Meet the animals

Female: Cow

Male: Bull

Young: Calf

Group: Herd of cattle

Gestation period: 9 months

Number of offspring: 1

Period with parents: 3 months

Breeding age:

• Male: 1–2 years, depending on breed
• Female: 2 years (1 calf per year until 8–10 years old)

Life expectancy: 15–20 years

Diet: Grass, hay, grains

Products and uses: Milk, meat, leather, fertiliser

Cattle are ruminants – they have four compartments in their stomach. That helps them get more protein from grass. All ruminants regurgitate their food after eating and chew it again as ‘cud’.

Australia has seven main dairy cow breeds. The most common are Holstein Friesian and Jersey. Dairy cows need to eat more than any other farm animal and drink up to 200 litres of water a day.

A dairy cow starts to make milk after delivering her first calf and produces 16–20 litres a day. That adds up to almost 200,000 glasses of milk in her lifetime!

The biggest cattle breed in the world (Chianina) grow up to 2m tall and weigh as much as a car (more than 1,700kg).

Cows have almost 360 degree vision when their head is down grazing. This helps them to see predators coming from any direction. They also have an excellent sense of smell and can hear low and high-pitched sounds outside of human hearing. It’s very hard to sneak up on a cow!

When grazing, cattle curl their giant 30cm tongue around the grass and tear it off to chew.

Cattle and the environment

Cattle farming has many environmental challenges.

Heavy hooves compact soil, increasing runoff and loss of topsoil. Deforestation for cattle farming releases carbon into the atmosphere. Cattle need more food and water than other livestock. They also emit a lot of methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

However, cattle can graze land that is unsuitable for crops, supporting livelihoods and food security.

Many farmers are now mixing old and new methods of farming to better protect the environment. Rotating cattle with crops to regenerate land is common. Grazing cattle in timber plantations (called silvopasture) also puts a new twist on an ancient method of farming. Trees shade the animals, and the wood is selectively harvested. This supports animal welfare and biodiversity.

Better feed efficiency, seaweed supplements and manure digesters can all lower methane emissions.

Consumers can also help by eating less beef and choosing sustainably farmed meat. 

More research and policy incentives would support more widespread change.

Female: Ewe

Male: Ram

Young: Lamb

Group: Flock/herd

Gestation period: 5 months

Number of offspring: 1–3

Period with parents: Weaned at 3 months

Breeding age: 1 year

Life expectancy: 12 years

Diet: Grass, hay, grains

Products and uses: Meat, wool, milk

There are over 200 breeds of sheep. They are mainly classed as wool, meat or dairy sheep. Common examples in Australia are Merino (wool), Suffolk (meat) and East Friesian (dairy).

Sheep are ruminants with four chambers in their stomach. This helps them get more energy from grass and produce high protein milk. Sheep regurgitate their food after eating and rechew it as 'cud'. (Humans are also said to ‘ruminate’ when they think about something over and again, like chewing cud!)

Sheep are social animals and have a strong instinct to follow a leader.

Sheep protect themselves from foxes by grouping together. They keep the strongest sheep safe in the middle of the flock.

Whether or not a sheep has horns depends upon their breed, sex, and genetics. Both rams and ewes can have horns.

Sheep and the environment

Sheep farming is good for regional economies. It provides versatile products (wool, meat and leather). Well-managed sheep can also help with land management.

Sheep farming raises serious welfare and environmental issues though. Wrinkled Merino sheep are very susceptible to flystrike. This disease is often controlled by painful methods like mulesing. Farmers can use non-surgical controls and wrinkle free breeding programs for better welfare. Some meat breeds like Damara are naturally wrinkle-free, hardy and self-shedding.

Sheep contribute to greenhouse-gas emissions. They can also degrade soil and waterways, causing habitat loss. Responsible management is needed to reduce these effects.

Sustainable alternatives to sheep wool include Tencel, organic cotton, bamboo, hemp, soyabean fabric, linen, recycled fibres and alpaca wool.

Female: Nanny/doe

Male: Billy/buck

Young: Kid

Group: Herd/tribe

Gestation period: 5 months

Number of offspring: 1–3

Period with parents: Weaned 2–5 months

Breeding age: 18 months

Life expectancy: 12 years

Diet: Grass, browses on shrubs and plants

Products and uses: Milk, meat, fleece, leather

Goats were one of the first animals to be domesticated by humans. More goats’ milk and meat are consumed worldwide than milk or meat from any other animal.

