Australia may be the smallest continent with only three million square miles. But its island geography also means it’s home to one of the most unique and diverse wildlife populations. In fact, 87% of its mammals, 93% of its reptiles, and 45% of its bird species are endemic to the country and don’t exist anywhere else on the planet.

Wombat

Don’t underestimate the stocky wombats as they waddle through their native Australia. The expert burrowers can move up to three feet of dirt in one night, carve out tunnel systems 650 feet long, and run up to 25 mph. The marsupials are born the size of a jelly bean and crawl into the mother’s pouch, where they stay for 9 to 10 months. Fun fact: Their droppings are cube-shaped.

Koala

Although they’re as cute and cuddly as a teddy bear, koalas aren’t bears — they’re marsupials. And the creatures, which average 20 pounds and can range from 23.5 to 33.5 inches, can be hard to spot since they can sleep 18 to 22 hours a day, high in the branches of the eucalyptus trees — which provide both their shelter and their nourishment. In fact, koalas get everything they need, both food and water, from the eucalyptus leaves. But it does have a major side effect: The leaves are so toxic that their systems crank into overdrive to digest the food, leaving them with little energy to do anything but doze off.

Tasmanian Devil

When Bugs Bunny looked up Tasmanian Devil in the encyclopedia, it said, “A strong murderous beast, jaws as powerful as a steel trap — has ravenous appetite.” But the animal found on Australia’s south island state of Tasmania doesn’t quite destroy everything in its path, as it does on Looney Tunes. In fact, an effort was made in 2010 to rebrand the species’ reputation from its unfair animated depiction. Considered Tasmania’s icon, the furry fellow does emit a foul odor, loud screams, and fierce snarls, giving it an aggressive exterior. But the black-and-white mammals, roughly the size of a raccoon, are actually quite solitary creatures — except when they gather with fellow Tasmanian Devils to feed on carcasses, when the seemingly violent sounds come into play. From 1996 to 2008, a rare cancer killed off much of the population, putting it on the endangered list.

Thorny Devil

There’s another Devil in town — and this Central Australian lizard species called the Thorny Devil definitely has an intimidating presence with its orange, black, and yellow spiky skin and even a fake second head on the back of its neck. Thankfully, they only grow up to about eight inches long and reside in the sandy deserts. While they feed on small black ants, their keratin spikes cleverly serve as a mini aqueduct to funnel the little moisture in the desert air into their mouths so they stay hydrated.

Tiger Quoll

When British explorer Captain James Cook found these marsupial carnivores on Australia’s east coast in 1770, he noted that quoll was its Aboriginal name. Of the four species found in the country, the tiger quoll — also known as the spotted-tailed quoll — is the only one with a pouch. The forest and woodland creature is the largest native carnivore remaining on the mainland.