15 Wild Facts About Australian Wild

#australianwild

1. Tree kangaroos do not sweat

In order to cool their bodies they lick their forearms and allow the moisture to evaporate. Tree kangaroos are also known to have one of the most relaxed and leisurely birthing seasons.

2. The echidna is one of the Earth’s oldest surviving mammals

Fossil records indicate they have been winning at it for 15 million years!

3. The short-beaked echidna has the largest prefrontal cortex relative to body size of any mammal

Taking up to 50% of the volume in comparison to 29% for humans. This part of the brain in humans is thought to be used for planning and analytical behavior.

4. Each spine on the back of echidna is a single hair which grows into one thick spine

When Puggle (a baby echidna) hatches, it is smaller than a jelly bean. The puggle uses its tiny, see-through claws to grip the special hairs within the mother’s pouch.

5. Barking Owls scream like hell

Barking Owls have an extremely characteristic voice that can range from a barking dog noise to a woman-like shrill of great intensity.

6. Possum Gliders can glide up to 50m from tree to tree

When Possum Glider's tail acts as a rudder, it allows them to steer in which direction they want to go.

7. Australian military waged a war on Emus…and lost!

The Emu War, also known as the Great Emu War, was a nuisance wildlife management operation undertaken in Australia over the latter part of 1932. Employed soldiers were armed with machine guns, leading the media to adopt the name "Emu War" when referring to the incident.

8. Because of their diet, emus are credited with spreading much of the biodiversity in Australia...

Via blogger.com

...and emu poo is the secret. In fact, it is essential for many seeds to germinate and Emu services are recruited for native regeneration projects!

9. Although only the size of a very small mouse, a Feathertail Glider can leap and glide up to 25m

The feathertail glider (Acrobates pygmaeus), also known as the pygmy gliding possum, pygmy glider, pygmy phalanger, flying phalanger and flying mouse, is the world's smallest gliding possum and is named for its long feather-shaped tail. Although only the size of a very small mouse (65-80 mm and 10-14 g), it can leap and glide up to 25m.

10. The peregrine falcon is the fastest member of animal kingdom with speeds over 320 km/h

The peregrine falcon is renowned for its speed, reaching over 322 km/h (200 mph) during its characteristic hunting stoop (high speed dive), making it the fastest member of the animal kingdom. According to the National Geographic TV, the highest measured speed of a peregrine falcon is 389 km/h (242 mph).

11. Giant Pink Slugs live on The Top of A Hidden Mountain

Michael Murphy/NPWS

Triboniophorus aff. graeffei is a new species of 20-centimeter-long (8-inch) slug that’s found only on one magical Australian mountain, Mt Kaputar in New South Wales. A volcano had erupted at Mount Kaputar about 17 million years ago, creating a high-altitude haven for invertebrates and plant species that have been isolated for millions of years, after Australia dried out and the rainforests receded. Heritage of these creatures can be traced back to Gondwana. These slugs are so genetically distinct, that they are restricted to an area of about 10km by 10km on their own mountaintop.

12. Platypuses use electrolocation to detect prey

Peter Scheunis

Platypuses use the electro-receptors in their bill to detect the muscle contractions of their next meal. They are also one of the few venomous mammals in the world. Platypuses have a venomous spur which they use when fighting other males.

13. Honey Possums have largest sperm and the smallest babies

Jonathan Blair

A newborn Honey Possum only weighs about 0.005 grams (0.00018 ounces), yet they have the largest sperm of any mammal with a length around 0.36 mm (0.014 inches).

14. There are tiny peacock spiders...and they do a tiny peacock spider dance to lure opposite sex

Peacockspiderman

This species of spider is not venomous and poses no threat to humans or animals.

15. Lyre bird can mimic the calls of other birds, as well as chainsaws and camera shutters