Australia

Australia is not only a country but also a continent. It is a large country but the smallest of the seven continents. Australia used to be a penal colony, which is like a prison, for British criminals. It is now a very modern country. The 2000 summer olympics were held there.

They have lots of sheep and cows in Australia but it is most famous for kangaroos and other strange animals you cannot find anywhere else except in zoos. Since settlement began about 200 years ago, 18 species of animals (that's half of all recently extinct animals in the world) and over 100 species of plants have become EXTINCT! Currently, there are over 40 species of animals and hundreds of plants that are endangered. This is the worst in the world.

The destruction of habitat for cow and sheep farms is one of the major threats. Many species of animals and plants have also been brought to Australia by humans and they are taking over or killing the native animals and plants. Cats and the dingo are two of the most damaging animals that have been brought to Australia.

Click below to learn about a few of the endangered animals in Australia.

Animals