Native Fauna
The Murray-Darling Basin has many native fauna species. These are estimated to include:
367 Birds (35 endangered)
100 Lizards (1 endangered)
85 Mammals (20 extinct, 16 endangered)
53 Frogs
46 Snakes (5 endangered)
5 Tortoises
34 Fish
Although some have become extinct and others are threatened, the biodiversity of the region makes it one of Australia's most important
Birds
Many of the birds in the Murray Darling Basin are waterbirds, which follow floods as Australia lacks any permanent lakes. Waterbirds are attracted to the food source provided after flood.
Table 2: The more common native waterbirds species of The Murray-Darling Basin. | Scientific Family name | Common names | Species | | Podicipedidae | Grebes | 3 | | Pelecanidae | Pelicans | 1 | | Anhingidae | Darters | 1 | | Phalacroacidae | Cormorant | 4 | | Arderidae | Herons, egret, bitterns | 10 | | Plataleidae | Ibis,spoonbills | 5 | | Anatidate | Duck, geese, swans | 16 | | Gruidae | Cranes | 1 | | Rallidae | Rails, Crakes, water herns, coots | 8 | | Charadriidae | Plovers, dotterels | 6 | | Rostratulidae | Painted snipe | 1 | | Scolopacidate | Curlews, snipes, sandpipers, stints | ~11 | | Recurvirostridae | Avocets, stilts | 3 | | Laridae | Gulls, terns | 4 | Other birds found in the basin are: | Superb parrot (Polytelis swainsonii)
The Superb parrot (Polytelis swainsonii). This magnificent parrot, also known as the Barraband of Green leek, has a restricted range, centred on the floodplain woodlands of the Riverina. During winter, birds migrate as far north as the Castlereagh and Namoi Valleys. | 
| Yellow Rosella (Platycercus flaveolus)
The Yellow Rosella (Platycercus flaveolus) also known as the Murray smoker or Murrumbidgee Lowry. This Parrot is found in the floodplain forests along the mid-Murray, and especially the Edward-Wakool system, and along the lower Murrumbidgee, Lachlan and Darling rivers.
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| Red-tailed Black Cockatoo
(Calytorhynchus magnificus samueli)
These magnificent birds are found are found along the floodplain of the Darling-Barwon river, and the lower reaches of its tributaries, from Menindee to Queensland. | 
| Regent Honeyeater (Xanthomyza phrygia)
A nomadic bird that is numerous along the western slopes of the Great Dividing Range also found in the east and south east of the Murray-Darling Basin. It has suffered a marked decline since the early 1900s. |  | Barking Owl (Ninox connivens)
Occurs throughout the Murray-Darling Basin, but is not common. Pairs maintain specific territories and prey on birds, small mammals and insects. | 
| Superb Fairywren (Malurus cyaneus)
A familiar bird in gardens in the southern and eastern parts of the basin. Adult males have blue plumage and females and immature males are brown. | 
| Spotted Bowerbird (Chamydera maculata)
Common in the drier parts of the Murray Darling Basin it constructs an avenue type bower with walls of grass up to 50 cm high. | 
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<Top of Page> Snakes and Lizards Most snakes and lizards in the Murray-Darling Basin do not depend on aquatic environments. A small number of species exploit the rich food supplies of the floodplain and wetland habitats. The red-bellied black snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus) and the tiger snake (Notechis scutatus) are often found around wetlands and feed on the large frog populations. Other species of snakes may move into wetlands in drier times.
Two of the more common species of lizards found in the Basin are the eastern water skink (Eulamprus quoyii) and the eastern water dragon (Physignathus lesuerii). These lizards can be found in semi-permanent aquatic habitats. Hunting for there prey along the riverbanks.
Other lizards include two species of goanna, the sand monitor (Varanus gouldii) and the lace monitor (Varanus varius). Again these much larger lizards use the riverbanks for hunting insects, other lizards and small mammals. | 
Water Dragon
Monitor
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Mammals Common mammals found in the Murray-Darling Basin are Kangaroos, wombats, possums and bats. Others include:
Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus)
In the Murray-Darling Basin platypus are most common in the headwaters of rivers and streams along the Great Dividing Range. The species becomes rare or absent on the western plains, although occasional sightings have been reported along the lower reaches of the Murrumbidgee River and along the Murray River as far west as Renmark in South Australia.
Platypus live in fairly shallow rivers and streams with relativity steep earth banks consolidated by native vegetation. They prefer rivers with aquatic plants and also logs to support the invertebrates that are their main food source. | 
| Water Rat (Hydromys chrysogaster)
The water rat is found in permanent water bodies across a range of habitats in the Murray-Darling Basin. It is adapted to aquatic life as it has partially webbed hind feet and its fur repels water. It is the only amphibious Australian mammal other then the platypus. Water rats generally feed on large aquatic insects, fish, crustaceans and mussels. However their diet has known to include frogs, lizards and small mammals. | | The Pilliga Mouse (Pseudomys pilligaensis)
The Pilliga Mouse was first identified in 1975 and has a very restricted distribution. It is known only from the Pilliga Scrub near Narrabri in NSW. It has been found in mixed Cypress/Eucalypt forest and woodland. The mice have a head and body length of around 70 mm and a tail almost as long again. The Pilliga mouse is on the vulnerable species list. | 
| Mountain Pygmy Possum (Burramys parvus)
The Mountain Pygmy Possum is the only Australian marsupial restricted to alpine regions. It occurs in small areas above the snowline on Mt Kosciusko, Mt Bogong and Mt Hotham. It is confined to rock screes and boulderfields, usually associated with Mountain Plum-pine heathland. While eating habits of pygmy possum are diverse, the diversity of prey is low, making pygmy possum a specialised feeder, according to the season. It is currently classified as vulnerable in Australia with Victorian populations being threatened and the NSW population being endangered. |
| Squirrel Glider (Petaurus norfolcensis)
The Squirrel Glider weighs about 250 gms, and measures between 400 and 530 mm in length. They are similar to sugar gliders (Petaurus breviceps) in general appearance, but are twice as large. The squirrel Glider inhabits forest and woodland areas and eats pollen, nectar, sap, gum and insects. | 
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Frogs
In the Murray-Darling Basin there are more than 50 species of frogs. These inhabit temporary or permanent waterholes and wetlands.
