Sovereign Archive · Biology

Flora & Fauna

Australia is one of 17 megadiverse countries. Approximately 80% of plant, mammal, reptile, and frog species are endemic, having evolved in isolation for millions of years.

Iconic Fauna

Mammals

Common Name	Scientific Name	Status
Red Kangaroo	Macropus rufus	Least Concern
Common Wombat	Vombatus ursinus	Least Concern
Koala	Phascolarctos cinereus	Vulnerable
Platypus	Ornithorhynchus anatinus	Near Threatened
Short-beaked Echidna	Tachyglossus aculeatus	Least Concern
Quokka	Setonix brachyurus	Vulnerable
Tasmanian Devil	Sarcophilus harrisii	Endangered
Dingo	Canis lupus dingo	Vulnerable

Birds & Reptiles

Common Name	Scientific Name	Notes
Emu	Dromaius novaehollandiae	National bird emblem
Cassowary	Casuarius casuarius	Endangered; QLD rainforest
Kookaburra	Dacelo novaeguineae	Laughing call; iconic
Saltwater Crocodile	Crocodylus porosus	Largest living reptile
Eastern Brown Snake	Pseudonaja textilis	2nd most venomous land snake

Iconic Flora

Common Name	Scientific Name	Notes
Golden Wattle	Acacia pycnantha	National floral emblem
Eucalyptus (Gum Tree)	Eucalyptus spp.	~900 species; dominant tree
Banksia	Banksia spp.	~170 species; mostly endemic to WA
Waratah	Telopea speciosissima	NSW state emblem
Spinifex	Triodia spp.	Covers ~20% of continent

Protected Ecosystems

Ecosystem	Location	UNESCO Status
Great Barrier Reef	QLD coast	World Heritage Site (1981)
Kakadu National Park	NT	World Heritage Site (1981)
Daintree Rainforest	QLD	Wet Tropics WHS (1988)
Tasmanian Wilderness	TAS	World Heritage Site (1982)

Threatened species are listed under the EPBC Act 1999. Australia has the highest rate of mammal extinction for any country globally, with 34+ species lost since European settlement.

Source Data: This page is generated from docs/flora-fauna.md. Last verified: May 2026.
Authoritative sources include ABRS, SPRAT Database, and Parks Australia.