There are four main dairy goat breeds in Australia. They are Anglo Nubian, British Alpine, Saanen and Toggenburg. Common meat breeds are Boer and Rangeland.

Goat’s milk is easier for some people to digest than cow’s milk and is used to make cheeses such as feta. Angora (mohair) and Cashmere goats also produce wool. It is warmer than sheep wool.

Goats are versatile eaters. They consume many weeds and some plants that are poisonous to cattle and sheep. Goats also have excellent balance and love to climb. This enables them to be farmed in places where sheep and cattle could not live.

Goats have horizontal rectangular pupils which give them a wide field of vision. They can see what is coming from beside or behind them when their heads are down grazing.

Goats and the environment

Goats can compact fragile soil with their hard hooves. They also emit methane gas, although less per body weight than cattle and sheep. However, goats have many benefits over other livestock when they are well managed.

Grazing goats on rotation with crops mimics natural systems. It reduces erosion and breaks pest cycles. Browsing goats can lower invasive plant numbers and fuel loads for wildfire. Their browsing also opens dense shrubs, increasing habitat for wildlife. Goat manure feeds soil microbes, keeping soils healthy.

Careful stocking rates and secure fencing are needed to protect the environment. Goats need an enriching environment, or they will try to escape. Escaped and abandoned goats compete for food and habitat with native animals. They are a big environmental problem in Australia.

Female: Sow

Male: Boar

Young: Piglet

Group: Herd

Gestation period: 3 months, 3 weeks and 3 days

Number of offspring: 8–12

Period with parents: Weaned at 3–4 weeks

Breeding age: Female – 1 year

Life expectancy: 5–10 years

Diet: Cereal grains, kitchen scraps

Products and uses: Meat, leather, hair (used to make brushes)

There are about 70 breeds of pig. Some are considered rare, such as the Berkshire and Tamworth.

‘Pink’ pigs are actually white breeds. Their sparse hair allows the pink skin underneath to show through. Wilbur (from Charlotte’s Web) and Babe were Yorkshire White or Chester White pigs.

Pigs are very clever. They are thought to have the intelligence of a 3-year-old child and are easier to train than dogs. Pigs need space to play and enrichment toys to keep them happy.

Pigs are naturally clean and will not go to the toilet in their sleeping place if given the choice.

Pigs do not have effective sweat glands, so they keep cool by rolling in mud. The mud also works as sunscreen and helps to keep away flies.

Pigs are fully grown by around three and a half years of age. Most pigs weigh between 350kg to 500kg. Pigs bred for meat ‘go to market’ at 5–6 months old when they weigh about 110kg.

Pigs have poor eyesight and use their snouts to help them find food through smell. They have four toes on each hoof but only walk on two, so they look like they are walking on tiptoe!

Pigs and the environment

Greenhouse gas emissions from industrial pig farms pollute the atmosphere. Waterways are also polluted by bacteria and nutrients in farm runoff.

Many pigs live and give birth in cramped and inhumane factory farms. There is no space to behave naturally, move around freely or find a toilet spot away from their bedding. You can choose more ethical meat. Look for labels like PROOF, Humane Choice, Certified Organic and Free Range.

Feral pigs are a major environmental pest. They degrade soil, spread invasive plants, pollute waterways and prey on native animals. Current eradication programs are not always humane.

Female: Mare

Male: Stallion

Young: Foal

Group: Herd

Gestation period: 11 months

Number of offspring: 1–2

Period with parents: Weaned: 4–8 months

Breeding age:

• Male: 2 years
• Female: 3 years

Life expectancy: 25 years

Diet: Grass, hay, grains

Products and uses: Companionship, work, riding

Horses are mammals and belong to the equine family, along with zebras and donkeys.

Horses were domesticated to help humans with transport, hunting and warfare. In some countries, they also provide milk and meat. There are now over 200 breeds of horses in the world.

Most horses can gallop at speeds of around 50KM per hour. Some racehorses reach over 70KM per hour! In the racing industry, all horses have been given the same birthday to help classify them. This is August 1^st in the Southern Hemisphere. There is some opposition to horse racing now as every year horses die or are injured on the track.

Horses are measured using the width of a human hand. One hand equals 10 centimetres. Measurements are taken from the ground up to the withers, which is the highest point on a horse's shoulder. A pony is a small horse, measuring under 14.2 hands.

Horses’ hooves, like our nails, grow continuously and need to be trimmed. Horses that work or travel on hard roads need their feet protected by metal shoes. A farrier attaches the shoes.

