The wildlife of South Australia is an important part of the State's identity. It includes the rich variety of plants and animals still to be found here. Wildlife includes everything from the family of magpies using a suburban park to the majestic southern right whales that visit our coasts each winter. It ranges from the giant river red gums in a Flinders Ranges creekbed, to the carpets of daisies that briefly colour our deserts after rain. All of these living things and the communities they live in make up the State's wildlife.
Many kinds still remain to be discovered and described.
Over the last 200 years there have been many threats to our wildlife. A significant number of species have been lost forever and many whole communities are reduced to tiny remnants. The task is complex, some native species such as the large kangaroos have benefited greatly from the changes we have brought and are now much more abundant than they were 200 years ago. Other species will only survive with considerable management help from us. In future releases of this website you will see examples of South Australian plants and animals, and have access to lists and maps of where they occur naturally.