Listed as a World Heritage Site, the Blue Mountains area covers around 11,400 square kilometers of land consisting of rugged mountains, canyons, cliffs, rock formations, and valleys. The verdure eucalypt and gum forests, lush swampland vegetation, and impressive waterways host numerous varieties of animal species.
More than 400 fauna species can be found in the region, out of which at least 211 are endemic, making your Blue Mountains tours experience unique and exciting.
Amphibian
Birds
Over a hundred and thirty bird species live in the woodlands, grasslands, and swamps. Of the avian species, one hundred and twenty-three are native diurnal birds, seven nocturnal including four types of owl, and sixteen bat varieties.
Mammals
Of the mammals, two main varieties can be found in the region: six are arboreal, and eleven are terrestrial.
Arboreal Mammals
The arboreal species include the vulnerable squirrel gliders, sugar gliders, feathertail gliders, greater gliders, common ringtail possums, and common brushtail possums.
Ground Mammals
And the native ground mammals include one type of monotreme (platypus), three dasyurids, one bandicoot, three macropods, two rodents, and the endangered brush-tailed rock wallaby.
Threatened and endangered animals
The elusive spotted-tailed quoll is listed as vulnerable. Swamp wallabies are common native ground mammals in the region. Long-nosed bandicoots can be seen occasionally. Bush rats, swamp rats, and brown antechinus are rare sightings. The elusive platypus can be found in Grose River, though very rarely. Brush-tailed rock wallabies wander in the rocky regions. Other terrestrial mammals are dingoes, wild dogs, foxes, feral cats, feral deer, and wild pigs.
Most native animal species are considered threatened and endangered, subject to conservation and preservation efforts.
The threatened species include tiger quolls, the koala, yellow-bellied gliders, long-nosed potoroos, rare reptiles and amphibians, and water skinks, which are endemic to the area. The threatened amphibians and reptiles in the swamps and heathlands are the giant burrowing frogs, stuttering frogs, red-crowned toadlets, and broad-headed snakes.
Rear Animals
Most of the threatened species are birds – both diurnal and nocturnal – including the gang-gang cockatoo, glossy black-cockatoo, swift parrot, Black-chinned Honeyeater, regent honeyeater, powerful owl, masked owl, and sooty owl. Many types of bat are also listed as threatened, such as the grey-headed flying fox, east coast Freetail bat, large-eared pied bat, eastern false pipistrelle, eastern bent wing bat, and greater broad-nosed bat.
For the native ground mammals, the spotted-tailed quoll, koala, squirrel glider, and brush-tailed rock wallaby are considered threatened.
Living in the eucalypt woodlands are some greater gliders, squirrel gliders, speckled warblers, and spotted-tailed quolls.
The local avian population in the region include the range-restricted rock warbler, flame robins, diamond firetails, pilotbirds, regent honeyeater, and yellow-faced honeyeaters. There are also common birds like the southern emu-wren, beautiful firetail, Lewin’s rail, honeyeater, and Jacky Winter.
Most of the local fauna in the Blue Mountains are native and rare, but there are also introduced species, such as dingoes, wild dogs, and feral cats, that have become significant threats to the native animals. These trained animals are the primary predators of grey kangaroos, native birds, and other prey.
Other introduced mammals, which also threatened the native vegetation, are rabbits, horses, foxes, and feral deer. The spotted turtledoves and common mynas are considered introduced species.
Blue Mountains tours should not threaten the local wildlife; ecotourism should promote and support efforts on environmental sustainability.
Of the native Australian wild animals, you can easily spot the wild kangaroos and koalas on your Blue Mountains day tour.