Fauna is vital to our local biodiversity and contribute greatly to our quality of life. They are indicators of healthy ecosystems and also play an important role in their ongoing sustainability by acting as predators, managing vegetation growth, providing food and recycling organic matter.
The Adelaide Hills region is home to a large variety of native animals (fauna), some of which are endangered and other that have already become extinct.
There are many different fauna in the Adelaide Hills region. Find out more about some of the below.
Six species, including the state rare Brown Toadlet (Pseudophryne bibronii) and the regionally rated Brown Tree Frog (Litoria ewingii) and the Burrowing Frog (Neobatrachus pictus).
Twenty-five native and 13 exotic species. These include eight nationally threatened species (five regionally extinct); the Southern Brown Bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus obesulus), the recently colonising Grey-headed Flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) and the vagrant species Southern bent-wing bat (Miniopterus orianae bassanii); five state rated species (three regionally extinct), Common Brushtail Possum (Trichosurus vulpecula) and the Yellow-footed Antechinus (Antechinus flavipes); and seven regionally threatened species (one regionally extinct), including the Bush Rat (Rattus fuscipes), Common Ringtail Possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus), Euro (Macropus robustus), Short-beaked Echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus), Water Rat (Hydromys chrysogaster) and Western Pygmy-possum (Cercartetus concinnus).
Forty native and one exotic species. These include one nationally threatened species; the Flinders Worm-lizard (Aprasia pseudopulchella); five state rated species, Cunningham's Skink (Egernia cunninghami), Heath Goanna (Varanus rosenbergi) and the Macquarie Tortoise (Emydura macquarii); and 21 regionally threatened species (one regionally extinct), which include the Bynoe's Gecko (Heteronotia binoei), Dwarf Skink (Menetia greyii), Eastern Bearded Dragon (Pogona barbata), Eastern Tiger Snake (Notechis scutatus scutatus) and the Pygmy Copperhead (Austrelaps labialis).
211 native and 11 exotic species. These include seven nationally threatened species (three regionally extinct); the Endangered Australasian Bittern (Botaurus poiciloptilus), Bassian Thrush (Zoothera lunulata halmaturina) and the migratory Australian Painted-snipe (Rostratula australis); 34 state rated species (five regionally extinct) including Chestnut-rumped Heathwren (Calamanthus (Hylacola) pyrrhopygius parkeri), Beautiful Firetail (Stagonopleura bella), Hooded Robin (Melanodryas cucullata cucullata), Jacky Winter (Microeca fascinans fascinans), Restless Flycatcher (Myiagra inquieta), Crested Shrike-tit (Falcunculus frontatus frontatus), Black-chinned Honeyeater (Melithreptus gularis gularis), Scarlet Robin (Petroica boodang boodang), Diamond Firetail (Stagonopleura guttata), Yellow-tailed Black Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus funereus); and 84 regionally rated species (two regionally extinct).
Eleven native and five exotic species. These include two nationally threatened species; the Murray Hardyhead (Craterocephalus fluviatilis) and Yarra Pygmy Perch (Nannoperca obscura); and eight regionally rated species, including the Climbing Galaxias (Galaxias brevipinnis), Congolli (Pseudaphritis urvillii), Dwarf Flathead Gudgeon (Philypnodon macrostomus) and the Mountain Galaxias (Galaxias olidus).