Kangaroo Island: the last piece of real Australia where rabbits have not yet reached

Kangaroos are the true owners of this small island located south of Australia, because there are incredibly many of them and their life is not in danger. Kangaroo Island is a real Australian paradise where you can watch many representatives of the unique fauna of the continent, from cockatoos and koalas to penguins and seals. Today we invite you to stroll through the expanses of the island of Kangaroo.

Kangaroo Island is located 13 kilometers from mainland Australia, south of the largest port city of Adelaide. It has a shape stretched from west to east, and its area is 4 405 sq. Km.

Once, here, as throughout the mainland, Australian aborigines lived, but, as research shows, they left the island for some unknown reason around 200 BC. From then until the arrival of the European colonialists, the island belonged only to wild animals, and its modern name Kangaroo Island received in 1802.

Today in the largest city of Kangaroo - Kingscote, only 1,200 people live, and a significant part of the island (about 30%) is given to nature conservation territories. By these measures, the Australian authorities ensure the safety of the animal world, which is almost not affected by human activities. If economic activity is being carried out on the island, it does not have significant proportions that threaten natural ecosystems, and agricultural development and land plowing have affected less than half of the island. Moreover, there are not even rabbits on Kangaroo Island - this “gift” presented by the colonialists to the wild nature of Australia, which has done a lot of trouble on the mainland itself.

The basis of the economy of Kangaroo Island, where no more than 5,000 people live, is sheep farming, as well as the associated production of cheese, wool and meat. The mild maritime climate with warm winters (average temperature of the coldest month is + 11ºС) and non-hot summers makes it possible to grow grapes, as well as bee breeding and honey production. Kangaroo Island is very attractive for tourists who enjoy visiting the national parks of a unique island.

The largest natural reserve of the island is the Flinders Chase National Park, which is located on the southwestern edge of the island and occupies 326 square kilometers. Kangaroos and koalas are abundant here, as well as rare leathery turtles. In addition to animals, tourists are attracted to the national park by bizarre cliffs on the coast, which often become the backdrop for memorable photos.

In addition to the Flinders Chase National Park, in the south of the island of Kangaroo there is a Seal Bay park, as well as three specially protected areas: Gorge des Cazoars, Cape Hanseum and Cape Buguer.

Today on the island you can see hundreds of kangaroos that are not in danger. In the absence of predators and under the protection of humans, these marsupials actively increase their numbers and freely walk around the island. They are not afraid of people and often come close to houses and hotels for tourists. Here you can even meet and koalas and kangaroos, who are not averse to communicate with people.

Today, Kangaroo Island is often visited by tourists who want to touch the pristine Australian nature. Good-natured hosts sheltered on the island of koalas, wombats, echidnas, seals, cockatoo and even dwarf penguins, so travelers have something to see.