Perth

29°C

MON

26°
16°

TUE

25°
15°

WED

27°
13°

THU

28°
15°

FRI

27°
15°

SAT

29°
15°

Celsius | Fahrenheit

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> Flora and fauna

Flora and fauna of Rottnest Island

Rottnest Island is a haven for Western Australian flora and fauna, being a protected Class A reserve. It is home to many unusual animals and plants, particularly a small marsupial called the quokka (Setonix brachyurus) which looks like a pint-sized kangaroo and is very popular with the tourists.

To encounter the beautiful and diverse wildlife, all you need to do is take a swim in the ocean or go for a short walk around Western Australia's Rottnest Island.

Quokkas

The quokka is native to Rottnest Island and is found in only a few places in Western Australia - it looks like a pint-sized kangaroo and is very popular with the tourists. View more

Birds

Western Australia's Rottnest Island is home to a great variety of birds, many of which are attracted to the brine shrimp that live in the salt lakes. View more

Reptiles and amphibians

Find out about the twenty-two species of reptiles and amphibians that live on Rottnest Island - much fewer than the ninety kinds that live on the mainland of Western Australia. View more

Plants and wildflowers

Prior to its separation from the mainland of Western Australia, Rottnest Island would have had about 1,500 native species - but after thousands of years of salty water and high winds, only 140 survive today. View more

Marine life

Rottnest Island has a far greater range of marine plants and animals than that of the adjacent mainland coastline of Western Australia, and is second only to Shark Bay World Heritage Area in species diversity. View more

Observe the quokka in its natural Rottnest Island habitat

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Native plants and wildflowers of Rottnest Island