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Alexander Skeels, Postdoctoral Researcher, Macroevolution and Macroecology Group, Australian National University

Why are there hopping mice in Australia but no kangaroos in Asia? It's a long story

The frill-necked lizard is one of many land animals that reached Australia from Southeast Asia. Damien Esquerré, Author provided

The animals in Australia are super-different to those in Asia. This goes without saying; we know Australia is full of weird and wonderful creatures found nowhere else on Earth, such as the platypus and the koala.

But it may surprise you to know that many of our most iconic critters came from Asia and arrived only recently (in geological terms, at least).

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