ANIMALS AND PLANTS

of Western Australia

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FAUNA

There are 25 species of tree frogs, 51 species of ground dwelling frogs, 510 species of birds, 1500 species of fish, 141 species of native mammals 16 species of dolphins, 19 species of whales and 439 species of reptiles that have been identified so far in W.A.

These are 'known' species, there are certainly more yet to be discovered. We have lost around 54 known species of animals since European colonisation Australia wide and it is estimated that half of all desert species are now endangered. Not all native animals have declined since European settlement. The red kangaroo population is currently estimated at around 10 million, but the loss of so many types of animal across the country is something we will never be able to repair.

Two relatively recent finds (at Two Peoples Bay near Albany) of the noisy scrub bird and Gilbert's Poteroo; both of which were thought to be extinct; does give a little hope that some species can be brought back from the brink. (There are believed to be only 40 Gilbert's Poteroo left in Australia and as such it is currently our most endangered animal species.)

FLORA

There are approximately 8000 species of wildflowers. At 17% W.A. has the largest number of species of flowering plants in the world that are pollinated by birds (as opposed to insects).

The reason for the great abundance of flowering plants in Western Australia is firstly the poor soils - which sounds odd at first, but it encourages changes and experiments in evolution, and secondly, that much of the land has not been covered by either sea or ice since flowering plants first developed some 100 million years ago. Compare this to Northern Europe where plants had to re-colonise after the last major ice age 10,000 years ago.

1033 species of naturalised exotic plants (plants from overseas that now reproduce here without the help of humans) have been identified. Exotic species that 'go wild' are considered to be weeds.

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