Introduced Animals in Australia

The introduction of non-native animal species to Australia has had a profound impact on the country's native flora and fauna. Humans intentionally brought most of these animals, while others arrived with humans accidentally. Unfortunately, many of these introduced animals have caused significant damage to the environment and threatened the survival of many native plants and animals. To learn more about these introduced animals, browse the list below or use the "quick search" button in the menu bar.

Red Fire Ant

Red Fire Ant

Red imported fire ants arrived in from the USA in 2001. It is a serious pest that can inflict painful bites on people, pets, and livestock. It has a voracious appetite, reducing plant populations and competing with native wildlife.

 

Spotted Dove

Spotted Dove

The Spotted Dove is a long-tailed pigeon native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It was introduced in about 1860 and often displaces native doves. However, the species has not spread far from urban areas.

 

Goat

Goat

Goats were imported in the 18th century and escaped into the wild. They now cause significant damage to the environment by overgrazing. This leads to land degradation, depriving other animals of food.

 

House Sparrow

House Sparrow

Common house sparrows are large finches introduced to Australia in 1863. They quickly established themselves in urban areas in eastern Australia. They are considered pests, and eradication efforts to date have failed.

 

Duck (Mallard)

Duck (Mallard)

Mallards were released in Australia in 1862. They are often the dominant waterfowl where they interbreed with native species.

 

Feral Pig

Feral Pig

Feral Pigs are the descendants of pigs brought to Australia by European settlers. Many were allowed to roam and soon became wild.

 

Flea

Flea

The European and Spanish Rabbit Fleas were specially imported to use as a carrier of the myxomatosis virus used to kill feral wild rabbits.

 

House Gecko

House Gecko

Introduced from Asia, it was first noticed in the 1960s. It is now found throughout northern Australia.

 

Rat

Rat

Black and brown rats arrived on board the first European ships to come to Australia. These pests carry diseases, eat crops and damage infrastructure

 

European Wasp

European

The European wasp arrived in Australia in 1959 and is now found in southern Australia. It is aggressive and will sting its victim repeatedly.

 

Rainbow Trout

Rainbow Trout

Introduced in 1894 from California, it has been very successful. It has caused the extinction of many native fish and invertebrates.

 

Banteng

Banteng

The Banteng was introduced by the British army in 1849 at a remote outpost in Northern Australia which was later abandoned.

 

Farm Animals

Farm Animals

Introduced farm animals such as sheep and cattle are vital to the Australian livestock industry. They contribute significantly to the economy.

 

There Were No
Mice, Apes & Monkeys
in Australia

Photo: House mouse

Until Europeans came to Australia in 1788, Australia had no hoofed animals (like horses, cattle, goats, deer, etc.). There were no apes or monkeys in Australia either.

Rats and mice were the only animals the Europeans didn't bring intentionally. Instead, they arrived as stowaways on ships.

The Australian Ecosystem Isolated and Protected for Millions of Years

Believe It or Not

Humans have been the most destructive animals ever introduced to Australia.

Australia was isolated from the rest of the world for millions of years. In its isolation, many plants and animals evolved, specialised and adapted to Australia's unique environment. Up until the arrival of European settlers starting in 1788, only one non-indigenous animal was introduced to Australia. This was the dingo which arrived about 4,000 years ago. Since 1788, however more than 25 mammals, 20 birds, 4 reptiles, 1 frog, 34 fish, hundreds of marine species, an unknown number of invertebrates, and more than 2,800 weeds have been introduced to Australia.

The introduction of foreign plants and animals have sometimes had unforeseen impacts on native flora and fauna. These impacts have ranged from negligible to catastrophic. Many of these introduced species damage and degrade the ecosystem, bring new diseases, prey on native species, and compete with native plants and animals for food and shelter.

Australian Native Animals


Be Gentle with Us We Never Asked to Come Here

baby fox

Photo: Fox pups (also called kits or cubs)

It is important to remember that these introduced animals never attempted to come to Australia on their own. We, humans, brought them to Australia without due consideration for the impacts of our actions. These animals are only following their natural instincts to survive in their new environment. Yes, some have killed native plants and animals. Yes, they out-compete the natives. But we brought them here and failed to manage them from the very outset.

Some ludicrous unsubstantiated claims have also been made. For example, it is claimed that feral cats kill 20 billion Australian native species each a year! This is surely scaremongering. Sure, there is an issue with introduced species, but very little unbiased scientific research has been carried out to determine the true magnitude and impact of introduced animals on the Australian ecosystem.


Impact of Animals Introduced to Australia Not All Introduced Animals have been Bad

The impacts of the various introduced animals on the Australian ecosystem have been broadly classified below. Sometimes an animal can be in more than one group. For example, the rabbit is classified as both feral and a pest.

Beneficial - These species have been useful to humans or the environment.
Benign - These creatures have had no noticeable adverse impact on the Australian ecosystem.
Invasive - species have a tendency to spread their range into new areas.
Feral - Domestic animals brought to Australia that have gone wild and significantly impact the ecosystem.
Pests - These animals have a direct negative effect on the Australian ecosystem and are difficult to control.