kids encyclopedia robot

List of monotremes and marsupials of Australia facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Mammals are incredible animals, and they are grouped based on how they reproduce. One group is the monotremes, which are special because they lay eggs, just like birds or reptiles! The other big group of mammals gives birth to live young. This group is then split into two more: marsupials, who carry their babies in a pouch, and placental mammals, whose babies grow inside their mother with a special organ called a placenta.

Australia is a unique place because it's home to two of the five known types of monotremes in the world. It also has most of the world's marsupials! You can find other marsupials in places like Papua New Guinea, eastern Indonesia, and the Americas. This list focuses on these special Australian mammals.

This article is a smaller part of the main list of mammals of Australia.

Scientists keep track of how many animals are left in the wild. This helps us know which ones need our help to survive. Here are the different conservation statuses:

  • extinct - sadly, none are left anywhere in the world.
  • extinct in the wild - they only exist in zoos or special breeding programs.
  • critically endangered - they are very close to becoming extinct.
  • endangered - they are at high risk of extinction.
  • vulnerable - they are at risk of becoming endangered.
  • near threatened - they might become vulnerable soon.
  • least concern - they are doing well and are not currently at risk.
  • data deficient - we don't have enough information to know their status.
  • not evaluated - their status hasn't been checked yet.

Monotremes: Egg-Laying Mammals

Monotremes are super unique mammals because, unlike most mammals, they lay eggs! Once the eggs hatch, the tiny babies drink milk from their mother, just like other mammals. Australia is lucky to have two of the world's living monotreme species.

Ornithorhynchidae: The Platypus Family

* The platypus is an amazing animal with a duck-like bill, webbed feet, and a beaver-like tail. It lives in rivers and streams.

Tachyglossidae: The Echidna Family

* Echidnas are spiny anteaters. They have long snouts and sticky tongues to catch ants and termites.

Marsupials: Pouched Mammals

Marsupials are famous for carrying their young in a pouch! When a marsupial baby is born, it's very tiny and undeveloped. It then crawls into its mother's pouch to continue growing and drinking milk. Australia has a huge variety of marsupials, from tiny mouse-like creatures to giant kangaroos.

Dasyuromorphia: Marsupial Carnivores

This group includes many meat-eating marsupials. They range from small, mouse-like animals to larger predators.

Thylacinidae: The Thylacine Family

  • Thylacine, Thylacinus cynocephalus - extinct

* Also known as the Tasmanian tiger, this striped animal was a large predator. Sadly, it is now extinct.

Dasyuridae: Quolls and Devils

This family includes many small to medium-sized carnivorous marsupials. They are often active hunters.

Tasdevil large
The Tasmanian devil is a famous marsupial carnivore known for its loud screeches.

Myrmecobiidae: The Numbat Family

  • Numbat, Myrmecobius fasciatus

* The numbat is a unique marsupial that eats termites. It has a long, sticky tongue to catch its prey.

Peramelemorphia: Bandicoots and Bilbies

This group includes bandicoots and bilbies, which are small to medium-sized marsupials. They often have long snouts and strong claws for digging.

Chaeropodidae: The Pig-footed Bandicoot Family

* This unusual bandicoot had very slender limbs. It is now extinct.

Peroryctidae: The Spiny Bandicoot Family

  • Rufous spiny bandicoot, Echymipera rufescens

Peramelidae: True Bandicoots

Thylacomyidae: The Bilby Family

  • Bilby, Macrotis lagotis

* Bilbies are desert-dwelling marsupials with long ears and a pointed snout. They are excellent diggers.

Notoryctemorphia: Marsupial Moles

These are very special marsupials that live underground. They are blind and have adapted to a digging lifestyle.

Notoryctidae: The Marsupial Mole Family

Diprotodontia: Kangaroos, Koalas, and Wombats

This is the largest group of marsupials and includes many well-known Australian animals. They are mostly plant-eaters.

Vombatiformes: Wombats and Koalas

This group contains the sturdy, ground-dwelling wombats and the tree-dwelling koalas.

Vombatidae: The Wombat Family

* Wombats are strong, burrowing marsupials with a backward-facing pouch.

Phascolarctidae: The Koala Family
  • Koala, Phascolarctos cinereus

* Koalas are iconic Australian animals that spend most of their lives in eucalyptus trees.

Phalangeriformes: Possums and Gliders

This group includes many tree-dwelling marsupials, some of which can glide through the air.

Phalangeridae: Brushtail Possums and Cuscuses
Burramyidae: Pygmy Possums
Tarsipedidae: The Honey Possum Family

* The honey possum is a tiny marsupial that feeds on nectar and pollen.

Petauridae: Gliding Possums
Pseudocheiridae: Ringtail Possums and Greater Gliders
Hemibelideus lemuroides -Queensland-8
The Lemuroid ringtail possum is a tree-dwelling marsupial.
Acrobatidae: The Feathertail Glider Family

* This tiny possum has a special membrane that allows it to glide between trees.

Macropodiformes: Kangaroos, Wallabies, and Relatives

This large group includes the famous kangaroos and wallabies, known for their powerful hopping legs.

Hypsiprymnodontidae: The Musky Rat-Kangaroo Family

* This small marsupial is unique because it is active during the day.

Potoroidae: Bettongs and Potoroos
Rufous getting into pouch
A baby Rufous bettong peeking out of its mother's pouch.
Macropodidae: Kangaroos and Wallabies

This family includes all the different types of kangaroos, wallabies, and their relatives.

Red kangaroo - melbourne zoo
The Red kangaroo is the largest marsupial in the world.

See also

kids search engine
All content from Kiddle encyclopedia articles (including the article images and facts) can be freely used under Attribution-ShareAlike license, unless stated otherwise. Cite this article:
List of monotremes and marsupials of Australia Facts for Kids. Kiddle Encyclopedia.