Top 10 Cutest Animals in Australia

Veronica Horton and Dannise Matarlo
May 5, 2015

From the land down under, here are the top ten cutest animals found in Australia!

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10. Numbat
The Numbat is found in the woodlands of Southwestern and Western Australia. Numbats are currently on the endangered list due to the loss of habitat. This animal is very small red and brown with black and white stripes on their bodies. Numbats mostly eats termites and only feed during the mornings and late afternoons in the cooler weather. A fun fact about a Numbat is that they can eat up to 20,000 termites up to 10% of their body weight!

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9. Kangaroos
Kangaroos are widely known in Australia, because this is their homeland. Kangaroos are the national symbol of Australia and are the only large animals to use hopping as a means of locomotion. There are three different kinds of kangaroos that can be found in Australia, and are now taken off the endangered species list. A fun fact about kangaroos is that their babies are called joeys and Australians call their groups or herds “mobs.”

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8. Baby Emu
Baby Emus are birds that cannot fly but can run really fast. They are only found in the Southern Hemisphere and is the second largest living bird in the world. Emu feathers are black and fade into a greyish color due to sun exposure. Fun fact: an Emus eggs has the same volume and weight as 12 chicken eggs!

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7. CusCus
CusCus, the largest of the world’s possum species, is found in Northern forest of Australia and tropical islands of Papua new Guinea. Their large eyes help them with their nocturnal lifestyle. The cuscus spends its life almost exclusively in the trees, and eats mainly leaves and fruits. Different species of cuscus are endangered, like the splashy-coated black-spotted. Fun fact for Cuscus is that their fur color changes when they get older!

Photo credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/carmyt/15785099646/
6. Dingoes
This wild Australian dog is found in all states of Australia except Tasmania. This bushy tailed and orange coated animal is not to played with because of their mainly consists of meat. Fun Fact: The dingo is believed to be descended from the Asian wolf.

Photo credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/myplanetexperience/14996558213/in/photolist
5. Baby Kookaburra
This cute little bird is found on the mainland of Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea. Instead of singing or tweeting, kookaburras laugh to let all know the boundaries of their territory. This dark brown and white underbelly bid is the found in the eucalyptus forest of Eastern Australia. Fun Fact: The Kookaburra has its very children song.

Photo credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/goochyz/8613948695/in
4. Wallaby
Wallabies are pocket-sized Kangaroos. This cute little marsupial is found mainly in Australia and surrounding islands. These medium size animals have different types of classifications due to their surroundings. The three main classifications are shrub, rock, and brush wallabies. Their diet consists of grass and plants. Fun Fact: The name “Wallaby” comes from an Eora aboriginal tribe who were the first inhabitants of sydney Australia.

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3. Wombat
Wombats are native to Australia, and sometimes mistaken for a small bear. Their fur can be range from sandy to brown or black to grey. A wombat can live from about 5 years to over 30 years, and most Australians have never seen a wild wombat. Sadly, some species of wombats, like the northern hairy-nosed wombat are now critically endangered, while others are still hunted as vermin. The Wombat fun fact is that they walk with a waddle and have a backwards-facing punch.

Photo credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/colinr36/3761677376/in.
2. Sugar Glider
Coming in as a close second, sugar gliders look very similar to the flying squirrel but is not closely related. From its name this animal likes sugary necturus foods but can also eat small lizards and birds. Sugar gliders are known for their ability to glide with the loose skin membrane found between the fifth finger to the first toe which gives them the ability to fly up to 150 feet. These animals are also nocturnal so they may be hard to find in the wild but you can get them as pets. Fun Fact: Sugar Gliders only live 4 to 5 years

Photo credit: https://www.flickr.com/photos/photographicleigh/2732691135/in/photolist.
1. Quokkas
The cutest animal on the top ten list for Australia, is the happiest animal on earth: the quokka. As photographed, quokkas are known for showing a smile and people enjoy to take selfies with them. They pose no threat to humans, but their friendliness has contributed to their drastic reduction in population from dingoes and foxes. Listed as “vulnerable,” the quokka has been moved to different areas of Australia, like western parts of the country. The quokka has no fear of humans and will get pretty close to them if they are near.