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| The Corroboree Frog (Pseudophryne corroboree) is Australia’s most attractive frog. It lives in the moist forests and wetlands of the high country from the Snowy Mountains to the Australian Capital Territory. | Other frogs are found living in the wetlands and billabongs along the riverine floodplains. Peron’s tree frog (litoria peronii) lives in low-lying areas inundated by summer rains during breeding and out of breeding season spends its time siting under the bark of trees and foraging at night.
The Spotted marsh frog (Limnodynastes tasmaniensis) one of the most common frogs found in the Basin and the Barking marsh frog (Limnodynastes flecheri) shelter under rocks and logs. They breed after rain in sedges and rushes next to waterholes and hide among the leaf litter.
| Frogs are also found in the semi-arid to arid region of the Murray-Darling Basin. The Giant banjo frog (Limnodynastes interioris) found in New South Wales and Victoria and the Water-holding frog (Cyclorana platycephala) can live up to a metre below the surface, waiting for the next flood event, when they reappear to breed. |  | Suitable habitats for frogs are being lost through the regulations of rivers (which reduces the frequency of flooding), the construction of levees on the floodplain, the reclaimation of wetlands for agricultural production and the grazing of riparian vegetation by cattle. However, rural developments in some cases have created new habitats with the construction of permanent water storages and farm dams providing that fringing vegetation is also present. Changes in water quality in the basin may also be affecting frog populations. For example frogs are very sensitive to pesticides, as these may be absorbed through their highly porous skin.
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Tortoises
Tortoises are found throughout the Murray-Darling Basin apart from some upland areas. The Broad-shelled tortoise (Chelodina expansa), the Long neck tortoise (Chelodina longicollis) and the Short-necked tortoise (Emmydura macquarii) are the three most common tortoises within the Basin.
The Broad-shelled tortoise is a large tortoise and is characterised by an extremely long neck and flattened head. It is mostly a river tortoise but does also inhabit permanent water holes close to the river. It feeds on yabbies, fish and other prey and uses its long neck to strike the prey as it passes by. | The long-necked tortoise is widespread throughout eastern Australia. It lives in most water bodies including creeks, billabongs, farm dams and swamps. It feeds on small invertebrates, as it is generally not quick enough to catch larger prey such as fish or shrimp. |  | | The short-necked tortoise inhabits the main river and deep permanent waterholes on the floodplain. It feeds on aquatic plants, algae, detritus and aquatic macro-invertebrates. |  |
Tortoises usually live for about 20 years and are well adapted to the range of climatic conditions that occur with in the Murray-Darling Basin.<Top of Page>
Fish
In comparison to other major river systems, the fish species diversity in the Murray-Darling Basin is very low. Fish play an important role in freshwater ecosystems, such as exploiting many food resources and also providing prey for birds, reptiles and mammals.
Over the last 100 years the abundance and distribution of native fish in the basin have declined. This decline has been attributed to a range of factors including general habitat degradation, disease and competition from introduced fish.
The best known fish in the Murray-Darling Basin are the Murray Cod, golden and silver perch, freshwater catfish, bony bream and the river black fish.
| Murray Cod (Maccullochella peeli)
The Murray Cod is the most sought after of the native fish. It is one of the world’s largest freshwater species.
In the past 40 years Murray Cod numbers have declined and research is currently being undertaken on ways to re-establish larger populations.
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| Callop or Golden Perch (Macquaria ambigua)
Callop is the most important fish species in economic terms and human consumption. It is a migratory fish whose movements has been restricted by weirs and other barriers | |
| Silver Perch (Bidyanus bidyanus)
Sliver perch are found throughout the River Murray but not commonly caught. They are used widely in aquaculture in Australia. However silver perch are fully protected and should be returned to the water immediately. | |
| Bony bream (Nematalosa erebi)
Bony bream are found throughout the Murray system. They can tolerate salty conditions and occur in large numbers in Lake Albert and Lake Alexandrina, and near the Murray Mouth. Bony bream are used for pet food, crayfish bait and fish meal and are not good eating due to their many bones. | |
| Catfish (Tandanus tandanus)
Once common in the mid and lower reaches of the Murray-Darling Basin rivers, populations of this territorial fish have declined in recent years. They are essentially a bottom feeder and prefer shrimps, yabbies, insects and snails. | | 
| Murray River crayfish or spiny lobster (Euastacys armatus)
Murray River crayfish is the second largest freshwater crayfish in the world. It is found in the upper reaches of the Murray and Murrumbidgee rivers and their tributaries. |
Table 1: Threatened native freshwater fish species of the Murray-Darling Basin
| Common name | Status | Recorded | | Silver perch | Vulnerable | Murray, Darling | | Murray jollytail | Vulnerable | - | | Darling River hardyhead | Vulnerable | - | | Murray hardyhead | Endangered | Murray | | Barred galaxias | Endangered | - | | Trout cod | Endangered | - | | Purple-spotted gudgeon | Endangered | - | | Macquarie perch | Data deficient | Murray | <Top of Page> Photos and content source from the Murray-Darling Basin Commission
Pictures by artist Marjorie Crosby-Fairall |
