The strange world of Australian animals

continent of contrasts”. It certainly is both.

native animals of the continent.
Early in the world’s history Australia

was separated from the other continents and its animals developed differently.

and the echidna.

the skin of one was first
sent to England some

scientists said that no such animal could possibly exist.
The only egg-laying mammals in the
world come from Australia, they are the platypus and the echidna.

the kangaroo a pouched animal because the she-kangaroo has a

pouch on her belly in which she carries her cubs. The kangaroos may be as large as a sheep or as small as a rabbit. The kangaroo’s fur is very soft. It is of greyish-brown colour.

does not run but jumps. It can jump 9 metres

long. It can jump very fast – 30 kilometres per hour. Kangaroo-cubs are very small – only 3 centimetres long.
Kangaroos always
live in herds. They live
in the plains but
sometimes go to
the forest.

leaves of eucalyptus trees. It will eat nothing more. The

koala usually sleeps during the day.

which kills other animals at night. It fills the silent

night with its terrible cries. It attacks and kills sheep. To protect the sheep in some districts much money is spent on hunting and killing them. In colour it is reddish-brown or yellow. Its feet and the end of its tail are whitish. Scientists think that it was once a pet animal of the aborigines, but then it went wild.

very interesting.
The emu, for example, which, with the kangaroo, is

represented on the Australian coat-of-arms, is the next tallest bird in the world after the ostrich. It cannot fly but
runs very fast.

can even “bark”. That’s why some Australian farmers prefer to

keep kookaburras instead of dogs to warn them about strangers. The kookaburra’s
laugh is the signal of some
radio programs in Australia.

300 of which are found nowhere else in the world.

Among them are lots of different parrots, hundreds of small fairy penguins, black swans and a variety of other water birds.

just black paper cuttings with some glue?
No, Australian black swan

is swimming on
Green-blue water! He is a real, real swan!!
Kangaroos in jumps in shades of many a tree
Are enticing, are inviting you and me.
And enchanted water holes among its grass,
Like hothouses, keep lotuses for us.
Spears-alike, the eucalyptus bluish trunks
Sway above the bush in bloom on river banks.
Honey-eaters hover there, among the thorns,
Waenga-bird is nightingaling her concerns.
Kookaburras laugh in branches’s loud and clear
And reminds of stories heard in childhood years …

мне.
Настоящий, проплывает предо мной,
Весь змеиный, весь узорный, вырезной.
И воистину влечёт

мечту в игру
Настоящими прыжками кенгуру.
И в хранимом зачарованном прудке
Светят лотосы во влажном ручейке.
Голубеет эвкалипта стройный ствол,
Куст невиданной акации расцвёл.
Как колибри, медонос припал к цветку,
Птица-флейта засвирелила тоску.
И хохочут зимородки по ветвям,
Словно в сказке, что сказали в детстве нам.