Horses cannot see directly behind or in front of themselves so it’s better not to approach them from behind. They may kick if they sense your presence but can’t see you.

Horses and the environment

Australia has thousands of feral horses called ‘brumbies’. Brumbies cause erosion, spread weeds and compete for pasture with native animals.

For many people, brumbies also have an iconic place in Australia’s cultural history. The debate about how to manage them can become emotional.

Domestic horses can also damage the environment with their hard, heavy hooves. They cause soil compaction and erosion. Run-off from compacted land pollutes waterways with excess nutrients.

Horses provide social and recreational benefits. Their grazing and dung can also aid seed dispersal and nutrient cycles. Harm can be minimised with low density and good paddock management.

Female: Stallion

Male: Mare

Young: Foal

Group: Herd

Gestation period: 11 months

Number of offspring: 1

Period with parents: 5–6 months

Breeding age: 3 years

Life expectancy: 18–20 years

Diet: Grass, hay, grains Products and uses: pulling farm machinery, horse and cart rides, showing in competitions

There are many breeds of draught horse in Australia. These include the Belgian, Pecheron, Australian Draught Horse, Shire, Suffolk Punch and Clydesdale.

Draught horses were common before the Industrial Revolution. They pulled heavy carts and farm machinery. Some small-scale farmers are now starting to use them again instead of tractors.

The term ‘horsepower’ was coined by James Watt in the late 18th century to compare the power of Draught Horses with that of his revolutionary steam engines.

Two healthy Clydesdales working steadily can produce about three horsepower. This goes up to 30 horsepower (HP) in short bursts.

Draught horses are gentle giants as they were bred to be calm and predictable for working.

The long hair around a draught horse’s legs is called feathering. Feathering diverts rainwater away from their hooves. This helps to prevent footrot when the horses are working in wet fields.

Draught horses and the environment

Draught horses can have both good and bad effects on the environment. On the downside, they are heavy with large hard hooves. This leads to soil compaction and the loss of fertile topsoil into waterways. They also eat a lot and produce the greenhouse gas methane as they digest food.

Tractors used for the same work cause even more compaction though. This is worse on steep or wet ground. Tractors also use fossil fuels, which are polluting and non-renewable.

Draught horses can help the soil by returning nutrients in their manure. They can also work without using non-renewable resources. Controlling where they walk can reduce compaction.

Female: Jenny

Male: Jack

Young: Foal

Group: Pace

Gestation period: 12 months

Number of offspring: 1

Period with parents: 4–9 months

Breeding age:

• Male: 6 months
• Female: 3 years

Life expectancy: 25–50 years

Diet: Grass and hay

Products and uses: Pulling carts, carrying loads, giving rides to children

Donkeys are descended from the African wild ass. They are part of the equine family, along with horses and zebras. All three animals can mate with each other, but their offspring can’t reproduce.

When a male donkey and female horse breed, they create a mule. When a male horse and female donkey breed, they create a hinny. When a male zebra and female donkey breed, they create a zedonk.

Donkeys were domesticated to carry heavy loads and pull carts. They were introduced to Australia in 1866 to work as pack animals in arid areas.

Donkeys are hardy animals. They can eat a big variety of grasses and shrubs and are good at finding food where vegetation is sparse.

Donkeys are also highly intelligent and playful. Their reputation for being stubborn is unfair - they simply refuse to do something if they feel it is unsafe!

Donkeys are good at calming foals, cattle, goats and sheep. They will warn them of danger and chase away predators like foxes.

Donkeys and the environment

Cars began to replace donkeys in the 1930s. Many donkeys were then released into arid areas of Australia. Feral donkeys are very adaptable, so there are now millions of them across the country.

Feral donkeys trample native vegetation with their hard hooves, eroding soil and riverbanks. Their manure spreads weeds seeds into the outback. They also compete for food with native species.

There is a national code of practice for controlling feral donkeys to ensure practices are humane. Some donkeys are also captured and sold commercially.

Female: Doe, Flyer, Jill

Male: Buck, Boomer, Jack

Young: Joey

Group: Mob

Gestation period: 31–36 months

Number of offspring: 1

Period with parents: In the pouch for 9 months, weaned at 18 months

Breeding age: 20–36 months

Life expectancy: 9–18 (longer in captivity)

Diet: Grass and roots. They also chew cud (partially digested food regurgitated from their stomach).

