1.7 Australia's unique flora and fauna

1. Why are so many of Australia's plants and animals unique?
Australia's plants and animals are unique because Australia is 50 million years old therefore plants and animals have evolved separately from those in other parts of the world.

2. Why have many species in Australia survived for millions of years?

3. What does endemic mean?
Species that are found nowhere else in the world

4. What percentage of Australia's reptiles are thought to be endemic?
89 per cent

5. Name three areas in Australia with great biodiversity.
The Great Barrier Reef, The Tropical rainforest and the South-west Botanical Province of Western Australia

6. Where can the richest insect fauna be found?
The tropical rainforest of Queensland

7. What are marsupials? Name an example.
infraclass of mammals, characterized by a distinctive pouch (called the marsupium), in which females carry their young through early infancy. An example would be a kangaroo

8. What are monotremes?
mammals that lay eggs  instead of givings birth to live young like marsupials

9. What is the difference between a kangaroo and a wallaby? 
A wallaby are generally smaller than kangaroos and prefer more rugged terrain, whereas the larger kangaroos are found on grassy plains.

10. Write a paragraph describing the duck-billed platypus. 
The duck-billed platypus belongs to the monotreme group as it is a mammal and lays eggs. The female lays 2-3 eggs in it's burrow while the eggs are rubber shells like reptile eggs. The duck-billed platypus can grow up to 50 cm long and weigh 1-2 kg. The male is larger than the female. It has very dense,dark brown, waterproof fur in three layers that helps withstand cold temperatures.