Childrens Illustrated Animal Atlas

79

Short-beaked echidna

Also called the spiny anteater,

this strange-looking mammal

lays eggs. It uses its long, sticky

tongue to eat grubs, termites,

and ants.

AUSTRALIA

Canberra

Dingo

This intelligent

wild dog rarely

barks, but it loves

to howl.

Saltwater

crocodile

Platypus

This egg-laying

mammal has

webbed feet and

a ducklike bill.

Earth’s largest reptile

is also found in India

and Southeast Asia.

Sugar glider

Eastern

brown snake

A webbed membrane

allows this tiny mammal

to glide more than 151 ft

(46 m) between trees.

Redback

spider

Redbacks are one of

the most venomous of

Australia’s 10,000

spider species.

This animal is the size of a

small dog. It’s called a devil

because it is so aggressive. Tasmanian devil

The short-beaked echidna’s

sharp spines repel predators.

Koala
Often mistakenly called bears,
koalas are marsupials. Once big
enough to leave the pouch, baby
koalas ride on the parents’ backs.
Koalas mostly eat eucalyptus
(gum tree) leaves, such as those
A baby kangaroo, called a joey, found in southeastern Australia.

rides in its mother’s pouch.

Vi

ct

or

ia

Mi

tch

ell

Fl

in

de

rs

Mu

rra

y

Da

rlin

g

B

LU

E

M

O

U

N

T

A

I

N

S

Great white shark

Common off the

Australian coast,

the world’s largest

predatory fish has

300 teeth.

G R E A T B A R R

IE

R

(^) R
E
E
F
GREAT
AUST
RALIAN
BIGHT
TA
S
M
A
N
S
E
A
Common
wombat
This plant-eating
burrower is a marsupial,
but its pouch points
backward. Also, its
poop is cube shaped!
This dangerous snake is
responsible for the most
deaths by snakebite in
Australia. Watch out!
PAPUA
NEW GUINEA
US_078_079_Australia.indd 79 31/03/2017 14:49