate in trees and can be quite noisy. At night they prefer to stay in well-lit places in order to stay one step ahead of predators.

SPOTTED QUOLL

Scientific Name: Dasyurus maculatus

Habitat: Forests of southeastern Australia

Size: 7-8 pounds

Diet: Vegetation, rats, possums, insects, reptiles, and other small prey

Conservation Status: Near Threatened

More Cool Facts: The Spotted Quoll is one of the more fascinating species of Australian wildlife. Locals sometimes consider them crazy due to their bizarre social interactions, as they will often cough, hiss, and scream in piercing tones. But when they’re not interacting with each other, they are mostly silent.

SUGAR GLIDER

Scientific Name: Petaurus breviceps

Habitat: Forested areas of dense vegetation all across Australia

Size: 2.8 to 5.6 ounces

Diet: Fruits, vegetables, bird eggs, lizards, other small prey

Conservation Status: Least Concern

More Cool Facts: True to their name, Sugar Gliders adore consuming sugar and gliding from tree to tree. These arboreal animals spend most of their lives in the trees, and rarely come down to the ground. But sadly, they can actually die from loneliness! If they’re deprived of adequate social interaction, they become so sad that they will literally stop eating and perish.

TREE-KANGAROO

Scientific Name: Dendrolagus

Habitat: Rainforests and lowlands of northern Australia, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia

Size: 19-32 pounds

Diet: Leaves, fruit, bark, eggs, young birds, flowers, sap

Conservation Status: Endangered

More Cool Facts: The oddly endearing Tree-Kangaroos are an increasingly endangered marsupial species. There are actually 14 species of Tree-Kangaroo, with Bennett’s and Lumholtz’s the two found in Queensland, Australia. A loss of habitat and increased hunting has made it harder for them to survive in recent years.

WALLABY

Scientific Name: Macropodidae

Habitat: Open grasslands, plains, and dense forests, widespread across Australia

Size: 4-53 pounds

Diet: Mostly grass, leaves, fruits, and other plants

Conservation Status: Least Concern

More Cool Facts: The Wallaby is a native Australian animal related to the Kangaroo, though considerably smaller in size. There are 11 species of brush wallabies, six species of rock wallabies, three species of scrub wallabies, and two species of hare-wallabies. They all look very similar to the Kangaroo, and use their tails for balance in a similar manner.

WOMBAT

Scientific Name: Vombatidae

Habitat: Forests and shrub land of southeastern Australia

Size: 44-77 pounds

Diet: Vegetation; roots, grasses, shrubs, trees

Conservation Status: Least Concern

More Cool Facts: Wombats have short legs and compact bodies perfect for digging holes. These Australian land animals have a wide range of personalities– some are social and some prefer to be left alone. Although they’re fairly short and stout, Wombats can run up to a whopping 25 miles per hour!

WEIRD AUSTRALIAN ANIMALS GUIDE

BANDICOOT

Scientific Name: Peramelemorphia

Habitat: Forests, grasslands, thickets, and swamps of Australia and New Guinea

Size: 0.4- 3.5 pounds

Diet: Mainly insects, fruits, nuts, seeds, eggs

Conservation Status: Endangered

More Cool Facts: This endemic species of Australia is content on the ground, and is not typically found in trees. These bizarre marsupials stay hidden during the day due to their small size, which makes them susceptible to being preyed upon by larger animals.

READ MORE: 40 Alaskan Animals

BILBY

Scientific Name: Macrotis

Habitat: Rocky soil, woodlands, shrublands, and grasslands in semi-arid regions of Australia

Size: 1.7- 5.5 pounds

Diet: Insects, spiders, seeds, fruit, fungi

Conservation Status: Vulnerable

More Cool Facts: The tiny Bilby has been called the Easter bunny of Australia. These Australian grasslands animals are highly effective diggers, so predators have a tough time catching them. Amazingly, they get all the hydration they need from their food, and do not drink water.

