Australia is a very interesting place and is both a continent and a country. It is also called ‘the land Down Under’ or simply ‘Down Under’ because it is below the Equator.
It has amazing variety of plants and animals, and some of them are not found naturally anywhere else in the world, such as koalas. Let us learn more about some natural wonders of Australia.
Great Barrier Reef
It is one of the seven wonders of the natural world and it is the only living thing on earth that is visible from space! Being the world’s largest coral reef, it contains more than 3000 individual reef systems and coral cays.
The Reef stretches over 3000 kilometres, running almost parallel to the Queensland coast and this impressive underwater garden has the world’s largest collection of corals, coral sponges, molluscs, rays, dolphins, over 1500 species of tropical fish, more than 200 kinds of birds, 20 types of reptiles and giant clams over 120 years old. The Great Barrier Reef is home to the world’s largest oyster, weighing up to three kilograms.
Koala bears
Koala bears live only in Australia and eat only eucalyptus leaves. Koalas have a grey soft furred coat, with a white chest, a flat nose, big ears and clawed feet for climbing. They don’t move around much and are only active for about two hours each day!
Kangaroo
The kangaroo is a national symbol of Australia and its emblem is on some of its currency, as well as used by some of Australia’s well known organisations. Like koalas, kangaroos live only in Australia. They have strong legs and move very fast by hopping. They have a pouch to keep their babies in it.
There are around 47 different species of kangaroos, ranging in size from the two-pound rock wallaby to the 6-foot, 300-poundred kangaroo. The kangaroo moves by hopping on its powerful hind legs and its thick long tail is used to balance its body while hopping. But because of the unusual shape of its legs and its bulky tail, a kangaroo can’t walk or move backwards very easily.
It eats mostly grass. It needs very little water to survive. It can survive without drinking for months.
The Thorny Devil Lizard
This is a lizard that is found in the Australian Outback that is very unusual in terms of its looks and habits. It is a slow moving creature that lifts its tail while walking and slowly sways from one side to another.
They are not as aggressive as they look or as their name, and usually use camouflage to hide from enemies. But the best defence of the thorny lizard are the many sharp spines that cover its body. When it is frightened, it hides its head between itslegs!
Wombat
The wombat lives in the forest and bush land areas of Australia. As it lives in burrows, it has very strong claws and muscular legs to help in digging. They have backwards backwards-facing pouch where they keep their young — the obvious advantage ofthis is that they don’t gather dirt in the pouch.
Living in burrows sometimes helps it to survive small bush fires. They eat roots, shoots and leaves of plants and their day starts in the late afternoon, and they are active throughout the night, returning to their burrows as the day starts. An interesting fact about wombats is that they go to sleep sometimes lying on their backs with their four feet sticking up in the air!— Complied by M. Bilal Arshad