Products and uses: Meat, fur, leather

There are four main breeds of kangaroo. These are Eastern Grey, Western Grey, Red and Antilopine (from northern Australia). Kangaroos are busiest at night, dawn and dusk (nocturnal).

Red Kangaroos live in central Australia. They are the largest marsupials in the world, growing up to 2m tall. Eastern Grey Kangaroos are found in the eastern states of Australia. Due to urban sprawl, they are often seen in many outer suburbs of Melbourne where they can be hit by traffic.

Kangaroos have very strong hind legs, large feet for leaping and a long muscular tail for balance. They normally hop at a speed of about 20km/h but can hop up to 70km per hour.

A female kangaroo is almost always pregnant. She can delay the birth of each joey until the previous one has left the pouch. This adaptation is called diapause. Mums have four teats inside their pouch, and each one produces a different formula of milk for the joey as it grows.

When a joey is born it is about 2cm long and weighs less than a gram. It’s like a pink jellybean!

Kangaroos and the environment

Kangaroos are good for the environment. Their soft feet protect the ground. They have a varied diet and help native plants reproduce by spreading seeds in their manure. By only nibbling the tops off grasses, they leave cover for other plants and animals to survive.

Kangaroo numbers have boomed as the amount of farmland has grown. They have also lost their natural predator with the removal of dingoes from many areas.

Expanding the kangaroo meat industry is one way to manage their overpopulation. Kangaroo meat is low fat and high in nutrients. It is a healthy and sustainable substitute for farmed red meat. Ethical concerns about how kangaroos are killed need to be addressed.

Female: Hen

Male: Cock

Young: Chick

Group: Flock

Eggs: Large, dark bluish green

Incubation period: Approximately 50–60 days

Number of offspring: 5–10

Period with parents: 6–18 months

Breeding age: 20 months

Life expectancy: 10–20 years

Diet: Grass, fruit, seeds, insects, animal droppings

Products and uses: Leather, meat, feathers, oil

Emus are the second biggest bird in the world after the ostrich. They can grow up to two metres tall. They live naturally in woodlands, savanna and open plains.

Emus are flightless birds built for running. An emu’s wings are only around the size of an adult human hand. Their feathers are split in half to allow air to pass through and cool their bodies. Emus’ feet do not have hind toes. The three forward-facing toes help to propel them forwards.

Emus are the only birds with calf muscles. This helps them to run long distances at speeds of up to 50 km an hour. Emus can’t walk backwards due to the shape of their knee joint and leg muscles.

To cool down in hot weather, emus pant and lift their wings. This allows air to flow over veins close to the skin. They also love to swim!

Emus nest in winter in shallow hollows on the ground lined with grass or leaves. The male and female are together for about five months until she has laid all the eggs. Only the male sits on the nest and raises the chicks.

Emus communicate through booming, drumming and grunting. The booming sound is made in an inflatable sack in their neck and can be heard up to 2km away! They are naturally curious but shy.

Emus and the environment

Emus have a range of up to 100 kilometres. Their soft feet do not cause erosion and nutrient run-off. They help maintain native plant populations by spreading seeds and manure.

Emus have been eaten for thousands of years. Farming them can be more ethical and sustainable than other poultry farming. This is only true though when the emus can express natural behaviours. They need freedom to roam through large areas with native vegetation.

Female and male: Not gender-specific

Young: Tadpole; froglet (immature with adult body)

Group: Army or colony

Gestation period: hatch at 1–16 weeks

Number of offspring: Hundreds – thousands; low survival rate

Period with parents: 0–8 months

Breeding age: 2–4 years

Life expectancy: 3–20 years

Diet: Insects, worms, spiders, snails, slugs. Some large frogs also eat small reptiles and mammals

Products and uses: Medicine, food; pets; environmental indicators

Frogs have been around for at least 250 million years. They have changed very little and live everywhere from ponds to trees, and even deserts! Australia has over 200 species of frogs.

Frogs have powerful muscles in their back legs and can jump up to 20 times their body length. Their bulging eyes allow them to see in most directions without turning their heads.

All frogs need access to water, and most don’t have lungs until they are adults. Tadpoles have gills for living underwater instead. A few species are born as fully formed froglets instead of tadpoles. They are known as ‘direct developers’.

Some frogs spend their whole lives in trees. These frogs may lay eggs in pockets of water in the tree trunk. Others lay eggs on the underside of leaves, and the tadpoles drop into water below.

