Tasmania is home to most of the Australian animals. Approximately 10,000 years ago, the Tasmanian landmass was connected to mainland Australia. The Tasmanian island, long detached from the Australian mainland, is covered in incredibly curious marsupials. While its waters are full of interesting animals in Tasmania.
Like most of the interesting animals in Tasmania, Australia’s mammals, the Tasmanian wildlife mammal comprises many marsupials or pouched mammals. Tasmania has a unique list of Australian animals, including the three largest extant (living) marsupial predators, including Tasmanian devil, spotted-tailed quoll, and eastern quoll.
Do you know Maria Island is by far the best place to see wildlife in Tasmania.
In the waters of Tasmania you’ll find interesting animals in Tasmania like the Humpback Whales , which can grow to 15 m (52 feet) and weigh up to 40 tons (45 tons).
Each year many interesting animals in Tasmania, about an average of three elephant seals, are reported with an estimated population of 86,000 animals. The closest breeding area of elephant seals is Macquarie Island.
Apart from the threat of dogs, foxes, and cars, these animals are at risk due to developing an infectious cancer called Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD)
Common and Bottle-nosed dolphins are a frequent sight on the southeast coast.
Did You know? The Tasmanian Native Hen is Australia’s smallest flightless land bird.
You will find Tasmanian wildlife in abundance all over Tasmania. Tasmania has 12 endemic species of bird in total. Tasmania has several endemic mammalian species, those found nowhere else in the world. Some, like the endangered Tasmanian devil and extinct Tasmanian tiger. It is home to the largest Australian little penguin population in the world, with 110,000 to 190,000 breeding pairs.
Tasmania is an island state of Australia. It is located 240 km to the south of the Australian mainland, separated from it by Bass Strait. The state encompasses the main island of Tasmania, the 26th-largest island in the world, and the surrounding 1000 islands.
The best opportunity to sight one of these giants of the sea is from Frederick Henry Bay and Great Oyster Bay or on a whale-watching cruise. One of these is notably the Tasmanian devil and other endangered species, including Tasmanian Devil, Eastern Curlew, Swift Parrot, Orange-bellied Parrot, and Spotted Houndfish.
Many birds of the Australian mainland and the Southern Ocean also occur in Tasmania. Tasmania has 12 endemic bird species, including four honeyeaters, the yellow wattlebird (the world’s largest honeyeater), and the yellow-throated, black-headed, and strong-billed honeyeaters.
Interesting Animals in Tasmania National Parks
Tasmanian devil – The world’s largest carnivorous marsupial and only found in Tasmania. Tasmanian Wildlife has many wildlife sanctuaries to provide suitable habitats for their survival, including Wings Wildlife Park, Narawantapu National Park, Maria Island National Park and Trowunna Wildlife Park.
Cradle Mountain National Park
Cradle Mountain National Park has over 400 endemic plant species, and it’s a haven for botanists. The Overland Track offers hikers a chance to traverse its diverse landscapes. Cradle Mountain National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site that is proof of Tasmania’s biodiversity. Cradle Mountain National Park is home to interesting animals in Tasmania, including the Tasmanian devil, vibrant parrots like the green Rosella, and the echidna, a peculiar egg-laying mammal.
Freycinet National Park
Freycinet National Park is famous for its gorgeous Wineglass Bay. But the trails through the park and the waters surrounding the peninsula are a great place to spot wildlife.
Did you know? Platypus is the only mammal on Earth that only lays eggs.
Tasmanian Devil Unzoo
The Tasmanian Devil Unzoo on the Tasman Peninsula is a zoo unlike any other as it doesn’t have the traditional animal cage enclosure setup. But instead allows visitors into natural habitats of the animals where they are not captive but free to roam.
11 Interesting Animals in Tasmania
Australian Little Penguin
Scientific name : Eudyptula novaehollandiae
Conservation status : Least concern
The Australian little penguin, also known as the fairy penguin, is a small species of penguin found in Australia and southeastern New Zealand. It inhabits most of the coastlines of southern Australia, and all that of Tasmania.
Orange-bellied Parrot
Orange-bellied parrot, this rare and unusual parrot migrates between southern Australia and the southern tip of Tasmania to breed.
Tasmanian Platypus
The tasmanian platypus is larger than the mainland Australian duckbilled platypus. Platypus can be found in Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia, and Victoria on the mainland as well as in several locations in Tasmania.
Wombat
The wombat is the largest burrowing mammal and can be found primarily in Australia in eastern New South Wales, eastern Victoria, and in southern Tasmania, the Tasman Peninsula, and Cradle Mountain Park.
The Tasmanian wombat is smaller and less bulky than its counterpart on the mainland and, on average reaches 85 cm (2.7 feet) in length and weighs 20 kg (44 pounds). The common wombat and the eastern and southern hairy-nosed wombats.
Tasmanian Native Hen
The Tasmanian Native Hen is a flightless bird that grows to about 45 centimeters in height. It has brown feathers with an undertone color of bluish-grey. This bird has black tail feathers and bright red eyes.
