The alpine areas are not common in Australia, they cover only a tiny part, less than 0.15% of the continent, in southern New South Wales, Eastern Victoria and central western Tasmania. Here is some information about Australian alpine fauna, what species there are and how do they cope with the cold. Because of the southern latitudes and high altitudes, Australian alpine areas are the coldest environment in Australia during the winter. During the summer though, the area can get heat waves so the animals that live here need to tolerate both heat and cold. Some animals found here also live in other parts of the continent, however there are also some rare Australian animals like corroboree frog and mountain pygmy possum.
Australian Alpine Animals: Amphibians and Reptiles Amphibians and reptiles are ectothermic (cool-blooded) animals, and while they are abundant in hot deserts, not many of them can live in cold mountains. The most special amphibian in Australian Alps is the endemic black-and-yellow-striped Corroboree Frog (Pseudphryne corroboree). Others include Baw Baw Frog (Philoria frosti), Cryptic Treefrog (Litoria paraewingi), Spencer’s Treefrog (Litoria spenceri), and Dendy Toadlet (Pseudophryne dendyi). Reptiles are represented by tiger snakes and skinks such as Rawlingson’s Skink (Pseudomoia rawlinsoni), Maccoy’s Elf Skink (Nannoscincus maccoyi), Spencer’s Skink (Pseudomoia spenceri) and Heatwole’s Five-fingered Skink (Eulampus heatwolei) that hibernate over the winter.
Australian Alpine Animals: Mammals Many mammals that live elsewhere in Australia, have also adapted to Alpine conditions. There include common wombat (Vombatus ursinus), swamp wallaby (Wallabia bicolor), red-necked wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus), spotted-tail quoll (Dasyurus maculatus), and monotremes echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) and platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus). But the most amazing mammal in Australian Alps is the endemic Mountain Pygmy Possum (Byrramus parvus) – the only marsupial that hibernates properly over the winter. While the others may sleep and be inactive, they don’t hibernate in the proper way (lower their body temperature to next to nothing and stop the metabolism). Along with four other mammals – Bush Rat (Rattus fuscipes), Broad-toothed rat (Mastacomys fuscus), Agile Antechinus (Antechinus agilis), and Dusky Antechinus (Antechinus swainsonii), the Mountain Pygmy Possum lives on the highest altitudes of the alpine environment.
Australian Alpine Birds and Insects Birds tend to be seasonal visitors, most of them migrate to lower altitudes for the winter. The ones seen in the Australian Alps are Superb Lyrebird (Menura novaehollandiae), Gang Gang Cockatoo (Callocephalon fimbriatum), Little Raven (Corvus mellori), Wedge-tailed Eagle (Aquila audax), Flame Robin (Petroica phoenicea) and Richard’s Pipit (Anthus novaeseelandiae). Some insects found here during the summer are Thermocolor Grasshopper (Kosciuscola tristis), Spotted Grasshopper (Monistria concinna) and the famous Bogong Moths (Agrotis infusa).
NOTE: This website is written in British English, which is the English we use in Australia. You will find words like "traveller", "harbour" and "realise", and they are all correct in the language used in Australia.