Frogs breathe through their lungs and skin. They lose moisture through their skin too and can dehydrate without water. Some species release a slimy or waxy coating to stay moist.

Some frogs burrow into the soil to wait for rain. Frogs that live in deserts hibernate underground for months or years at a time! They store water in their bladder and cover their body in a cocoon made from dead skin, so they don’t dry out. Hibernating frogs don’t need much oxygen to survive.

In warm weather, frogs are more active at night. When you hear a chorus of frogs, it is often males singing their hearts out to attract mates! Frogs call for other reasons too, and every species has a different set of calls.

Frogs and the environment

As parts of Australia get hotter and drier, there is less water around for frogs. Their permeable skin also absorbs pollution. Some species are now extinct, and many are endangered or threatened.

Protecting frogs is very important. As both predator and prey, they help to balance ecosystems. Frogs live in water and on land and are sensitive to change. So, their numbers tell us a lot about the health of the environment.

Female: Cockatoo (not gender-specific)

Male: Cockatoo (not gender-specific)

Young: Chick

Group: Flock, crackle or chatter

Incubation period: 25–33 days

Number of offspring: 1–4, depending on species

Period with parents: Lifetime

Breeding age: 3–10 years

Life expectancy: 20–80 years, depending on species and living situation

Diet: Seeds, nuts, roots, fruit, flowers, insects

Products and uses: Companionship as pets; culturally significant for Aboriginal Australians

There are 14 species of cockatoo in Australia. Galahs are the most common.

The word ‘cockatoo’ comes from the Malay word for ‘vice’ or ‘grip’ due to their powerful beak. A cockatoo’s beak grows continually throughout its lifetime. Cockatoos chew on hard materials to wear their beak down. Unfortunately, this can include the walls or balcony of a house!

Cockatoos are the only bird with a moveable crest, and they make great use of it. The crest is raised when they are excited, curious, angry or scared. It is also used to attract a mate or scare away a predator. You know they’re feeling relaxed and happy though when the crest lies flat.

Cockatoos live in large flocks. When the flock is feeding on the ground, a ‘scout’ cockatoo sits in a nearby tree and will screech loudly to warn the others of danger.

The most iconic cockatoos are Sulphur Crested Cockatoos. They are white with a yellow crest, and a wingspan of up to one metre. When kept as pets, some live for as long as a human!

Cockatoos are highly intelligent and playful. They can dance to music and appear to talk by copying human sounds. They play games such as taking turns to slide down wires and cables.

Pet cockatoos must have company and time outside their cage. They also need a variety of things to play with, chew, and take apart. Lonely, stressed or bored cockatoos may pull out their feathers in distress.

Cockatoos and the environment

Cockatoos have very strong beaks. They can crack and disperse native seeds that are too hard for most birds to open. This makes them very important for biodiversity and forest regeneration.

Cockatoos need old tree hollows to nest in. Logging, climate change and urbanisation are making many species vulnerable to extinction. Some are critically endangered.

Cockatoos need our help to survive. We can save them by protecting large trees and native forests.

Female: Worker (some become a queen)

Male: Drone

Young: Larva

Group: Colony (or a swarm when on the move)

Gestation period: 3 days

Number of offspring: up to 2,000 per day

Period with parents: 16–24 days to reach maturity, depending on role in hive

Breeding age:

• Queen – 23 days
• Drone – 38 days

Life expectancy:

• Queen – 1–5 years
• Worker– up to 6 months
• Drone – 5 weeks

Diet: Nectar, pollen

Products and uses: Honey; pollination of food crops

Honey bees were brought to Australia in 1822. We now rely on them to pollinate around one third of our fruits and vegetables! Some other birds and insects also pollinate our crops.

Honey bees are amazing architects. They build honeycombs from thousands of six-sided wax cells placed side-by-side. The cells tilt backwards to avoid spilling the honey inside.

Bees transport their food in a unique way. They have a second stomach to carry nectar for making honey. Sacs on their back legs collect pollen which is made into ‘bee bread’ to feed the colony.

Bees can only produce sound through vibration of their wings and abdomen to cause a ‘buzz’. They use special codes of buzzing and movement called 'Waggle Dances' to direct other bees to a food source. These dances can also warn the colony of danger.

A queen is the only female bee to mate and reproduce. All other females are workers. Male drones live fast and die young! They spend all of their short life competing to mate with the queen.

Honey bees die after stinging, so they don’t want to sting you! You are most likely to be stung if you step on them, try to swat them or get close to the entrance of their hive.

