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SITES
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Burnie, Tasmania Australian Wildlife The bird fauna of Australia is much more diverse with over 700 species recorded (Frith 1979). Since they are highly mobile Australian birds have more in common with those of the rest of the world than is the case with mammals. Such groups as seabirds, birds of prey and parrots are well represented. Some wading birds, such as Curlew Sandpiper, Sharp-tailed Sandpiper and Red-necked Stint, that breed in the northern hemisphere, over-winter in Australia in huge numbers. Nevertheless several widely distributed bird families such as woodpeckers, true finches4 and buntings have never colonised Australia. There are also a number of endemic families that are only found in Australia and neighbouring New Guinea. These include Australian chats, whistlers, Australian honeyeaters (see Figure 31) and the Garallinidae (the mud-nest builders). Tasmanian Wildlife Tasmania has been separated from the Australian mainland by the Bass Strait for around 15,000 years (Bennett et al. 2000). This separation has prevented the spread into Tasmania of species such as the Dingo (Canis dingo), that was introduced into Australia by the early Aborigine colonists, and the Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes) that was introduced by early European colonists. Such isolation from competitors is probably one of the main reasons why carnivorous marsupials such as Tasmanian Devil (Sarcophilus harrisii), Eastern Quoll and Spotted Quoll are still quite common in Tasmania. The Devil is now extinct on the mainland and the Eastern Quoll very rare (Strahan 1992). Tasmania’s isolation from the rest of the continent has also allowed the evolution of a number of endemic species and sub-species of a wide variety of animals from invertebrates and reptiles to birds and mammals. Tasmania is therefore of considerable importance for the conservation of global biodiversity. 4 Some like the European Goldfinch have been introduced by man and are now common in some areas. |
Australia
has been separated from the rest of the world’s continental landmasses
for about 50 million years. The present flora and fauna of Australia
therefore is typical of the type found on isolated islands. It has many
endemic species, and many of the basic animal types found in other parts
of the world are completely lacking. Of the worlds sixteen orders of
land mammals only four are represented, the egg-layers (Monotremes),
the marsupials, the bats (Chiroptera) and the rodents (Frith 1973).
Nevertheless these three orders have evolved into at least 230 species.