Australian Fauna - Australia's Culture Portal - Middle Australian Desert Wildlife

Australian Fauna - Australia's Culture Portal
Culture and Recreation Portal
Australian Government

Australian fauna
Early in geological history, Australia was cut off from the rest of the world's land masses. This allowed a range of animals to establish successful populations in Australia - animals that were unable to do so in other parts of the world.

Almost all of Australia's native mammals are marsupials. Marsupials give birth to their young and then carry them in a pouch near their belly until the infant is old enough to survive on its own.

Another unusual type of mammal is the monotreme. Monotremes lay eggs instead of giving birth to live young. There are only two types of monotreme in the world - the platypus and the echidna - and both of them are found in Australia.

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