Tasmanian Pademelon
Scientific name : Thylogale billardierii
Conservation status : Least concern
The Tasmanian pademelon, also known as the red-bellied pademelon or the rufous-bellied pademelon, is a small species of pademelon endemic to Tasmania.
The Tasmanian pademelon (Thylogale billardierii), also known as the rufous-bellied pademelon or red-bellied pademelon, is the sole species of pademelon found in Tasmania, and was formerly found throughout south-eastern Australia.
It is the last of a very old lineage and is completely separated from its closest relatives, found in Chile and the rest of South America.
The largest marsupial in Tasmania is the forester kangaroo, a subspecies of the eastern grey kangaroo widespread on the mainland. Fully grown males can weigh around 60 kg (132 pounds) and grow to stand 2 m (6.5 feet) tall. These kangaroos tend to live in family groups of three or more and may gather in groups of 10 or more, with their lifespan on average more than 10 years in the wild.
Tasmanian Cave Spider
Scientific name : Hickmania troglodytes
Conservation status : Data deficient
Tasmania is a unique land, home to an abundance of fossil evidence and primitive animals. In fact, the Tasmanian cave spider is one of the most primitive spiders in the world!
Fairy Penguins Fairy or Little Penguins are attractive birds. They waddle around in small groups in search of food or play. These penguins stand about 45cm tall and weigh around a kilogram. Found only in Australia and New Zealand, they are fairly common in the waters of southern Australia. They breed mainly on offshore.
Tasmanian Devil
The Tasmanian devil is a carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae. The size of a small dog, the Tasmanian devil became the largest carnivorous marsupial
The Tasmanian Devil is a marsupial and surely the island’s most well-known creature. While they may look cute, researchers have discovered that these animals have one of the strongest bites in the animal kingdom for their size.
When angry or threatened, they’re known for making disturbingly loud noises, and it is believed this behavior is responsible for they’re being named the “Tasmanian Devils.” They don’t really attack people or other animals since they eat carrion (dead animals).
Tasmanian devil that best represents Tasmania. It is by far its most well-known animal, and it has become an emblem of the island, after becoming extirpated from the Australian mainland centuries ago. This marsupial is the world’s largest carnivorous, and it is widespread in Tasmania. Tasmanian devils have died due to the spread of a cancerous facial tumor. They are now classed as an “Endangered species, ” onthe IUCN redlist.
The Tasmanian Devil population has been reduced by about 90 percent in many areas of Tasmania by the “Devil Facial Tumour Disease”.
Tiger Snake
The Tiger Snake is one of the most feared snakes in the country, and the subspecies of the Tasmanian wildlife Tiger Snake is by far the most dangerous animal in Tasmania. It is large, growing to 1-2 m (3-7 feet) long.
Tasmanian Tiger
Scientific Name: Thylacinus cynocephalus
Conservation Status : Extinct
The thylacine, also known as the Tasmanian wolf or the Tasmanian Tiger, was a species of carnivorous mammal native to Australia, New Guinea, and Tasmania. It was both shy and nocturnal and was a medium-to-large-size canid. This mammal was already extinct in New Guinea and the Australian mainland.
Western Ground Parrot
The western ground parrot (Pezoporus flaviventris ) is an endangered species of parrot endemic to Western Australia and is a close relative of the eastern ground parrot. On the red list of IUCN, these ground parrots are listed as “Endangered Animals.”
FAQs about Interesting Animals in Tasmania
What is the National Animal of Tasmania?
The national animal of Tasmania is the Tasmanian devil.
What Animals Live in Tasmania?
Marsupial mammals are the most well-known wildlife in Tasmania.
What is the diversity of native animals in Tasmania Australia?
Tasmania boasts diverse native animals, including marsupials, birds, and reptiles, due to its isolation and varied ecosystems.
What animals are unique to Tasmania?
Unique to Tasmania are animals like the Tasmanian devil, Tasmanian tiger (thylacine), and Eastern quoll.
What is the top predator in Tasmania?
The top predator in Tasmania is the Tasmanian devil, known for its fierce scavenging behavior.
What is the national animal of Tasmania?
The national animal of Tasmania is the Tasmanian devil.
What is unique in Tasmania?
The Tasmanian devil and Tasmanian tiger are few of the unique animals in Tasmania.
What dangerous animals live in Tasmania?
Tasmania is home to a number of snakes classified as “dangerously venomous.”
Where can you find Tasmanian devils in Tasmania?
Tasmanian Devil Unzoo is the best place to watch Tasmanian Devils.
Hi, I’m Olivia Kepner and I am a zookeeper here in San Diego. Since I was a young girl I have always been fascinated by animals and species across the globe.
I used to beg my parents to take me to our local zoo every single weekend. Well, I say local – it was more like a two hour drive away. But they took me as much as they could, allowing me to fall in love with the animals again and again.
