Native animal species

Over 700 native animals have been recorded on the Sunshine Coast. This includes a large range of:

birds
bats
butterflies
frogs
reptiles
rodents
insects
marsupials
monotremes (mammals that lay eggs)
fish
turtles
whales and dolphins.

The following table shows the numbers of species in each classification found on the coast.

Classification of species	No. recorded on the Coast
Birds	328
Frogs	43
Reptiles	105
Insects	126
Mammals	96
Bony fish	40
Total	738

(Source: Wildlife Online, Department of Environment and Heritage Protection, 2012).

Some of these species are only found on the Sunshine Coast. The region has many plants and habitats that attract native animals. They use them to feed, shelter and breed.

Over 300 native birds have been recorded here. This is around one third of Australia's bird species. Some of these are shorebirds. They migrate from their winter breeding grounds in arctic Asia, Alaska and the North Pacific to the foreshores of the Maroochy River and Pumicestone Passage.

Significant species

Council has made a list of significant animals on the Sunshine Coast (PDF, 551KB). In total, 198 native animals have been classified 'significant' because they:

are threatened by extinction
are not found anywhere else in the world
are not found either north or south of the Coast
have a specific cultural heritage.

Threats to native animals

Despite the range of native animals, the coast’s biodiversity is declining. The biggest threats are:

vegetation clearing, habitat loss and divided habitats
urbanisation, for example, housing development and roads
pest species, such as cane toads, foxes, wild dogs and feral cats.

Vegetation clearing and habitat loss

All land clearing causes habitat loss, but large developments can destroy natural ecosystems. For example, possums, reptiles and birds rely on tree hollows for shelter and nesting. A tree must be around 100 years old before it can form hollows. This makes remaining native bushland critical for the survival of hollow-dependent animals.

Urbanisation

To construct roads, fences and power lines, trees and plants must be cleared. This creates smaller, more divided patches of habitat dotted across the land. As a result, car strikes and dog attacks are major causes of death and injury as native animals are forced to cross roads and backyards.

Pest animals

Introduced pest animals make it much more difficult for native animals to survive. They spread diseases and prey on native wildlife. They often out-compete native animals for food and shelter. Domestic animals kill native animals such as koalas, possums and reptiles.

How you can help

Get involved in native animal conservation. A great way to learn about the coast's native animals is to identify the species that you spot, and observe their behaviour. You can join a wildlife conservation group or find out which organisations care for injured wildlife.

Go bird watching in your backyard, or further: