When did Ancient Australian animals live?
There are two periods of time where there is fossil evidence of many different animals.
Cretaceous: 145–65 million years agoThis is when many Australian dinosaurs lived. There were also other animals living at the same time. find out about them at these sites:
http://museumvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum/discoverycentre/600-million-years/timeline/cretaceous/ http://www.abc.net.au/science/ozfossil/ageofreptiles/fauna/default.htm http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/places/national/dinosaur-stampede/lark-quarry/aus-dinos.html This site has information on marine animals as well as land living dinosaurs: Dann's Dinosaurs http://home.alphalink.com.au/~dannj/index.htm#index |
Muttaburrasaurus
|
Quaternary: 2.6 million years ago to nowAt this time there were Megafauna (big animals). A wombat the size of a hippopotamus and goannas 6 metres long. Find out about them at these sites:
http://museumvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum/discoverycentre/600-million-years/timeline/quaternary/ http://www.abc.net.au/science/ozfossil/megafauna/fauna/fauna.htm http://www.abc.net.au/science/ausbeasts/factfiles/ |
Thylacoleo was a carniverous marsupial
1.5 metres long. |
Other time periods
You may investigate animals from other periods of Australias long past. This will be your best starting place:
http://museumvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum/discoverycentre/600-million-years/
http://museumvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum/discoverycentre/600-million-years/