KANGAROO ISLAND WILDLIFE

Kangaroo Island is a revered wildlife utopia.  Through its isolation from the mainland, the Island has burgeoned ecologically becoming a sanctuary to countless species, many of which are unique to the region. This zoo without walls offers plentiful sightings opportunities and hands-on encounters with Australia’s wildlife.  Nestled amongst native bushland, Kangaroo Island Wilderness Retreat is a wildlife hub, boasting daily visits from Tammar Wallibies, Brushtail Possums, Koalas, Echidnas and copious bird species.  Only a short walk from the retreat, seals and platypus live in their native habitats.

Echidnas, together with the platypus, are the world's only monotremes, or egg-laying mammals.  With distinctive ‘blonde’ spines, Kangaroo Island echidnas can be observed digging for termites with its stiffened snout or licking up ants with its sticky tongue.	Koalas can be spotted on Kangaroo Island anywhere their favourite food, the Eucalyptus trees, are located. An introduced species to Kangaroo Island, the Koala gets its name from an ancient Aboriginal word meaning "no drink" because it receives over 90% of its hydration from the Eucalyptus leaves. Koalas can generally be observed sleeping as due lengthy digestive processes and low nutrients in their diet, the Koala sleeps for about 19 hours a day.
Tammar Wallabies are today extinct from the mainland in south-eastern Australia, but exist in large numbers on Kangaroo Island.  With smaller and finer features than the Kangaroo, the Tammar Wallaby has a dark grey-brown coat as above. KIWR’s wilderness courtyard is regularly visited by this friendly Australian species.	Heath Goannas are sun-loving lizards that bask to achieve high body temperatures in between prowling and hunting smaller reptiles, young birds and eggs. Growing up to one meter in length, the Heath Goanna often relies on scent to flush out hidden prey.
More than 7000 New Zealand Fur-seals live and breed around Cape du Couedic. They breed in summer and can be seen energetically interacting in and around Admirals Arch in Flinders Chase National Park. Males of this species measure 145-250 cm and weigh 120-185 kg. Females are 125-150 cm, and weigh 40-70 kg. Other aesthetic differences between the sexes are in their coasts; males have thick manes and are darker in colour, with dark brown to black tones, than the females with brown to dark brown and greyish tones.      click here to view footage of New Zealand Fur-seals	Australian Sea-Lions can be found in large groups on Kangaroo Island, with colonies nestled near Admirals Arch and at Seal Bay, where they spend days sunbaking after overnight fishing expeditions.  The Australian Sea-Lion is a protected animal, with a population size estimated to be less than 10,000. Australian Sea-lion males are typically chocolate brown and can reach more than 2 metres in length, weighing up to 300 kilograms. Females are smaller growing upto 1.5 metres and weighting 80 kgs with distinctive silvery ash-grey colouring. click here to view more images of Australian Sea-Lions
Other native animals to Kangaroo Island:
Kangaroo Island Kangaroos Brushtail Possum Short Beaked Echidna Southern Brown Bandicoot Western and Little Pygmy Possum	Bush & Swamp Rat Six bat species Black Tiger Snake Pygmy Copperhead 250 bird species