The corals of the Great Barrier Reef: illustrated
WEBJun 30, 2017 · All illustrations by Brittney Klein. Three-quarters of the world’s 798 coral species can be found on Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, and they come in a huge variety of shapes, sizes and colours. There are more than 600 coral species in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, which covers 344,400sq.km of ocean. Corals are colonies of tiny polyps ...
The world’s 10 most devastating volcanic eruptions
WEBHere are 10 of the most devastating volcanic eruptions in human history: 1. Mt Tambora, Indonesia, 1815 (VEI 7) Mt. Tambora is the deadliest eruption in recent human history, claiming the lives of up to 120,000 people. On 10 April 1815, Tambora erupted sending volcanic ash 40km into the sky. It was the most powerful eruption in 500 years.
Fact File: Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) - Australian Geographic
WEBAverage lifespan. Between 13-18 years. Size. 60-85cm long and between 4kg and 15kg in weight. There’s nothing more Aussie than a koala up a gumtree, and these iconic marsupials are a well-loved species that are found nowhere else in the world. With their habitat sadly under threat, and numbers declining, the koala is the last surviving member ...
20 Aussie frogs you need to know about - Australian Geographic
WEBOct 10, 2017 · Some people believe the large adults control mouse and cockroach numbers. 3. Red-eyed tree frog. Litoria chloris. Red-eyed tree frog (Litoria chloris). Illustration credit: Kevin Stead/Australian Geographic. Size: Males to 62 mm, females to 68 mm. Habitat: In forest pools and streams after spring and summer rains.
A guide to Australia’s possums and gliders - Australian Geographic
WEBJul 25, 2019 · A guide to Australia’s possums and gliders. This is absolutely everything you need to know about all of Australia’s possums and gliders. In the black of night, Australia’s 27 species of possum and glider scamper across our roofs, dart along branches in secluded rainforests or peer tentatively from tiny hidey-holes.
Fact File: Quokka (Setonix brachyurus) - Australian Geographic
WEBAverage lifespan. Around 10 years. Size. 40-54cm in length, tail 25-31cm. The only mammal that is native to Rottnest Island off the coast of Western Australia, the quokka is a type of small wallaby that looks as if it has a permanent smile on its face. Dutch settler Willem de Vlamingh first spotted this small, grey-brown fur covered creature on ...
Everything you need to know about snakes - Australian Geographic
WEBFeb 22, 2016 · Snakes have no eyelids. Snakes can eat animals who are 75–100 per cent larger than their own head. Before shedding, a snake’s eyes will become cloudy/opaque. Endemic to Western Australia’s Pilbara region, the Anthill python (Antaresia perthensis) is the smallest python species in the world.
The owls of Australia - Australian Geographic
WEBThe Powerful Owl is the largest owl species in Australia with males reaching weights of up to 2.2 kg and standing 65 cm tall. The Powerful Owl is one of the few Australian owls with a standardized “whoo-hoo” call which, is most often heard during winter months when breeding occurs. Unlike the Rufous Owl, Powerful Owls are found in the ...
A guide to all six species of quoll - Australian Geographic
WEBFeb 27, 2017 · The largest species, the tiger quoll, eats birds, reptiles and mammals such as bandicoots, possums and echidnas, while the smaller species eat mainly insects, birds, frogs, lizards, snakes, small mammals and fruit. Quolls are also known to eat carrion, and will scavenge around campsites and rubbish bins. Quolls are generally solitary, except ...
The 10 most destructive tsunamis in history
WEBMar 16, 2011 · 10 worst tsunamis in history. 1. Sumatra, Indonesia – 26 December 2004. The 9.1 magnitude earthquake off the coast of Sumatra was estimated to occur at a depth of 30 km. The fault zone that caused the tsunami was roughly 1300 km long, vertically displacing the sea floor by several metres along that length. The ensuing tsunami was as …