Which Exotic Animals Can You See in Uluru?

The fascinating wildlife of the Red Centre have adapted to survive in the desert’s extreme conditions.

The fascinating wildlife of the Red Centre has adapted to survive in the desert’s extreme, hot conditions.

If you do a scan of the red desert surrounding Uluru, it’s hard to imagine that much life exists there. But look a little closer, and you’ll find lots of wildlife going about their daily life in the desert.

What animals are in Uluru? From dingos to giant birds and reptiles – there are so many different creatures that thrive in the Red Centre.

What animals are in Uluru?

Thorny Devils

These little devils might look sharp and prickly, but they’re very shy! Don’t be fooled – their spikes are all for show! Surprisingly introverted, they run away from predators and use their spiky appearance to their advantage. They are diurnal creatures (so they’re only awake during the daytime).

Size: Up to 20cm long

What they eat: They survive on ants. Thorny devils can shovel about 3000 ants into one mealtime! They have adapted to the predators of the desert.

Adaptability: Their long necks also allow them to detect water underground. This allows them to survive during the dry season. They are fascinating creatures that have harnessed the power of their unique biology. They utilise their grooved skin to adapt to the desert. Their spikes trick predators into thinking that they’re dangerous, creating false alarms for the rest of the desert. Their scaly head is exposed to further warn off predators.

They also have a ‘fake head’ on their back. When they feel threatened, they will retreat inwards and their little fake head pops out.

This impressive design allows the water to enter their mouths – and they have successfully eaten their meal!

Emus

Emus are a culturally significant animal in Australia. They are sacred creatures, featured in lots of Aboriginal artwork and Dreamtime stories. They’re even part of the coat of arms. They’re entirely native to Australia and unique in their appearance. Their wings are just for balance! They can go very fast. At a whopping 50km an hour, which is double the human sprint speed. Don’t challenge an emu to a race! They are flightless birds – and their wings are needed only for balance purposes.

Size: 

What they eat: They are omnivores, which means they feed on plants like fruits, and seeds. But they’ll also eat insects and even a small reptile.

Adaptability: Their long necks also allow them to detect water underground. This allows them to survive during the dry season.

Red Kangaroos

Say hello to Australia’s largest marsupial! Kangaroos are perhaps the most famous animal in Australia. Slightly different to the grey kangaroo, the red kangaroo has fully adapted to survive in these harsher desert surroundings.

Size: They can grow up to 2.4 metres, and they can grow up to 85kg – females are a lot smaller than 35 kg so it’s easy to see which ones are the smaller ones…

What they eat: Shrubs and leaves

Adaptability: Their red fur allows them to blend in with the red Uluru landscape.

Dingos

A dingo is like a dog and a wolf combined! They tend to howl instead of barking. They are shy around humans – but they won’t be shy around your food!

They live until they are about 10 years old and in a pack, the dominant breeding female will kill the offspring of the other females.

Size: They can grow up to around 25kg

What they eat: They are carnivores, eating kangaroos, wallabies, wombats and feral pigs. They tend to come out at dusk and dawn, to hunt for their kangaroo dinner.

Adaptability: The females often will give birth under a rocky ledge or in a cave.