Australian Biomes

Different Australian biomes are home to different animals.

While some animals cover different bioregions in Australia, there are also the ones that are separate for every ecosystem.

Southern Hairy-Nosed Wombat (Lasiorhinus Latifrons), Victoria, Australia

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Alpine Animals

In south eastern areas of Australia, there are Alipne areas where high altitudes and southern latitudes create a cool climate.

The Alpine animals that live in those areas are adapted to cool weather and they include common and southern hairy nosed wombats; mountain pygmy possums, corroboree frogs, superb lyrebirds and others. Echidnas live in both cool and warm climates.

Camel Near Stuart Highway, Outback, Northern Territory, Australia

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Australian Desert Animals

The desert areas are mostly in inland Australia and they can be hot or cool, but they are dry. So the animals that live here are adapted to drought. Some of the most common Australian desert animals are reptiles such as snakes and lizards. Mammals are mostly small - camels are rare for their size to live in deserts.

Australian Eastern Water Dragon (Physignathus Lesueurii), Brisbane Botanical Gardens, Australia

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Australian Rainforest Animals

The opposite to the deserts is rainforests - the wettest of all Australian biomes. Rainforest animals are adapted to a lot of moisture and rainfall.

Leadbeater's Possum (Gymnobelideus Leadbeateri), an Endangered Species, Victoria, Australia

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Temperate Rainforest Animals

Not all rainforests are hot. In southern Australia, including Tasmania, we have cool temperate rainforests. Temperate rainforest animals are adapted to cool and moist conditions, and include animals such as many possums and gliders, quolls, Tasmanian devils and others.

Dainty Green Treefrog Calling with Throat Pouch Extended (Litorigracilenta) Mossman, Queensland

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Animals in the Tropical Rainforest

In northern Australia on the other hand, the climate is hot and the rainforests are tropical or subtropical. Tropical rainforest animals are adapted to hot and moist conditions. They include many different tree frogs, Australia's largest butterfiles, many pythons, tree kangaroos and others.

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Endangered Rainforest Animals

Because the conditions in the rainforests are great for life, there is also a lot of species in the rainforests, and a lot of competition. So there are also a lot of endangered rainforest animals.