The term "Australian Megafauna" indicates that the creatures in this category are roughly 40kg. In other countries the term "Megafauna" indicates that the creature weighed over 100kg, but because of Australia's lack of animals weighing over 100kg, the term is more lenient.
Some Australian Megafauna are:
- Diprotodon
The Diprotodon is the largest marsupial to have ever lived. Its name means two forward teeth. It is commonly known as a giant wombat. Fossils of it have been found across most of mainland Australia. It was roughly 3 metres from nose to tail and 2 metres tall. Some Indigenous Australian cave paintings depict an animal similar to the Diprotodon, indicating that Indigenous may have had contact.
- Zaglossus Hackettii
The Zaglossus Hackettii is a species of Echidna that was roughly 1 metre long and weighed 30kg. It was the largest monotreme to exist, and due to scorch marks on some bones, it is likely that it was hunted.
The cause of the Australian Megafauna's extinction is widely debated. Theories range from climate change to human (Indigenous) hunting.
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