Land fauna
Land animals of Oceania
Oceania — especially Australia and New Guinea — is known for marsupials and the egg-laying monotremes, alongside distinctive birds and reptiles.
68 featured animals · representative selection, not a complete range map
Major habitats
Representative mammals
Arid and semi-arid parts of Australia; Vulnerable.
DesertGrasslandVerified rangeSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Native to Australia.
GrasslandSavannaDesertVerified rangeSource: Animal Diversity Web, Animal Diversity Web
Eucalyptus forests of eastern Australia.
ForestVerified rangeSource: Animal Diversity Web, Animal Diversity Web
Parts of southwestern Australia; Endangered.
ForestGrasslandVerified rangeSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Freshwater systems of eastern Australia and Tasmania.
FreshwaterWetlandVerified rangeSource: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Parts of southwestern Australia, notably Rottnest Island.
ForestGrasslandVerified rangeSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Endemic to the island of Tasmania, Australia.
ForestGrasslandVerified rangeSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Native to Australia and Tasmania.
ForestGrasslandVerified rangeSource: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Parts of Australia and New Guinea (several species).
ForestGrasslandBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Bats occur on every continent except Antarctica.
ForestUrban-adaptedCoastalBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Rainforests of New Guinea, far northern Australia and nearby islands.
ForestBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
A wild canid of parts of mainland Australia.
ForestGrasslandDesertBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Warm shallow coastal seagrass areas of parts of the Indo-Pacific, including northern Australian waters.
CoastalBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Across much of Australia and New Guinea; an egg-laying monotreme.
ForestGrasslandDesertBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Migrates along Australian and Pacific coasts; found in oceans worldwide.
CoastalBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Parts of Australia and New Guinea (several species).
ForestGrasslandBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Seals occur on coasts and in cold seas worldwide, including around Antarctica.
CoastalPolarBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Forests of parts of eastern and northern Australia and New Guinea.
ForestBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Rainforests of New Guinea and far northeastern Australia.
ForestMountainBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Various species across parts of Australia, New Guinea and nearby islands.
ForestGrasslandMountainBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Representative birds
Endemic to New Zealand; Critically Endangered and intensively managed.
ForestVerified rangeSource: Britannica, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Mountains of the South Island of New Zealand.
MountainForestVerified rangeSource: Britannica, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Endemic to New Zealand (several species).
ForestVerified rangeSource: Britannica, Animal Diversity Web, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Southern Hemisphere; several species are associated with Antarctic coasts and the Southern Ocean.
CoastalPolarIslandVerified rangeSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Endemic to New Zealand; survives through intensive conservation management.
GrasslandMountainVerified rangeSource: Animal Diversity Web, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
The Australian magpie is widespread across much of Australia (and southern New Guinea).
GrasslandForestUrban-adaptedBroad / widespreadSource: Britannica, Animal Diversity Web, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Mainly the rainforests of New Guinea and nearby areas (and parts of northeastern Australia).
ForestBroad / widespreadSource: Britannica, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Wetlands across parts of Australia; introduced elsewhere (e.g. New Zealand).
WetlandFreshwaterBroad / widespreadIntroduced in placesSource: Animal Diversity Web, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Rainforests of New Guinea and far northeastern Australia.
ForestBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Crows are widespread and highly adaptable.
Urban-adaptedForestGrasslandBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Across much of mainland Australia.
GrasslandForestDesertBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
The peregrine falcon is among the most widely distributed birds.
GrasslandMountainUrban-adaptedBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Open country across much of mainland Australia.
GrasslandUrban-adaptedBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Forests of parts of southeastern Australia.
ForestBroad / widespreadSource: Britannica, Animal Diversity Web, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Owls occur on every continent except Antarctica.
ForestGrasslandUrban-adaptedBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Animal Diversity Web
Pelicans occur on coasts and inland waters across continents.
CoastalWetlandBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
The rock dove is found worldwide, especially around cities.
Urban-adaptedCoastalBroad / widespreadIntroduced in placesSource: Animal Diversity Web, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, Encyclopaedia Britannica
The house sparrow has spread across much of the world alongside people.
