Beyond the Rhetoric

Largely because of its relative isolation from the rest of the world, the Outback of Australia is home to many species of animals that cannot be found anywhere else. The semi-arid regions of the Northern Territory offer what may appear to be a vast nothingness, but there is indeed plenty of fauna and flora to be explored.

Yes, I already saw a huge colony of giant bats in Cairns, but the almost desert-like environment of the Outback offers an entirely different experience. This included more than a few “visitors” to the various accommodations we had along the way. We saw more than our share of ants, flies, mosquitoes, and spiders, as well as a little mouse and massive wasps.

Many of the wonderfully beautiful creatures I encountered in the Australian Outback are not new to me. I likely would have read about them or seen them in zoos, but it’s a different adventure altogether when you see them in their respective natural habitats. Highlighted below are just a few of these animal encounters. I’ll also have some more photos on my Flickr from the Kuranda Wildlife Experience and Steve Irwin’s Australia Zoo.

Can you spot the spider wasp in the above picture? It has long, dangly legs and actually consumes spiders as part of its diet!

Tags: australia, outback, wildlife

Filed under Travel.