An ordinary person's thoughts on the complexities of art & life ...

An ordinary person's thoughts on the complexities of life ... or just ramblings from the mind of a working Mum with far too little time to think!

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Weird & Wonderful - the extraordinary diversity of Australia's natural inhabitants




Unfortunately, as we migrate in greater numbers every year to the cities and leave the bush behind, we are steadily losing our awareness and appreciation of the magnificent legacy of globally unique flora and fauna that we Australians are so privileged to live alongside.






Due to Australia's geographical isolation and our ancient Gondwanan origins, we have some of the most startlingly unique wildlife inhabitants on the planet.






From the strangely hopping marsupials, the egg-laying duck-billed Platypus, the spiny Echidna, the outrageous Southern Cassowary, the elegant dancing Brolga and the flightless Emu to the bear-like Wombat, the big-headed laughing Kookaburra and the extravagantly coloured parrots and rainforest birds, it is truly a smorgasbord of animal delights for the many travellers who visit this extraordinary island.





Earlier this week, I joined my daughter and good friend for a day out with our cameras at Australia Zoo, a wildlife park situated on the beautiful Sunshine Coast hinterland.






We had an incredible day reconnecting with the animals we had seen as children on trips to the bush and discovering anew the beauty and diversity of our native fauna in a very personal way.





The images that follow represent just a few of the many species of fascinating creatures that inhabit this wonderful land.


Jabiru ~ Australia's only Stork



 Stange-looking flightless Emu bird




Southern Cassowary







 Chatty Koala



 Sleepy Koala



Grey Kangaroo



 Red Kangaroo


Red male Kangaroo



 Echidna



Wombat



 Brolga - Australia's only native Crane



 Tasmanian Devil ~ carnivorous marsupial



Ferocious Devil



 North Western Red-faced Turtle


 Tightly coiled Carpet Python



 Venemous Brown Snake



 Green Tree Snake



Water Dragon



 Tawny Frogmouth



 Laughing Kookaburra



 Male Eclectus Parrot



Male Australian King Parrot



Male King up close



 White-headed Fruit Dove



White-headed Fruit Dove up close



Rose-crowned Fruit Dove



Emerald Dove



Emerald Dove



1 comment:

  1. Wow, so different from the wildlife we live among here in the states. Great photos, Renee! Love the kangaroo! The Laughing Kookaburra looks so serious - great shot!

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