Flossy the Frill-Necked Lizard Finds a Friend Quiz

Answer: Bilby

The Greater bilby is an endangered Australian marsupial, thanks to habitat loss, but its cousin, the Lesser bilby, became extinct in the 1950s. An average 55 centimetres in length (without the tail) it is a desert dwelling omnivore with a pointy nose and long ears. Thanks to the ears it has earned the nickname "rabbit-bandicoot".

Efforts have been made to re-establish colonies of bilbies in friendlier environments and, in a bid to raise funds and popularise the creature, chocolate bilbies are sold at Easter time in Australia as an alternative to the Easter bunny.

Answer: Wombat

The wombat is a squat, four legged marsupial found in the woodlands of south-east Australia. There are three species and all of them are about a metre long with a very short tail. Wombats are muscular creatures with powerful short legs designed to dig burrows.

As a result, they have a unique design feature where their pouch faces backward to stop soil entering the pouch when burrowing. Wombats are herbivores with diets consisting of grasses, and roots. Their incisor teeth somewhat resemble those of rodents, necessary for gnawing thick vegetation.

Answer: Saltwater crocodile

The saltwater crocodile is the largest species of crocodile and can reach up to seven metres (23 feet) in length, though they rarely exceed six metres (20 feet). Its snout is the broadest in size and ratio for all crocodiles. It is not limited to Australia but can be found in estuarine waters of northern Australia, south east Asia and the east coast of India. It has a unique feature in drowning its prey before swallowing it whole.

Answer: Tasmanian Devil

Though Tasmanian Devils don't quite spin around in anger, they do produce a really scary "scream". The devil is a small creature, about the size of a small dog, and has the strongest jaw of any marsupial. As they are carnivorous, they like to eat smaller mammals, and will often wrench the head off a small animal in one bite. Sadly, these special animals suffer from a cancerous facial tumour disease and much research is underway to combat the affliction.

In these early stages of research, it seems to be fairly successful. Rates of reporting diseased animals have declined rapidly since the disease was at its height.

Answer: Lyre bird

Lyre birds are so named because of the harp-like appearance of their tail when fanned. However, given their ability to accurately mimic sounds in their environment, it's not surprising people might mistakenly think their name should be spelled "liar".

They can make all sorts of sounds, such as a baby crying, a chainsaw or the ring of a mobile phone. They are known to collect shiny objects and bottle tops, scraps of paper and other trinkets to place in their nests. They are plentiful in the bush in certain parts of eastern Australia.

Answer: Irukandji

The Irukandji is an extremely venomous species of box jellyfish. Although its body is only about one centimetre square (about the size of a dice), the Irukandji is one of the most deadly animals in the ocean. It has tentacles that are less than a metre long. It inhabits the tropical waters of northern Australia, and is responsible for dozens of hospitalisations every year.

Answer: Quokka

A member of the macropod family, the quokka is herbivorous and nocturnal, like its cousins the kangaroo and wallaby. It's most easily found on Rottnest Island off the coast of Western Australia, where Dutch explorers really did mistake it for an overgrown rat.

Answer: Inland taipan

The inland taipan is one of three species of taipan. It is also known as the Western taipan, the small-scaled snake, or the fierce snake ("fierce" refers to its venom, not temperament, as it is quite shy, unlike its close relatives, the coastal and the Eastern ranges taipan).

It is a large snake found in the semi-arid regions of eastern central Australia. All taipans are extremely venomous, but the inland taipan is the most venomous of them all. These taipans can change the colour of their skin to match the seasons.

This seasonal colour change assists thermoregulation, allowing the snake to absorb more light in the cooler months.

Answer: Kookaburra

The kookaburra is the largest of the kingfishers, with a length between 28-42 cm (11-17 in). Its name comes from the Wiradjuri people, with the name being onomatopoeic for its loud distinctive call that resembles laughing. The kookaburra is found all over Australia, has adapted to urban environments and has been known to swoop and steal meat from a barbecue.

It has a purely carnivorous diet.

Answer: Brolga

The brolga is one of only two native Australian cranes, the other being the Sarus crane. Known as "native companions", the brolga is celebrated for its elaborate courtship dance. It eats roots and seeds, as well as small animals like frogs, and is reasonably common, especially in northern Australia.