Wildlife in Tasmania
For any wildlife lover, a vacation in Tasmania will be a treat! Tasmania is home to a diverse range of unique wildlife and are regularly spotted by locals and travelers.
If you are looking to spot wildlife in Tasmania, this guide will provide you with some information on what you might see and what to look out for during your vacation in Tasmania’s wilderness.
Platypus and echidna
Have you ever heard of a monotreme? Well, Tasmania is home to two of the world’s five species of monotreme – the platypus and short-beaked echidna. What’s a monotreme you ask? Put simply, it’s a mammal that lays eggs, rather than having live young.
High on everyone’s wildlife spotting list is the platypus. It’s one of the world’s most extraordinary animals, with a bill and webbed feet, a beaver-like flattened tail, and a double fur coat. Platypuses can be found in freshwater streams swimming up and down rivers in search of insect larvae, yabbies, small fish and worms. They travel several kilometers each day in search of food, so you have to be in the right place at the right time and be patient. We recommend being on the lookout during dawn and dusk hours.
The short-beaked echidna is common in Tasmania and is often seen foraging for ants on the side of the road. Echidnas eat ants and termites, eating up to two kilograms in one meal using their 15-centimeter-long tongue covered in sticky mucus to lick up their food. For protection, the echidna is covered with spines that form a protective layer. When in danger, the echidna simply curls up in a ball and remains in that position until the threat is gone.
You can spot both the platypus and echidna while travelling the backroads with Wild Tasmania Tours.
Fun fact: Although, monotremes lay eggs, they still have a pouch for their young!
Tasmanian devil and quoll
There are several carnivorous marsupials in Tasmania. The larger ones include the Tasmanian devil, the eastern quoll and spotted-tailed quoll.
The largest of the carnivorous marsupials is the iconic Tasmanian devil or ‘devil’ as known by locals. For their size they really pack a punch, having one of the most powerful jaw bites of any mammal. This comes in handy at mealtimes when they fight over and crush bones of carrion (dead animal). The devil feeds predominantly on carrion and is known for leaving very few scraps behind, consuming everything including organs, flesh, hair, feathers and bones! The devil gets its name from its red ears and its scream, often heard when feeding and fighting.
The Tasmanian devil can be difficult to spot in the wild as they are nocturnal, which means they mostly come out at night. The devil population also suffers from the Devil Facial Tumor Disease, which has wiped out roughly 80-90% of the devils in existence.
The devil is best seen at wildlife sanctuaries, like the one we visit on our 4 Day Wild Tasmania Tour. These Tasmanian Devil sanctuaries hold an important population of disease-free devils.
The lesser-known eastern quoll and spotted-tailed quoll are also nocturnal carnivorous marsupials found in Tasmania. Being nocturnal makes them difficult to spot, but they seem to be intrigued and often visit campfires, campsites and lit areas near wilderness. That’s why we choose accommodation options that provide opportunities to spot quolls, which are frequently seen on our 4 Day Wild Tasmania Tour.
Did you know? The eastern quoll is extinct on the mainland of Australia yet Tasmania has a healthy and stable population.
Wombat, Bennett’s wallaby and Tasmanian pademelon
Tasmania is home to many herbivore marsupials, including the wombat, Bennett’s wallaby and Tasmanian pademelon.
Probably everyone’s favorite from this group of wildlife in Tasmania, is the wombat. And it’s easy to see why – they look very cute and cuddly like a teddy bear. Wombats can be commonly seen in both daylight and nighttime hours eating grass and small shrubs. The wombat is the closest relative to the koala, which evolved from similar ancestors. Wombats give birth to undeveloped young, having a gestation period of just 20 days. The young then develops for about 6 months in the mother’s backwards facing pouch. The backward facing pouch allows them to dig a burrow without the pouch filling with soil. Wombats are regularly seen in the bush, on tours around Tasmania in locations such as Cradle Mountain and Maria Island.
The Bennett’s wallaby and Tasmanian pademelon are both very commonly seen in Tasmania. They are part of the macropod family, which refers to a large-footed marsupial.
The Bennett’s wallaby (also known as red-necked wallaby) will generally be seen eating grass just outside the protection of the bush. It is easily identified standing taller and straighter than the Tasmanian pademelon. The Bennett’s wallaby can often be albino and is referred to as the ‘white wallaby’.
The Tasmanian pademelon or rufous-bellied pademelon has a plump backside and small head – a ratio that certainly looks out of proportion! The pademelon feeds on a diet of grass, plants, herbs green shorts, moss and leaves. The pademelon is more commonly seen in the bush and rainforest.
We recommend taking a bush walk at dawn or dusk for the best chance to see these two. Try Mount Field National Park and Russell Falls for spotting. All Wild Tasmania Tours multi-day tours go to Russell Falls where wallabies and pademelons are regularly spotted.
Birds of Tasmania
There are over 300 bird species and 12 endemic bird species found in Tasmania! So, if you like birdwatching, you’ll enjoy your vacation in Tasmania. Keen bird watchers are often excited to spot the endangered swift parrot and forty-spotted pardalote. On Wild Tasmania Tours, we regularly see the yellow-tailed black cockatoo, wedge-tailed eagle, green rosella, Tasmanian native hen, black currawong and yellow wattlebird to name a few.
With so much bushland in Tasmania, there are many great birding spots – from the Tamar Wetlands, Bruny Island, around Ben Lomond, and Waterworks Reserve if you’re looking for a spot close to Hobart.
There you have it – our list of the top wildlife in Tasmania! You can spot a range of unique wildlife while on vacation in Tasmania, travelling on your own or with your guide from Wild Tasmania Tours. We hope you can visit Tasmania soon to see them for yourself.
Safe travels!