See

Kentucky Down Under is home to many unique Australian animals as well as home to many animals that you may see around you everyday. Here are just a few of the animals that you may see during a visit to Kentucky Down Under. Please check back often - we will be adding more as we go!

Red Kangaroo -

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Macropus rufus

RANGE: From the central western Australian coast to the western side of the Great Dividing range.

HABITAT: Most often the dry arid areas.

COOL FACTS:

Male Red Kangaroos are twice the size of females.
Macropus rufus means "big foot" and "red" in Latin.
Kangaroos can't walk backwards.
Red Kangaroos are the largest of the kangaroos.
Female Red Kangaroos are also known as blue fliers.
Red Kangaroos like to live in groups.

Emu -

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Dromcaeus, novaehollandiae

RANGE: Throughout Australia, except for the tropical rainforests.

HABITAT: They inhabit open grasslands, savannas (grasslands with some trees) and sclerophyll forests in the Australian bush.

COOL FACTS:

Emus can live up to 30 years.
Emus can run up to 37 miles an hour.
Emus need to drink 2 to 4 gallons of water per day.
Emus have 3 toes.
They are ratites, flightless birds.
Adult Emus can stand 5 to 6 feet tall and they can weigh 150 pounds.

Kookaburra -

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Dacelo novaeguineae

RANGE: The Laughing Kookaburra is endemic to the forests and woodlands of eastern Australia.

HABITAT: This Kookaburra dwells in open forests, and woodlands, predominantly old growth forests that have hollows or where termites build nests in trees.

COOL FACTS:

The call of the Kookaburra sounds like crazy laughter.
Kookaburras hop instead of walk.
Kookaburras will even take on venomous snakes.
They fly in zig-zag patterns to protect their territories.
Kookaburras build nests in hollow trees.
They pound their prey against rocks or logs to tenderize it.

Blue Tongued Skink -

SCIENTIFIC NAMES:

Northern Blue-tongued Skink, Tiliqua scincoides intermedia

Eastern Blue-tongued Skink, Tiliqua scincoides scincoides

RANGE: The Northern Blue-tongued Skink ranges from Queensland to north-western Western Australia.

The Eastern Blue-tongued Skink is native to south-eastern South Australia through Victoria to eastern New South Wales and most of Queensland.

HABITAT: They live in open country with lots of ground cover.

COOL FACTS:

Blue-tongues are able to look after themselves from birth.
They are VERY�popular as pets both in the US and Australia.
They are omnivores and feed on a variety of animal and plant materials.
They can often resemble a Death Adder - one of the most venomous snakes on the planet.

Papuan Frogmouth -

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Podargus papuensis

RANGE: The Papuan Frogmouth is confined to the Cape York Peninsula in Australia, New Guinea and parts of Indonesia.

HABITAT: It occurs in rainforests, mangroves and dense riparian vegetation.

COOL FACTS:

The Papuan Frogmouth secretes a substance in its mouth that attracts flies.
It often simply sits on a branch with its huge mouth open, and flies enter of their own accord to investigate the source of a promising odor.
Gaping at potential predators and a hissing sound are part of their defense mechanisms.
It also uses its large beak to make a loud clopping sound to deter large predators such as cats.
With their nocturnal habit and owl-like appearance Frogmouths are often confused with owls, but are actually related to the nightjars.
Their feet are weak and lack the curved talons of owls.

Rainbow Lorikeet -

SCIENTIFIC NAME: Trichoglossus haematodus [moluccanus]

RANGE: They live in the northeastern coast of Australia, around to Eyre Peninsula in South Australia, the Pacific islands, Papua-New Guinea and Indonesia.

COOL FACTS:

Their tongues are shaped like a brush to collect nectar.
Rainbow Lorikeets sleep on one leg unless they are ill.
They pollinate many of the flowering plants in Australia.
Rainbow Lorikeets can live to be over 20 years.
Rainbow Lorikeets preen each other while resting and travel to food sites in large groups.