5 Animals That Have Gone Wild in Australia

Australian scientists are looking to use a fish virus to control the exploding population of European carp that is damaging freshwater ecosystems in the country’s agricultural heartland. Biocontrol agents have been previously successful in controlling rabbit plagues. Scientists and lawmakers hope the koi herpes virus CyHV3 can do a similar job with the invasive fish known by most Australians as the “cockroach of the waterways.” But the country’s past experience of controlling so-called “alien” species has been mixed.

Here are five animals that have gone wild in Australia:

1. Rabbits

Rabbits were introduced to Australia in 1859 by a wealthy farmer who was eager to hunt them. The rabbits escaped and over the course of 70 years, they fanned out to cover most of the country—the fastest mammal invasion, according to government scientists. In 1950, scientists released the Myxomatosis virus which killed 500 million rabbits, though 100 million survived. Their numbers today are a fraction of pre-Myxomatosis levels, but rabbits still cause an estimated 200 million Australian dollars (US$149.2 million) in economic damage annually.

2. European Red Foxes

Like cats, foxes were introduced to Australia by settlers in the 1830s for hunting. They also spread quickly. Foxes are now found in all states except Tasmania and are a common predator in all areas outside the northern tropics. The fox is even seen in major cities and is blamed for numerous mammal extinctions or population declines. Controls include shooting and dropping poison bait from planes. But the fox population today still numbers more than 6 million.

3. Cats

Cats arrived with British settlers. Feral cats are now being blamed by scientists for a second wave of animal extinctions in Australia. With their population estimated at up to 23 million, these cats are believed to kill 75 million native animals each night, according to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, including birds, lizards and even small kangaroos. Scientists have tried biological control, but effective control requires trapping, fences and shooting.
Associated Press

4. Flies

An average cow drops up to 12 dung pads every day, according to government scientists. With more than 28 million cattle, this is a huge amount of dung and contributes to Australia’s fly plagues. Each pad can produce up to 3,000 bush flies and waving them away has become known as the “Aussie salute.” Since 1969, the country has imported dung beetles from Africa and southern Europe to break down dung, helping control disease and health hazards spread by flies.

5. Cane Toads

Toxic South American cane toads were introduced to Australia in 1935 in an effort to contain two types of cane beetles that were ravaging sugar crops. Imported from Hawaii by the government’s Bureau of Sugar Experiment Stations, the toads—which weigh up to 4 pounds—had no impact on the beetles. But they have quickly marched across Australia’s northern tropics, killing native predators and birds that aren’t used to their toxins.

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7 Pair of Animals that are Often Confused with Each Other

Everyone gets confused, especially when it comes to distinguishing two things that look very similar. In the animal world, some species look so similar that we often get confused and can’t tell them apart. Below are a few animals that may look the same, but are actually very different.

African/Asian Elephants

African elephants have a bigger build, but you can’t really tell them apart by size, not unless they’re standing next to each other. Asian elephant have two domes on the head. African elephant trunks have two “fingers” at the tips. Asian elephants also tend to be lighter in color compared to African Elephants.

Alligators/Crocodiles

Gators and crocs have a couple of features that can help tell them apart from each other. Gators have a snout that has a V shape to them and in terms of habitat, they’re only found in China and the Americas. Crocs on the other hand have a more rounded snout and are found in Australia, Africa, Southeast Asia, and some parts of the Americas. Crocs are also able to lift themselves off the ground when walking, unlike Gators.

Turtles/Tortoises

The biggest difference between these two shelled animals is that turtles spend most of their lives in water and have fins. Turtles would venture to land just to lay eggs. Tortoises live on land, have long stubby feet, and they can’t swim. They’re found in dry and hot places where they dig burrows to live in.

Cheetahs/Leopards

Cheetahs have a more slender body structure compared to leopards. Leopards are nocturnal while cheetahs tend to be more active during the day. Their spots can also help differentiate them. Cheetahs have round, solid black spots while leopards come in patterns that look more like broken rings.

Frogs/Toads

There are about four hundred frog species and three hundred toad species so it really is difficult to spot the difference. Generally, frogs tend to be smaller and have bulging eyes and strong legs. They also have webbed feet since they spend more time in water. Toads prefer to walk than jump, and are usually bigger. Frogs have slimy smooth skins while toads are covered in small warts and have dry skin.

Alpacas/Llamas

Some might mistake alpacas as young llamas, but their size difference is actually one of the things that can tell them apart. Llamas are also less hairy and produce little fleece compared to alpacas. Llamas can also be used to guard alpacas, which make them look more like the big brother of the group.

Seals / Sea Lions

Looking at their flippers, you can tell them apart right away. Seals have a smaller flipper since they mainly use them for swimming and diving. Sea lions walk with their flippers so they’re bigger and a bit more stalky looking. Seals also have a harder time moving on land compared to sea lions.

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