Endangered Animals of Australia

ENDANGERED ANIMALS OF AUSTRALIA

RED-TAIL BLACK COCKATOO

ABOUT THE AUSTRALIAN RED-TAIL BLACK COCKATOO

Also known as “Banks’ Black Cockatoo”
Is native to Australia. There are many different species, and they are in abundant numbers in northern Australia.
the two species in the south – the “Forest Red-Tail” and the “South-eastern Red-Tail” are under threat.
Red-Tail Cockatoo’s will grow to around 60 cms in length.
They are sexually dimorphic. That is, there are different markings and shapes between males and females.
The male Red Tail is covered completely in black feathers, except for the prominent red-feathered tail.
The slightly smaller female are black with a yellow tinge on the chest, with red spots on their crest, tail & wings, and yellow-orange tail-stripes.
The Red-Tail holds the award for the first bird from eastern Australia drawn by a European!! A female drawn in 1770.
They are best suited to dry climates. Their main diet is eucalyptus seeds. They will also nest in the hollows of these trees.
The Red-Tail Cockatoo is a major target species for illegal smuggling operations. They fetch up to $US20,000 for a healthy Red-Tail overseas, and are a focus of the Wildlife Protection Act 2001.

Where you will find the red-tail black cockatoo in Australia

KOALA

ABOUT THE AUSTRALIAN KOALA

The word koala comes from the Dharuk “gula”. Where the vowel ‘u’ is pronounced as “oo” and the ‘g’ as “kh” (thus said as “khoolah”), it was changed to “oa” possibly due to an error!!
The word is actually said to mean “doesn’t drink”.
Koalas mostly live on the coast of eastern and southern Australia, from Adelaide all the way to Cape York Peninsula.
They do also live large distances away from the coast where there is enough rain to support large tree populations.
The koala is not found naturally in Tasmania or Western Australia.
There are 3 different sub-species of koalas – NSW, Victoria and Queensland varieties. The original koalas of South Australia were largely exterminated during the early part of the 20th century.
Koala fossils are rare, but some have been found dating to 20 million years ago. During this time, the northern half of Australia was rainforest.
The koala lives almost entirely on eucalypt leaves. But the koala did not specialise in a diet of eucalypts until the climate cooled and eucalypt forests grew in the place of rainforests.
The koala lives almost entirely on eucalypt leaves. But the koala did not specialise in a diet of eucalypts until the climate cooled and eucalypt forests grew in the place of rainforests.
The Australian Koala Foundation estimates there are around 100,000 koalas left in the wild(2008).

Where you will find the koala in Australia

GREEN TREE FROG

ABOUT THE GREEN TREE FROG

Also known as the “Dumpy Tree Frog”
Is native to Australia and New Guinea, (have been introduced to New Zealand and the USA)
Will live in captivity for 16 years. That’s a longer time than most frogs get!!
Grow to around 10 centimetres in length. Which is also larger than most frogs in Australia.
Green Tree Frogs are well-natured, live well with people and are a popular pet around the world.
The Green Tree Frogs “screams” when it is in danger or under attack, and squeaks when it is touched.
This was the first Australian Frog to enter the scientific record and was part of Sir Joseph Banks original collection.
The species was first called the “blue frog” as the preservatives used to keep the frogs would turn them from green to blue.
Although the frogs have lungs, they must still absorb oxygen through their skin, so they must live where it is moist.
The problem with their moist skin is the risk of germs, so the frogs secrete “peptides” that kill germs on the frogs, but also cure many human sicknesses.

Where you will find green tree frogs in Australia.

HUMPBACK WHALE MOTHER & CALF

THE HUMPBACK WHALE DREAMING

(Presented to the International Whaling Commission, 2010)

“Amongst all the creatures of creation was Gyian the whale, Baiyami’s favourite …….The new world was born then Baiyami said to Gyian, “This will be your Dreaming place. You shall reign over these lands and waters, my friend. Your kin will forever live in these sacred realms on Earth. Go and give what I have given to you, the kinship of life. Gyian went into the lands taking with him the spirit of Baiyami. Baiyami ascended back to the Mirrabooka. During the dreamtime period Gyian intermingled with other creatures , passing on the Laws of Baiyami. He later changed form from a bird of the land to live as he does today in the ocean as a whale. This was the birth of Gyian on Earth.”

Introducing the art of Danielle Mate.

Danielle is a contemporary Aboriginal artist. Born in Fairfield in 1979, growing up in South Western Sydney. Danielle is a descendant of the Kunja People from the Cunnamulla region of South Western Queensland. Danielle first made her connection with painting when in High School, going on to study a Bachelor of Creative Arts–Visual Arts and Design, at the University of Wollongong, NSW. Since graduation in 2000, Danielle has been able to focus on her own personal artistic connection.

The influence of her learning years are obvious, but she has bloomed in the years since. As is often found in Indigenous artists, Danielle very much sees the natural world as part of us, and we part of all animals and plants that surround us. All living things share a common journey of survival and growth, that is the miracle of life. Danielle’s use of vibrant colours and images reflect this approach, but also the bright, positive outlook that is a part of Danielle’s character. She is a warm, friendly person and her art is testament to this fact.