Australia does not designate a single “state animal,” which often leads to confusion. This concept is frequently mistaken for the official fauna chosen to represent the entire Commonwealth of Australia on its formal symbols. The lack of a single, proclaimed national animal is tied directly to the country’s unique governmental structure. The question of Australia’s “state animal” must be answered by looking at both the national level and the eight distinct sub-national entities that make up the country.
Clarifying the Federal Distinction
Australia operates as a federation, officially known as the Commonwealth of Australia, a structure composed of six sovereign states and two major self-governing territories. This federal system means that governmental authority and symbolic representation are divided between the central, or federal, government and the governments of the individual states and territories.
This structure directly influences the designation of official symbols, including fauna emblems. The federal government selects symbols to represent the entire nation, while each state and territory maintains the right to choose its own distinct symbols. Consequently, Australia has national emblems that are recognized globally, but it also has eight separate, officially recognized faunal emblems at the sub-national level.
The Official National Fauna
While no single animal is officially proclaimed as the “National Animal” in a legal code, the most recognized faunal symbols are the Kangaroo and the Emu. These two native species hold a prominent and formal position on the Commonwealth Coat of Arms. The current design of the Coat of Arms, granted in 1912, features a shield supported by a Red Kangaroo on the left and an Emu on the right.
The selection of the Kangaroo and Emu is highly symbolic, representing the nation’s progress and forward-looking identity. They are commonly said to have been chosen because neither animal can easily walk backward, which is interpreted as a metaphor for a nation constantly moving ahead. The Coat of Arms itself is used to identify the authority and property of the Australian government and appears on official documents like passports.
State and Territory Fauna Emblems
The individual states and territories have each proclaimed their own unique fauna emblems to celebrate their distinct environments and wildlife.
- New South Wales, the most populous state, has adopted the Platypus, a unique monotreme known for its duck-like bill and venomous spur on the male’s hind foot.
- Victoria chose the Leadbeater’s Possum, a small, rare, and endangered marsupial found primarily in the state’s mountain ash forests.
- Queensland’s emblem is the Koala, a well-known marsupial that feeds almost exclusively on eucalyptus leaves.
- South Australia’s faunal emblem is the Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat, a stout, burrowing marsupial with soft, velvety fur.
- Western Australia’s choice is the Numbat, a small, termite-eating marsupial distinguishable by its reddish-brown coat and white stripes across its back.
- Tasmania selected the Tasmanian Devil, the world’s largest carnivorous marsupial, known for its loud, fierce growl.
- The Northern Territory also uses the Red Kangaroo as its official mammal emblem, recognizing its prevalence in the territory’s vast arid regions.
- Finally, the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) is represented by the Southern Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby, a small, agile macropod that lives in rocky, mountainous terrain.