Crocodile Dundee, I Presume

The Outback is the vast and desolate interior of Australia. If you remember the movie “Crocodile Dundee” was about a man living in the Outback who knew how to capture crocodiles. What is also interesting is that I was born American-Latvian because both my parents were Latvian and born in Latvia. The inspiration behind Crocodile Dundee was Crocodile Harry. Now you're saying Harry who? Crocodile Harry was a man named Arvid Blumenthal, a Latvian-born soldier who made a name for himself hunting crocodiles in the Australian Outback.

The Outback has several climatic regions that range from tropical to arid, semi-arid, and temperate. There is a variety of flora and fauna and due to the remoteness of the area attracts many adventurers and backpackers. Let's take a look at the animals making their home in the Outback.

The arid habitat of the Outback is ideal for camels. Here you'll find large feral populations of both Bactrian and Dromedary camels. These camels had ancestors brought to Australia in the 19th century from British India and Afghanistan. They were used for transport during the colonization of the western and central parts of the continent. In the first half of the 20th century when motor vehicles replaced the camels they were released into the wild where they survived and multiplied. I still would rather ride through the Outback on a camel than in a vehicle.

Chlamydosaurus kingie or frilled-necked lizards are endemic to Australia and New Guinea. Many of these lizards live in northern Australia but can be found in the lower desert regions of the country. They are known for the frills around their necks. These lizards spend most of their time in trees coming to the ground to forage for food. Their diets include insects, spiders, and other lizards.

Dingos or wild dogs are native to Australia. These dogs can run fast and have great stamina. They're found throughout Australia. They feed on a variety of prey such as red kangaroos, birds, fish, reptiles, frogs, and insects.

Saltwater crocodiles are among the most dangerous animals in the Outback. They feed on fish, turtles, wading birds, wild pigs, buffaloes, and cattle. They are found in the brackish waters along coastlines and exist throughout the country living in freshwater rivers, billabongs, and swamps.

Moloch horridus or Thorny Devils are a lizard species endemic to Australia. Their habitat is the arid scrubland and deserts of Central Australia. They were named for the spikes that cover their bodies. The spikes help them defend themselves against predators. Their diets consist of ants. They get moisture from the condensation of dew on their bodies at night.

Stimson's pythons are a python species found in the Australian Outback and they're endemic to Australia. They trap and asphyxiate prey but are non-venomous. Their habitats include deserts, Eucalyptus woodlands, shrublands, and rocky areas. They live in holes and crevices that other animals have created. Their diets consist of small mammals, frogs, and lizards.

The Outback is home to several species of venomous snakes among them are the common death adder, desert death adder, red-naped snake, orange-naped snake, mulga snake, and others. These snakes feed on small mammals, birds, insects, and other reptilians found in their habitat. The most dangerous of the venomous snakes in the inland taipan. Estimation has it that a single bite from this snake can kill 100 adult men.

Sand Goannas are ground-dwelling lizards making their homes in the grasslands and woodlands of northern and eastern Australia. Their diets consist of mice, insects, snakes, birds, and carrion.

Kangaroos live throughout Australia including the Outback. They are indigenous to the country. Kangaroos are known for their leaps on their large, powerful hind legs. Their tails help them maintain balance. Female kangaroos have pouches on their abdomens for their offspring called joeys. They are well adapted to survive the dry environments of the Outback.

Major Mitchell's and Red-tailed black cockatoos live in the Australian Outback, They make their homes in rainforests and forests and feed on seeds, fruits, and nuts.

Koalas are adorable marsupials that live in eucalyptus forests in eastern and southeastern Australia. They feed on eucalyptus leaves. Koalas enjoy climbing and can sleep upside-down in trees. They're nocturnal so they sleep during the day.

Wombats are unusual animals and are closely related to koalas. The three kinds of wombats are common, southern-hairy-nosed, and northern-hairy-nosed. They dig burrows to hide from the sun and danger. They're nocturnal and sleep during the day, Their diets include grass, roots, and bark.