Why Are Australian Native Animals So Special?
Because Australians like to think we are special too
Before the continents started to drift apart, Australia was part of a supercontinent called Gondwana. It included Africa, South America, Madagascar, India, New Guinea, Antarctica, New Zealand and Australia. When they drifted apart, each developed their own flora and fauna — that’s why New Zealand’s animals are totally different from Australia’s.
You’ve gotta admit Australia has some of the weirdest-looking creatures in the world — also the cutest and the most dangerous! David Perlmutter started me wondering how many Aussie animals had been cartoonised. Straight away I thought of Taz, the Tasmanian Devil, the Looney Tunes character.
Here’s Taz…
And here’s a real Tasmanian Devil. I’ve seen them at Australia Zoo and they’re kept away from human fingers as they’re generally aggressive and have a nasty bite, although this one looks cute and completely harmless. Don’t be fooled.
