Australia's native flora and fauna is truly unique. Animals such as the kangaroo, possum, emu, koala, frill necked lizard and the platypus are found nowhere else on Earth. Our native flora includes beautiful specimens such as the waratah, banksia, kangaroo paw and bottlebrush. Flora is richer than in Europe and Asia combined.
So, why is it that this place has so many whimsical and exotic animals and plants? The explanation is that 55 million years ago Australia split away from the giant super-continent known as Gondwanaland. It drifted away from Antarctica to a warmer climate and evolved in total isolation. Ever since Australia has been isolated from the rest of the world by vast oceans. Indigenous animals and plants had no contact with species from other parts of the world. This means, that they developed separately, which made them so different.
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