When thinking of the Aussie Outback, many will confuse the area for a desert wasteland. Seeing it as a bare landscape with hardly any plants or animals surviving under the blistering sun. However, this is hardly the case, with a vast and unique range of wildlife not just surviving but thriving. During my travels around the outback, I met some wonderful creatures that are only found in this particular region. Evoling in distinctive ways that make the completely unquie to this world.
The Goanna
Australia is renowned for its extraordinary reptiles, with the scorching sun and hot rocks being a paradise for all cold-blooded creatures. The region is so perfect for them, the lizards are even bigger here, including the famous and massive goanna. Reaching up to 2 metres long, these creatures have the usual lizard diet, but occasionally snack on a snake or bird. They love to dig holes, so if you stumble on a hole while trekking through the area, keep on the lookout for its Goanna resident.
The Desert Dingo
For 3,500 years, the Desert Dingos have roamed the Aussie outback, being a staple to the region. They are a sandy golden colour and are a similar size to a medium dog, but this is where their similarities end. They are wild creatures, hunting the area in small packs at night-time when they blend into the backdrop. There have been many cases of dingo attacks on smaller children, with even the famous court case of ‘A dingo stole my baby’. Its pretty common to see a dingo in the outback, but make sure to keep your distance, no matter how cute they are.
The Red Kangaroo
The Red Kangaroo, the larger and louder cousins to the famous grey kangaroo. With the ‘red roos’, as they are fondly nicknamed, being the biggest marsupial in the entire world. They love anywhere dry, roaming the entire mainland of Australia. To cope with the sweltering sun and dry landscape, the Kangaroos have two survival strategies to keep cool. The First is by hopping and the second is lazing about doing nothing. The hopping lets them travel huge distances in no time, letting them forage for food easily. When its hot, the kangaroos merely sit about in the shade, conserving their energy until the sun settles so they can hop off again.
The Emu
Australia is jam-packed with massive creatures, including the second largest bird in existence; the Emu. It stands at 190 centimetres and weighs an average of 55 kilograms. Their round bodies are covered in shaggy black feathers, while their chicken- like legs, neck, and head are bald and wrinkly. Despite not being able to fly, they are extremely fast runners, reaching up to speeds of 50kph with a running stride of 3 metres. Seeing these creatures in person let alone running is an amazing sight to see!
The Bilby
The smallest creature on the list and in my opinion, the cutest! The Bilby is Australia’s version of the Easter Bunny, with its massive pinkish ears almost as big as their actual bodies. Despite their cute and fuzzy appearances, these creatures are survivors, lasting around 15 million years in the dry outback of Australia.