When a hive is too crowded, bees swarm to make a new colony. Swarming bees can look scary but are rarely aggressive. If you find a swarm, always call a bee keeper to safely relocate them.

Bees and the environment

Australia has over 2,000 species of native bees. We need them to pollinate our indigenous plants. Feral honey bees threaten native bees by competing for nectar and nesting sites.

Disease, loss of habitat and pollution endanger both native and introduced bees. There is a global shortage of bees threatening food supplies around the world.

Female and Male: Not gender-specific

Young:

• Insect: Larva or nymph, depending on species
• Spider: Spiderling

Group:

• Insect: Swarm
• Spider: Cluster or clutter

Gestation:

• Insect: eggs hatch at 2 days–1 year
• Spider: eggs hatch at 7–60 days

Life expectancy:

• Insect: 1 week–1 year
• Spider: 1–20 years

Number of offspring:

• Insect: 1–4,000,000
• Spider: 4–600

Period with parents:

• Insect: 0 days–3 years
• Spider: 0–21 days

Diet:

• Insect: Dependent on species – plants, animals and other insects, decaying organic matter, timber, plastic and drywall
• Spider: Insects, lizards, frogs, other spiders, depending on species

Products and uses: Medicine, silk, food; pest control

Australia has over 62,000 species of insects – and they’re just the ones we know! They are all very important for keeping the planet healthy.

Insects are nature’s cleaners, recyclers, pollinators and pest controllers. They are also food for frogs, spiders and birds.

Soil insects such as ants burrow into the ground, making space in it for oxygen and plant roots. Ants also clean up dead and decaying things, recycling the nutrients.

Many plants rely on insects to pollinate their flowers so they can reproduce. Bees, moths, beetles, flies, wasps and butterflies and are all pollinators. They help make our fruits, vegetables and grains.

Most insects have four stages to their lifecycle- egg, larva, pupa and adult. They change form dramatically during this time. This is called metamorphosis.

Spiders are also very important. They eat insects, helping to keep their numbers in balance. They are the reason your home isn’t completely full of flies and mosquitos!

Most spiders are not aggressive. Bites are rarer than we thought and can be treated with antivenom. There hasn’t been a confirmed death from a spider bite in Australia for over 40 years.

Bugs, spiders and the environment

There are now a lot less insects and spiders in the world. There are also fewer species. They are all affected by climate change, pollution and pesticides. The spread of cities and monoculture farming has destroyed habitat for many bugs. We need a big rethink if we are to save these critical critters.

We can protect insects and spiders by using products that are less harmful. Planting more native vegetation provides habitat. Learning to live peacefully alongside them at home will really help too!

Female: Queen (Molly if desexed)

Male: Tom (Gib if desexed)

Young: Kitten

Group: Clowder, clutter or pounce

Gestation period: About 65 days

Number of offspring: 4–6

Period with parents: 12 weeks; weaned at 6–8 weeks

Breeding age: 1 year (sexually mature from about 4–6 months)

Life expectancy: 20 years

Diet: Meat

Products and uses: Household pets, rodent control

There are over 100 breeds of domestic cat, and they still share most of their DNA with tigers!

Like their tiger and lion cousins, cats are excellent hunters. Their whiskers are the same width as their body and have extra nerves at the base. This helps them judge distance, navigate in the dark, and detect prey. Their soft feet and very good balance make them silent stalkers.

Cats are also the sleepiest mammals! They sleep for up to 18 hours a day.

Cats show trust and affection by kneading, headbutting, blinking slowly and exposing their belly. They may also sleep on you and greet you with their tail straight up and curved at the top. Don’t be offended if a cat gets up close and personal with their rear end – it’s also a sign of friendship!

Adult cats make over 100 different sounds. Some are reserved only for humans, such as ’meow’.

Cats are true carnivores, and their diet is very important. They can’t taste sweetness, and many are lactose intolerant. A cat’s body is adapted to absorb vital nutrients from meat that are much harder to get from any other food. Cats sometimes choose to starve instead of eating food they don’t like.

Cats and the environment

Responsible ownership of cats is very important to protect our native animals.

Lost cats can easily survive and breed. Australia has millions of feral cats, and most live in the bush. Cats kill up to 10 times more prey than wild predators of the same size. Feral cats are also vulnerable to disease and are injured fighting for territory.

Pet cats kill many birds and small mammals too, even when they are well fed at home. Most cats can live happily indoors with a variety of enrichment toys. Outdoor cat runs will make their life more interesting. Some cats even learn to walk on a leash!