Urban-adaptedGrasslandBroad / widespreadIntroduced in placesSource: Animal Diversity Web, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Across much of mainland Australia, Tasmania and into southern New Guinea.
ForestGrasslandMountainBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Cornell Lab of Ornithology, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Representative reptiles & amphibians
Endemic to New Zealand; the only living rhynchocephalian reptile.
ForestCoastalVerified rangeSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Parts of Australia, New Guinea and nearby islands.
ForestGrasslandDesertUrban-adaptedBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Introduced and invasive in parts of Australia; native to the Americas.
WetlandGrasslandUrban-adaptedBroad / widespreadIntroduced in placesSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Crocodile species occur in Africa, Asia, and northern Australia.
WetlandFreshwaterCoastalBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Northern Australia and southern New Guinea.
ForestGrasslandBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Frogs occur on every continent except Antarctica.
WetlandFreshwaterForestBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Geckos are a large, widespread group across warm regions of the world.
ForestDesertUrban-adaptedBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Monitor lizards occur across Africa, Asia, and Australia.
ForestSavannaWetlandBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Encyclopaedia Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Estuaries, rivers and coasts of parts of northern Australia and the broader Indo-Pacific.
WetlandCoastalFreshwaterBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Several species occur in Australian and Pacific waters (e.g. green turtles on the Great Barrier Reef).
CoastalBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, NOAA Fisheries, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Snakes occur on every continent except Antarctica.
ForestGrasslandDesertWetlandBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Arid interior of parts of Australia.
DesertBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Featured marine & reef fish
A representative selection of fish recorded for Oceania, grouped by where they live rather than as a single scientific class. Coverage is representative, not complete; each card links to a profile with source-backed range notes.
Only along parts of the southern and western coasts of Australia.
CoastalVerified rangeSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Coral reefs of the Indo-Pacific, including the Great Barrier Reef.
CoastalBroad / widespreadTropical and subtropical reefs and coasts of parts of the Indo-Pacific, including Australian waters.
CoastalBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, NOAA Fisheries, IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Notable invertebrates
Endemic to New Zealand (several species).
ForestVerified rangeSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
Ants occur on every continent except Antarctica.
ForestGrasslandUrban-adaptedBroad / widespreadBees occur on every continent except Antarctica.
GrasslandForestUrban-adaptedBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Encyclopaedia Britannica
Tide pools and reefs of parts of Australia and the western Pacific.
CoastalBroad / widespreadSource: WoRMS, Britannica, Animal Diversity Web
Coastal waters of parts of northern Australia and the Indo-Pacific (several species).
CoastalBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, Smithsonian Ocean
Butterflies occur on every continent except Antarctica.
GrasslandForestBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Encyclopaedia Britannica
Indo-Pacific coral reefs, including the Great Barrier Reef.
CoastalBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, Smithsonian Ocean
Dragonflies are found near fresh water across every continent except Antarctica.
WetlandFreshwaterBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Encyclopaedia Britannica
Parts of eastern and southern Australia (several species).
ForestUrban-adaptedBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
Lady beetles are widespread across the world's land continents.
GrasslandUrban-adaptedBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Encyclopaedia Britannica
Mantises occur in warmer regions across many continents.
GrasslandForestBroad / widespreadWidespread across parts of Australia, often around buildings.
GrasslandUrban-adaptedBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Britannica, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
Spiders occur on every continent except Antarctica.
ForestGrasslandUrban-adaptedBroad / widespreadSource: Animal Diversity Web, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation, Encyclopaedia Britannica
Many species across parts of Australia, New Guinea and the Pacific.
ForestBroad / widespreadSource: Britannica, Animal Diversity Web, Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation
Source & range methodology
- Distribution notes are cautious educational summaries drawn from the authoritative source linked on each animal — not complete range maps.
- A confidence label is shown on every record; introduced and domestic contexts are flagged, and we avoid unsupported “native to” claims.
- Captive or zoo presence is never treated as wild range, and continent membership is not a political claim about borders.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is this every animal in Oceania?
Are these animals all native to Oceania?
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