Australia is a country that monopolizes a whole continent. This continent was separated from other continents very early, and many small animals unique to Australia have evolved. These small animals live on the continent of Australia, and if it weren't for the advent of the age of sailing, they might never have been discovered.
According to statistics, there are about 650 species of birds in the world, 450 of which are endemic to Australia. The world's marsupials, with the exception of South America, are mostly distributed in Australia. Even the national emblem has animal patterns, which shows how important these animals are to Australia.
1. Kangaroo
The kangaroo is Australia's representative animal and Australia's national treasure, but this national treasure can be legally hunted in Australia because of excessive breeding. There are more than 50 species of kangaroos, ranging in size from 30 centimeters to 3 meters. Some are as tall as muscular men, others as small as big mice. There is such an interesting anecdote about the name of the kangaroo. It is said that in 1770, a British navigator arrived on the east coast of Australia. He saw this animal for the first time in his life, so he gestured and asked an aboriginal man what it was. Answered: "Kangaroo". Since then, this leaping marsupial has been written into the English dictionary under the name "Kangaroo". In fact, Kangaroo means "don't know" in the Aboriginal language.
2. Koalas
Koalas are also Australia's national treasures. Koalas don't drink water because their food, eucalyptus leaves, already contains enough water. Koalas are also marsupial, but unlike kangaroos, koalas have a pouch with the opening facing down. Koalas have been hit hard by the fires in Australia, and it is even more difficult for the rare animals, which are originally small in number, to survive. Fortunately, the disaster is over now, and the cultivation of koalas has been carried out in full swing. Hopefully, soon, there will be many new-faced cuties appearing in front of everyone.
3. Emu
In Australia's national emblem, in addition to the kangaroo, another animal is the emu! Both kangaroos and emus have something in common. The first is that they both have no kneecaps, which means they can only move forward and not backward, representing a spirit of forging ahead. The second is that both of these animals are big and strong but have small heads. The emu is also a unique animal in Australia. It looks like an ostrich in the Arabian desert, but it is taller and larger than an ostrich. It is one of the largest birds in the world. It is generally more than 1 meter tall and weighs dozens of pounds. The emu's wings and tail have degenerated, so it can't fly, but it is good at swimming and better at running. It can run 60-70 kilometers per hour, so it has the reputation of "long-distance runner".
4. Platypus
As we all know, mammals do not lay eggs, and animals that lay eggs do not breastfeed. But the platypus is an exception, as it both breastfeeds and lays eggs, and incubates them like a bird. However, the platypus mother has no nipples, so the baby platypus does not suck, but licks the mother's mammary glands, and the milk comes out as soon as it licks. Is the platypus a bird, a beast or a reptile? This "unsolved case" has been debated in the zoological community for nearly 100 years, because the animal's distribution is limited to southern Australia and Tasmania, limiting research efforts. It was not until the 1880s that zoologists attributed it to the monotreme order of the subclass of mammalian protozoa and named it "platypus".
5. Echidna
The echidna is a close relative of the platypus. It has spines on its back and looks like a hedgehog at first glance. It has small eyes and poor vision, but it is acutely aware of very slight vibrations in the soil. It has a pointed mouth and eats ants and termites. When the echidna is frightened, it will quickly curl up into a spherical shape like a hedgehog, so that the enemy only sees a headless "thorn ball", which is difficult to attack. Another is that its limbs are short and powerful, and it can quickly dig soil, then bury its body in the ground, or hook the roots of trees, making it impossible for the opponent to eat it.
6. Tasmanian Devil
This name feels so scary, but in fact this animal is a little cutie. The "Tasmanian Devil" was a name given to Europeans because they found the call of a Tasmanian devil to be terrifying, sounding like an enraged donkey. It's as loud as it comes from an animal 10 times louder than a Tasmanian devil! Tasmanian devils are not very good at hunting and mainly live on carrion. They look like cute bears, but don't be fooled by them. Once they open their mouths, you'll see jaws powerful enough to break bones. When its gray ears start to turn red, run fast, this is its attack stance.
7. Wombat
The wombat is a marsupial found only in Australia. It is stocky and short-legged, with a stout body like a bear, with small eyes and a face like a mouse. Although they have short feet, they are muscular, about 1 meter in length, and have short tails. They are shorter and stubby than koalas, which is very cute. In the Australian fires, they are well-deserved heroes! The wombats like to live in caves and are good at digging. During the wildfire, they opened their caves and accommodated many small animals that came to take refuge. Many small animals have survived in the wombats' caves.