Female: Sow

Male: Boar

Young: Piglet/pup

Group: Group/herd

Gestation period: 59–73 days

Number of offspring: 2–6

Period with parents: Weaned at 21–28 days

Breeding age:

• Male: 3–5 weeks
• Female: 4–6 weeks

Life expectancy: 5–10 years

Diet: Grass, hay, vegetables, pellets

Products and uses: Mainly kept as pets; giant breed eaten for meat in South America

Guinea pigs belong to the rodent family and are related to rats and mice.

They came from South America where they were domesticated as a source of food. The South American breed called Giant Guinea Pigs (or Cuy) can weigh up to 4kg.

Guinea pigs are not pigs, and don’t come from Guinea! The ‘pig’ part of their name likely refers to their stout shape and squealing noises. The ‘guinea’ part may be from their one-guinea cost in 16th-century England. They were also carried from South America in boats known as Guinea-men ships.

Guinea piglets have all their fur when they are born and look like small adults. They are 'ready to go', walking straight away and eating solid food on their first day.

Guinea pigs are very intelligent and sensitive animals. They have a great memory and can learn their own name, as well as many tricks! Pet guinea pigs need toys and games to keep them happy.

Guinea pigs are very social and need to live in pairs or groups. In Switzerland it is even illegal to own just one guinea pig, as they can become very lonely!

Guinea pigs and the environment

Guinea pigs are great for looking after your lawn! They will graze evenly across an area of grass, scattering manure as they go. Their poo is very good fertiliser.

While they make great lawnmowers, guinea pigs must be protected from predators. Dogs, cats, foxes and birds of prey hunt guinea pigs. Mobile cages can protect grazing guinea pigs.

Unlike rabbits, feral guinea pigs are not a big problem. They don’t eat most native plants and are easily caught by predators. Guinea pigs are also sensitive to heat. They can die of heatstroke at temperatures over 30˚C. 

Female: Hen

Male: Tom

Young: Poult

Group: Flock

Incubation period: 28 days

Number of offspring: 8–16

Period with parents: 1 year

Breeding age: 32 weeks

Life expectancy: 3–9 years

Diet: Grain, plants, insects

Products and uses: Meat, eggs

Domestic turkeys are related to guinea fowl, peafowl and the wild turkeys of America. Wild Australian Brush Turkeys are not closely related to these species.

Domestic turkeys have been bred to produce more meat than their wild relatives. Their heavy breast prevents real flight, although some turkeys can make it over a low fence.

Turkeys make a range of sounds to communicate. This includes yelps, clucks, chirps, purrs and cackles. Male turkeys also make a ‘gobble’ sound’, puff up their bodies and spread their tail feathers. They do this to attract females or display aggression to their enemies.

The flap of skin that hangs over the male turkey’s beak is called a snood. The skin under his chin is called a wattle. Turkeys retract the snood to form a small bulb at the top of their beak when they are relaxed or eating.

Grey skin on the throat and head of a turkey can change colour. It moves through shades of red, white and blue when the bird becomes upset or excited.

Turkeys and the environment

Intensive turkey farming causes welfare and environmental problems. Crowded conditions also lead to the growth of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Nutrient runoff and noxious gasses produced by these farms are harmful to the air and waterways.

Sustainable turkey farmers raise slower-growing breeds on large pastures. They use humane end-of-life methods.

To find turkey meat that is ethical, look for Certified Organic, Humane Choice, FREPA or RSPCA approved labels. Be careful of label claims like “free range”. They can be inconsistent, so check credible certifications when buying.

Female: Hen

Male: Rooster

Young: Chick

Group: Flock

Incubation period: 21 days

Number of offspring: 8–13

Period with parents: 6 weeks

Breeding age: 20–24 weeks

Life expectancy: 5–10 years

Diet: Grains (including shell grit), seeds, grass, plants, insects, worms, snails.

Products and uses: Eggs, meat, manure

Chickens were most likely domesticated from the Red Jungle Fowl of Southeast Asia. There are thought to be over 25 billion chickens in the world now, making them the most common bird.

Chickens can be bred to produce meat (broiler chickens) or lay eggs (layer hens). Some breeds can lay up to 320 eggs per year.

There are many heritage breeds of chicken that are important for genetic diversity. Heritage chickens often live longer than modern breeds. They are more resilient to disease and extreme temperatures. They tend to be better at finding food too and are naturally great mothers.