READ MORE: 30 Antarctic Animals

CASSOWARY

Scientific Name: Casuarius

Habitat: Rainforests and swamps of far north Queensland

Size: 40-167 pounds

Diet: Fruits, plants, small animals

Conservation Status: Least Concern

More Cool Facts: These striking Australian birds, while beautiful, can be really threatening if provoked. The Cassowary’s clawed toes can strike and cause severe injuries, including internal bleeding. They have been coined “the world’s most dangerous bird,” and are certainly classified among the most deadly animals in Australia.

READ MORE: 40 Amazing Costa Rica Animals

Unique Australian animals -Echidna — Echidna by pen_ash from Pixabay

ECHINDA

Scientific Name: Tachyglossidae

Habitat: Deserts, rainforest and mountains of New Guinea and mainland Australia

Size: 5-20 pounds

Diet: Termites, ants, larvae, worms

Conservation Status: Least Concern

More Cool Facts: The Echinda is truly one of the strangest animals alive today. These unusual creatures lay eggs, have a variety of spine colors, and have no teeth (but make up for it with 6-inch tongues). All in all, it’s the perfect poster child for weird Australian animals!

Big animals in Australia -Emu — Emu by patrickkavanagh via Flickr / CC BY 2.0

EMU

Scientific Name: Dromaius novaehollandiae

Habitat: Savanna, shrubland, and grassland of mainland Australia

Size: 40-132 pounds

Diet: Plants, fruits, seeds, insects, seeds, grasses

Conservation Status: Least Concern

More Cool Facts: Emus are among the biggest animals in Australia. It’s also the second largest bird in the world, right behind the Ostrich. Although flightless, these bizarre birds can run up to 30 miles per hour, and boast powerful kicks that can be harmful to predators.

KOOKABURRA

Scientific Name: Dacelo

Habitat: Forest and wetlands of eastern Australia

Size: 6.9-16.4 ounces

Diet: Mice, insects, snakes, small reptiles, worms, frogs

Conservation Status: Least Concern

More Cool Facts: These cool Australian birds are known for their distinctve call which sounds like laughter. They also have very large bills, which make it simple for them to swoop down from the trees and snatch up their prey.

NUMBAT

Scientific Name: Myrmecobius fasciatus

Habitat: Forest, savanna, shrubland, and deserts of western Australia

Size: 9.9-19 ounces

Diet: Termites

Conservation Status: Endangered

More Cool Facts: The Numbat eats termites exclusively, using its 4-inch tongue. These Australian creatures are solitary and territorial, traveling far and wide to satisfy their diet. Like other Australian desert animals, they don’t need water. They get enough moisture from the termites they consume.

PLATYPUS

Scientific Name: Ornithorhynchus anatinus

Habitat: Inland wetlands of eastern Australia

Size: 1-6 pounds

Diet: Worms, insect larvae, freshwater fish, small vertebrates

Conservation Status: Near Threatened

More Cool Facts: The duck-billed Platypus is one of the most well-known animals indigenous to Australia. They lay eggs, have no teeth or stomach, and are one of the few venomous mammals in the world. While they’re not among Australia’s deadliest animals, their venom can cause severe pain to humans, as well as uncomfortable swelling.

TASMANIAN DEVIL

Scientific Name: Sarcophilus harrisii

Habitat: Forest, grassland, coastal scrublands

Size: 6-13 pounds

Diet: Snakes, insects, birds, fish

Conservation Status: Endangered

More Cool Facts: The Tasmanian Devil is on the endangered Australian animals list. You can judge their health by the size of their tail, where they store fat, and they can eat up to 40% of their body weight per day! They don’t look as threatening as other scary animals in Australia, but have an incredibly powerful bite that allows them to easily crush bones.

THORNY DEVIL

Scientific Name: Moloch horridus

Habitat: Shrubland and deserts of central Australia

Size: 2.5-3.4 ounces

Diet: Ants

Conservation Status: Least Concern

More Cool Facts: Thorny Devils are the ultimate masters of disguise. They have a “false head” on the back of their necks to trick predators, as well as the ability to change colors in order to blend into their environment. Despite their prickly appearance, they are actually not among the many venomous animals in Australia. –by Julia Hensley

The post 20 Weird & Cute Australian Animals appeared first on Green Global Travel.