The Aussie critter list

So our Australia trip has come to an end, with hundreds of memories and (literally) thousands of photos. We have met some amazing animals and been to some incredible places so I thought I would put together a list of all of the creatures we met across New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia, Queensland and Tasmania. 

Australia is a truly unique country, a really lucky land. It is amazing that with very little knowledge we were able to find so much there in just a few months. It also makes you worry that without careful planning, the amazing diversity and quantity of animal life there will not survive continued pressure from humans. The saddest thing would be if Australia become like much of the developed world - deviod of wilderness and lacking large species of animal. Thankfully there are many Aussies that love their wild places and want them protected.

All of the photos here (except 2) are of wild animals that we met on bushwalks, on beaches, in parks and even by the side of the road. They are split up into some very broad taxonomic groups, and I have done my best to identify species where possible.

Mammals

Brushtailed possum

Ringtailed possum

Bart the wombat (not a wild wombat!) a southern hairynose wombat

A wild common wombat in Tassie

Wombats have square poo!

An echidna in the Dandenong hills, Victoria

Eventually found a wild platypus in Tassie

He swam around for about half an hour around dusk

Eastern grey kangaroo just out of Melbourne

A whole gang of roos!

Grey headed flying foxes in Victoria

They fly to find food at sunset, just as the outdoor cinema starts

There are loads of wallaby species, this is probably a Tasmanian Bennett's wallaby

Also in Tasmania, so probably a Bennett's

Victorian wallaby, so likely a swamp wallaby

"Are there likely to be koalas round here? Oh. There's one!"

This is also not a wild tassie devil. He's called Oscar. The Devils@Cradle sanctuary are part of the tasmanian devil conservation project, looking to protect devils against devil face tumor disease.

Birds

Crested pigeon

There are sulphur crested cockatoos all over Australia. I think they're ace.

Believe it or not, actually a wild pair of king parrots at Lake Eildon, Victoria

Australian magpie, aka the Ooglie Booglie Bird (it has a really distinctive call)

Australian pied cormorant

Black swan, not the Darren Aronofsky type

Corella

Currawong

Kookaburra sits in the old gum tree...

Some sort of egret

Little penguin. Awwww... So cute!

Masked lapwing

Nankeen kestrel

Rosella

"Oh my god it's an ibis! Oh. They're as common as pigeons..."

Galah. The best bird in Australia and possibly the world.

You can see them in Bristol Zoo, or in just about any park in Australia

Night heron

A superb lyrebird, mid-display

Wild budgie!!

No idea what this is...

Silver gulls, smaller than a herring gull but just as lairy

Reptiles

Blue Mountain water skink - an endangered species

Tasmanian skink, not sure of the species

A house gecko in Queensland

Australian Water dragon

They're a common sight in Sydney

There are lots of species of freshwater turtles, these ones were in Queensland

Invertebrates

An 11 armed sea star - count the arms!

Bull ants are not to be messed with!

Jack jumper ants, a type of bull ant. These are fiesty critters and will wave their jaws at you in a menacing way.

A false garden mantis, Pseudomantis albofimbrata

An emporer gum moth caterpillar

They're big!!

No idea what this thing is! Answers on a postcard...

Orge-faced spider

The famous huntsman spider

This redback lived right outside our front door

Fungi

And finally...

You do have to be careful in some parts of Australia

If the crocs and sharks don't get you, then the jellyfish might!

And there are reminders of the real danger of the bush most places you go - not the animals, but the plants. Most species of eucalyptus are resistant to fire and some even need it to spread their seeds. Some gum trees shed bark which covers the forest in kindling and there is very little summer rain in many states. Bush fires are a real danger in the summer months, and not always restricted to rural locations. Bush fires can move faster than a car and destroy everthing in their path, but they are very much a natural part of Australia and a reminder that Westerners are only a very recent introduction to Australia. 

Of course humans have been living in Australia in a sustainable way for thousands of years. By imposing our lifestlye on Australia, Europeans have mostly brought disease, turmoil and change for indigenous Australians. That is not to say that we should all live as people have lived in Australia for ten thousand years, but properly understanding the connection and respect that the indigenous peoples have with their land is something that would benefit the wildlife and the country as a whole.