The fleshy crest on a chicken’s head is called a comb. The skin that dangles under their beak is a wattle. The comb and wattle help chickens cool down in summer. They are bigger in roosters.

A rooster’s crow is a territorial signal to other roosters. It can be heard at any time of day or night.

Chickens and the environment

Large-scale factory farms often keep chickens crowded together. In these settings, welfare is poor and diseases spread easily. There is widespread use of antibiotics. This is making some bacteria antibiotic-resistant, which threatens our health. 

Emissions and nutrient runoff from factory farms can pollute air, water and soil.

Well-managed free-range systems can reduce these risks. They could replace factory farms if we eat a bit less chicken and eggs. Free range chickens are great gardeners, scratching up weeds and scattering manure. Moving them from field to field in chook tractors can help farmers till and fertilise their land.

Look for labels such as Humane Choice, FREPA, PROOF and Certified Organic. Check the number of chickens per hectare on Free Range eggs too. Welfare groups recommend 1500 or less.

Female: Hen

Male: Rooster

Young: Keet

Group: Flock

Gestation period: 26–28 days

Number of offspring: 20–30

Period with parents: 4 weeks

Breeding age: 11 months

Life expectancy: 4–7 years

Diet: Insects and seeds

Products and uses: Eggs, meat

Guinea fowl came from Africa and are related to turkeys and peafowl.

Female guinea fowl make a two-syllable cry that sounds like 'buckwheat'. The males make a one syllable cry.

Guinea fowl are territorial and very watchful. They make loud persistent cries to warn of danger, making them great guard animals.

Guinea fowl mate for life, are very social and hate to be alone.

Guinea hens lay their eggs in shared hidden ground nests. When there are 25 to 30 eggs in the nest, one or two hens will incubate and hatch all the eggs.

Young keets don’t cope well with damp and often die from following their mothers through wet grass. After about 4 weeks though they become extremely hardy.

Guinea fowl are farmed for their meat, which is nutrient-rich, low fat and low cholesterol. It’s a healthier choice than other poultry meats. Guinea fowl also produce eggs in the warmer months.

Guinea fowl and the environment

Guinea fowl are robust birds, resistant to disease and extreme temperatures. They are better at adapting to the effects of climate change than other poultry.

Free range guinea fowl can forage for most of their own food, so they don’t need as much extra feed as other poultry. While foraging, they fertilise and aerate the soil.

Guinea fowl also eat ticks and weed seeds. They help to control pests without using chemicals.

Female: Drake

Male: Hen

Young: Duckling

Group: Flock

Incubation period: 28 days

Number of offspring: 9–11

Period with parents: 8 weeks

Breeding age:

• Female: 20–24 weeks
• Male: 5–6 months

Life expectancy: 7–10 years

Diet: Grasses, grains, plants, fish, aquatic plants, insects

Products and uses: Eggs, meat, feathers

Ducks are water birds related to swans and geese. Most domestic breeds are descended from wild Mallard Ducks. The Muscovy is an unusual domestic duck with a distinctive lumpy red face. It is not closely related to other duck breeds.

Australia has 11 breeds of native duck. Some nest in tree hollows and their ducklings must leap to the ground when they are ready to leave the nest!

You can tell the sex of a duck by their voice. Females have a loud quack while males have a raspy quiet quack. Adult males also have curled tail feathers.

Unlike humans, ducks can keep warm in cold water by transferring heat from their legs to their body. This process is called ‘counter current heat exchange’. Other waterbirds do this too.

Ducks produce oil to make their outer feathers waterproof. The fluffy down feathers underneath are the original puffer jackets! They trap warmth against the ducks’ skin.

Ducks breed around water and love to swim! Domestic ducks need clean water in a large vessel to clean their feathers and nostrils. Small ponds like kiddie pools or plastic clam shells are ideal.

Ducks and the environment

Large-scale duck farms release greenhouse gas and nutrient runoff. They pollute the air and waterways.

Ducks can be farmed more sustainably in integrated systems, like rice paddies. These ducks live a more natural life on the water. Their rich manure fertilises the rice crop. They also eat weeds and insect pests.

Seasonal duck hunting is legal in many Australian states. Supporters say that it helps to manage abundant waterfowl populations. The practice is controversial though. Poor hunting techniques cause unnecessary suffering to ducks and disturb breeding waterbirds. Some threatened species are killed every year. Native predators like eagles, snakes and quolls rely on native ducks.