Aussie animals nobody knows about

The Perentie has a distinct forklike tongue. Picture: Supplied Source: NewsComAu

THESE rarely-recognised Aussie animals are mostly unheard of. Unlike kangaroos, koalas and wombats, these interesting animals remain fairly unknown in their home country.

New research from WILDLIFE Sydney Zoo conducted by Merlin Entertainments Group asked 400 participants to identify a list of lesser known animal species in Australia. The top three creatures least known by participants were the perentie (79% of respondents had not heard of this lizard) and two species of mouse-like marsupials - the rufous bettong and the fat-tailed dunnart (72% did not know of these).

Kylie Hackshall, zoo keeper at WILDLIFE Sydney Zoo, explains that people who live in heavily populated areas rarely have the opportunity to see these animals. "Kangaroos and koalas, as iconic Australian animals, receive all the media attention and it's important that we turn our attention to other rarely seen but extraordinary animals in Australia to help safeguard their existence too," she says.

Here are six Australian animals you can find at WILDLIFE Sydney Zoo that most people don't know about:

1) The perentie

One of Australia's largest lizards found in arid semidesert and desert regions of central and western Australia, it has a forked tongue like a snake which can pick up scents from the air. "It's a pretty fascinating creature," Kylie exaplins. "It is an endurance hunter and can run very fast for long periods of time, unlike any other lizard species. It can be dangerous when threatened and easily bite off a finger ... or three." (pictured above)

2) Rufous bettong

Common on the north east coast of Australia, the rufous bettong carries nesting material on its prehensile tail to make a conical grass nest. "It's known as the rat-kangaroo and they hop like kangaroos too. The Rufous Bettong weighs in at about 3kg, feeds on roots and tubers in the ground, and makes a nest out of leaf litter that it surrounds itself in. Such a secretive nocturnal animal is rarely seen and often overlooked," says Kylie.

Tiny and easy to miss, the rufous bettong hops like a kangaroo. Picture: Supplied Source: NewsComAu

3) Fat-tailed dunnart

This mouse-sized marsupial is widespread across a large part of Australia in a variety of habitats, and can store fat in the base of its tail. "It has a small, shallow pouch similar to its cousin, the Tasmanian devil, and it eats insects. Because it's the size of a mouse it is hard to spot." Kylie laughs. "For such a small animal it has a huge attitude. Often if I get too close it will hiss and bare its teeth to me. I really admire its bravado!"

Small like a mouse, the fat-tailed dunnart. Picture: Suppied Source: NewsComAu

4) Pademelon

This small wallaby found in the coastal forests of Eastern Australia has a relatively short tail and legs to aid its movement through dense vegetation. The name Pademelon is of Aboriginal derivation. "It's the smallest type of macropod, usually found in forest areas of eastern Australia. We have witnessed their amazing ability to pause a pregnancy - an ability that they share with a lot of other macropods. When receiving two new pademelons from another zoo, we were excited to have discovered a newborn bonus joey in a pouch a few weeks after arrival," says Kylie.

The pademelon is a small type of wallaby. Picture: Supplied Source: NewsComAu

5) Spotted-tailed quoll

Nocturnal, sheltering in hollow logs or rock crevices, the quoll is a marsupial found in forests and rainforests on the east coast of Australia, including Tasmania, but habitat loss and competition with introduced predators have contributed to a substantial reduction in its species.

The number of spotted-tailed quoll has unfortunately decreased in Australia. Picture: Supplied Source: NewsComAu

6) Spinifex hopping mouse

Found in central desert areas of Australia, it is characterised by its hopping gait and long brush-tipped tail to maintain balance. It has no need for water as it obtains sufficient water from its diet of seeds, roots and insects.

If there was such a thing as a cute mouse it would be the spinifex hopping mouse. Picture: Supplied Source: NewsComAu

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