Animals from Oceania

Author: John Stephens
Date Of Creation: 22 January 2021
Update Date: 14 November 2024
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animals from oceania
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Oceania is the smallest continent on the planet, in which none of the 14 sovereign states that are part of it have land borders, so it is a continent called the insular type. It is distributed in the Pacific Ocean and is made up of countries such as Australia, New Guinea, New Zealand and other archipelagos.

Called the New World, since the continent was "discovered" after the New World (America), Oceania stands out for its endemic animals, as more than 80% of each of the species groups are native to these islands. We invite you to continue reading this PeritoAnimal article and thus learn more about animals from oceania.

common kiwi

The common kiwi (Apteryx australis) is a bird that represents the New Zealand national symbol, from where it is endemic (native to that region). There are several species in the kiwi group, one of them being the common kiwi. It has a small size, reaching about 55 cm, with a long, thin beak, and is characterized by laying a relatively large egg in relation to its size.


It develops in different types of habitats, from coastal sand dunes to forests, thickets and grasslands. It is an omnivorous bird that consumes invertebrates, fruits and leaves. It is currently classified in the category vulnerable when we talk about extinction threat due to the impact that populations suffered by predators introduced into the country.

Kakapo

The kakapo (Strigops habroptilus) is a peculiar endemic bird of New Zealand, which belongs to the group of psittaciformes, and has the notoriety of being the only one of its group that is not able to fly, besides being the heaviest of all. It has nocturnal habits, its diet is based on leaves, stems, roots, fruits, nectar and seeds.


Kakapo grows in a wide variety of vegetation types on most islands in the region. it is critically endangered due to predators, mainly introduced, such as stoats and black rats.

Tuatara

The tuatara (Sphenodon punctatus) is a sauropsid that, although it has an appearance similar to that of iguanas, is not closely related to the group. It is an endemic animal to New Zealand, with unique characteristics, such as the fact that it has hardly changed since the Mesozoic. Furthermore, it is very long lasting and tolerates low temperatures, unlike most reptiles.


It is present on islands with cliffs, but can also be found in various types of forests, undergrowth and grassland. Your status is currently considered little worrying, although in the past the introduction of rats has affected the population. Habitat alteration and the illegal trade also tend to affect this animal from Oceania.

black widow spider

The Black Widow Spider (Latrodectus hasselti) é native to Australia and New Zealand, living mainly in urban areas. It has the particularity of being poisonous, capable of inoculating a neurotoxin that, despite adverse effects on the affected person, is not lethal.

It is a very small spider, with males ranging from 3 and 4 mm while females reach 10mm. It has nocturnal habits and feeds mainly on insects, although it can trap larger animals such as rodents, reptiles and even small birds in its nets.

Tasmanian Devil

The Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrisii) is one of the most popular Oceanian animals in the world due to the famous Looney Tunes drawings. The species belongs to the order of marsupial mammals endemic to Australia, being considered the larger carnivorous marsupial currently. It has a robust body, similar in appearance to a dog, weighing on average 8 kg. It feeds fiercely on the animals it hunts, but it also consumes carrion.

This animal has a unpleasant odor, usually has solitary habits, can run at high speed, climb trees and is a good swimmer. It develops specifically on the island of Tasmania, in practically all available habitats in the region, with the exception of the higher areas. The species is in the category of endangered, mainly for suffering from a disease known as Tasmanian Devil facial tumor (DFTD), in addition to the frequency of being run over and direct hunting.

Platypus

The platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is one of the current species of monotremes, which corresponds to the few mammals that lay eggs, and is also unique in its genus. The platypus is another animal from Oceania, specifically from Australia. It's a very peculiar animal because it's venomous, semi-aquatic, with a duck-like beak, beaver's tail and otter-like paws, so it's a combination that defied biology.

It can be found in Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, Queensland and New South Wales, growing in water bodies such as streams or shallow lakes. It spends most of its time in water to feed or in burrows it builds on the ground. it is almost threatened with extinction, due to the alteration of water bodies due to drought or anthropogenic modifications.

Koala

The koala (Phascolarctos Cinereus) is a marsupial endemic to Australia, found in Victoria, South Australia, Queensland, New South Wales. It is the only member of the Phascolarctidae family, being an animal easily identified by its charismatic appearance, characterized by lack of tail, ​​with large head and nose and rounded ears covered with hair.

Its food is folivorous, with arboreal habits. It is located in forests and lands dominated by eucalyptus, the main species on which its diet is based, although it may include others. These are other animals from Oceania that, unfortunately, are in a state of vulnerability due to the alteration of their habitat, which makes them susceptible to predators and diseases.

Australian fur seal

The Australian Fur Seal (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) is a species of the Otariidae group, which includes mammals that, despite being highly adapted to swimming, unlike seals, move with agility also on land. This one that is part of the animals from oceania is a subspecies native to Australia, lying specifically between Tasmania and Victoria.

Males are considerably larger than females, reaching a weight of up to 360 kg, what makes them the biggest sea wolves. The Australian fur seal feeds mainly in benthic areas, consuming large numbers of fish and cephalopods.

Taipan-do-interior

The taipan-do-interior or taipan-western (Oxyuranus microlepidotus) it is considered the most venomous snake in the world, with a poison that surpasses the toxicity of the cobra or rattlesnake, since in a single bite there is enough poison to kill several people. It is endemic to South Australia, Queensland and the Northern Territory.

Despite its lethality, is not aggressive. It is found in dark soils with the presence of cracks, resulting from the overflow of water bodies. It feeds mainly on rodents, birds and geckos. Although its conservation status is considered little worrying, food availability may be a factor affecting the species.

salamander fish

Another of Oceania's animals is the salamander fish (Salamandroid Lepidogalaxies), a kind of Freshwater fish, no migratory habits and endemic to Australia. usually does not exceed 8 cm long, and it has a peculiar feature: its anal fin has been modified to enable the development of internal fertilization.

It is usually found in shallow water bodies that have been acidified by the presence of tannins, which also dye the water. The salamander fish is in endangered due to changes caused by climate change in rainfall patterns, which affect the water bodies where it lives. Furthermore, fires and other changes in ecosystems influence the population trend of the species.

Other animals from Oceania

Below, we show you a list with other animals from Oceania:

  • Takahe (porphyrio hochstetteri)
  • Red kangaroo (Macropus rufus)
  • flying fox (Pteropus capistratus)
  • Sugar nut (petaurus breviceps)
  • Tree kangaroo (Dendrolagus goodfellowi)
  • Short-snouted Echidna (tachyglossus aculeatus)
  • Common Sea Dragon (Phyllopteryx taeniolatus)
  • Blue-tongued Lizard (tiliqua scincoides)
  • Cockatiel (Nymphicus hollandicus)
  • Australian sea turtle (Natator depression)

If you want to read more articles similar to Animals from Oceania, we recommend that you enter our Curiosities section of the animal world.