Australian Fauna

The kangaroo is Australia's national symbol; along with its smaller relative the wallaby. Kangaroos (or “roos”) are seldom seen during the day; particularly in hot weather.

 

They are not generally aggressive; however, males of larger species, such as reds, can be dangerous when cornered. In the wild they will grasp other males with their forearms, rear up on their muscular tails and pound their opponents with their hind feet; sometimes slashing them with their claws.

 

Kangaroos are a serious hazard to motorists driving, particularly when the sun has set. Kangaroos have little road sense, and often jump into the way of a car. They are attracted to car head lights. They are killed in disturbing numbers on WA roads; and inexperienced drivers need to be weary of this issue before setting off on a DriveWA adventure!

 

Kangaroos live in considerable numbers quite close to most towns in WA. They don’t merely reside in the outback. Suburbs such as Joondalup and Kinross (Approximately 30 minutes North of Perth city), are prevalent areas that the roo can be found. Edith Cowan University, in Joondalup, is home to a number of kangaroos!

The Emu 

The Emu is the world's second-largest bird. It is the flightless bird that is featured, alongside the Kangaroo, on the Australian coat of arms, and is found in large numbers in less inhabited areas of WA.

 

They may at times be seen quite close to towns. Emus are very mobile, and can also be a problem on the roads and tracks. They do a lot of damage to vehicles and create problems for cereal growers. They are now being farmed for their highly prized oil, eggs, hide, and meat. Many Emu farms are very interesting places to visit.

 
Other Australian Birds 

There is an incredible assortment of birds in the outback. The parrots (28s - usually green blue and yellow, and Rosellas’ - a mixture of bright reds, yellows, blues and greens), are extremely beautiful to view in flight. The pink and grey Galah is an intelligent bird and a bit of an Ozzie icon. Someone acting like “a Galah” is an Australian slang term, and represents someone who is acting the fool.

Eagles 

These are beautiful and impressive birds. The various Eagles, Goshawks, Kites, Harriers, Falcons, and Kestrels are usually the most commonly seen of all outback birds.

 

The largest of all is the Wedge-tailed Eagle. Their name refers to its distinctively pointed, diamond shaped tail. With a wingspan approaching 3m, they soar high on the thermals whilst scanning the ground for prey, including rabbits and young kangaroos. Their eyesight is so keen, that they're thought to be able to see a rabbit quite clearly from a distance of 1.5km.

 

Please approach them with respect and great caution – if you hit an Eagle (particularly if it hits your windscreen) it can cause a lot of damage. In addition, if they are only ‘stunned’, rather than injured, be very careful of them when they wake up because they have big beaks and dangerous talons. 

The Dingo 

The Dingo, or wild dog, is considered a native animal to Australia. There are two theories of how they arrived on our shores; 1) they tagged along with early Aborigines migrating from South-East Asia; 2) they were introduced fairly recently by Indonesian fishermen.

 

Dingoes can interbreed with other species of dog. This is a major threat to their survival as a pure strain. Dingoes are most prevalent north and west of the Dog Fence, the world's longest man-made barrier. The fence is 1.4m and 2.4m high, and it runs for 5400km from the Gold Coast in Queensland to the Great Australian Bight in South Australia.

 

A pair of Dingoes acting together can kill dozens of sheep in a night; so any that make their way through the fence are vigorously pursued with bullets, traps, and poison baits. Although dingoes do prey on calves, their depredations aren't considered a serious threat to the beef/cattle industry.


Fauna to Avoid and Respect

 

Crocodiles  

There are two species of crocodile in Western Australia; the larger saltwater Estuarine crocodile (called a “saltie”), and the smaller fresh water variety (called a “freshie”). Unfortunately, salties aren't confined to salt water - they can be found in freshwater habitats more than 200km inland.

 

Freshies are smaller than salties. Any crocodile over 3m should be regarded as a probable saltie. Freshies are more finely built. They have much narrower snouts and smaller teeth to suit their fish diet. Freshies are generally considered harmless to humans, but they have been known to bite in defence of their nests; so keep children and pet dogs at a distance.

 

Crocs seem to favour dog meat. They are a definite danger to dogs, and to people travelling with dogs. Both species of crocodiles were once hunted, almost to the point of extinction, but since they were proclaimed a protected species they have increased in number.

The most important rule to avoid being attacked by a croc: Stay out of the water whenever you're in saltie country!!

Snakes
Only about 10% of Australian snake species are dangerous, but there are some very deadly ones amongst them. The Tiger snake, death adders, copperheads, brown snakes, and red-bellied black snakes should also be avoided at all costs.

Many people spend months travelling in the outback without seeing a snake. This is because snakes tend to keep a low profile. To minimise your chances of being bitten:

- Always wear boots, socks, and long heavy-weight trousers when walking through undergrowth.
- Don’t walk in dry grass without shoes or long trousers in warm weather
- Tramp, or “stomp”, heavily (snakes will usually slither away in fear before you come near)         
- Don't put your hands into holes and crevices                      
- Be extremely careful when collecting firewood (snakes love warm, dry places)                 

Most people are bitten while trying to kill a snake, or stepping over them. In the unlikely event that you see a live snake, walk away from it very quietly, or simply stand still until it escapes. Most snakes are generally very afraid of humans; however, if it feels cornered it may well strike in self defence.

Sea Snakes 

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