Why does Australia have such unique plants, animals & marine life?
As the Australian landmass separated from the other continents over 50 million years ago, indigenous animals have developed a range of individual and unusual characteristics in a unique habitat. The result is a wealth of wildlife not found anywhere else in the world. Australia supports at least 25,000 species of plants, or (apprx) 20% of the known plant life in the world. Australia has around 800 species of birds, 400 of which are unique and found nowhere else on Earth. The wealth of bird life from the boisterous laugh of the kookaburra to the brilliantly plumed rainbow lorikeets makes Australia a haven for bird lovers. Australia’s ocean area contains one of the greatest arrays of marine biodiversity on earth. Australia’s marine environments contain more than 4,000 fish varieties and tens of thousands of species of invertebrates, plants and micro-organisms. Currently, scientists estimate about 80% of Australia’s southern marine species are found nowhere else in the world.
