Wildlife of
South Australia

Main inland biome: dune fields, gibber (stony) plains, saltbush and bluebush shrublands, and big temporary salt lakes (e.g., Lake Eyre Basin margins). Plants and animals are adapted to drought and quickly respond to rare rains.

~70-80% of the state; extensive inland and western/northern regions.

Mediterranean-climate zones in the southern settled belt support mallee, heathy shrublands and eucalypt woodlands, with higher-diversity remnants in ranges and on Kangaroo Island. Fire regimes and fragmentation from agriculture strongly influence ecosystem structure.

~10-15%; Eyre/Yorke Peninsulas, Mount Lofty Ranges-Adelaide region, Fleurieu Peninsula, parts of Kangaroo Island.

Temperate grasslands and open grassy woodlands occur especially in the south-east and parts of the agricultural belt, often heavily modified and now largely present as fragments, road verges, and pastoral landscapes with native understorey remnants.

~5-10%; south-east (Limestone Coast) and southern inland transition zones.

Patchy temperate forests/closed woodlands occur where rainfall is higher, including stringybark and other eucalypt-dominated forests in the Mount Lofty Ranges, parts of the south-east, and Kangaroo Island; many stands are remnant or regenerating.

Small, discontinuous (<5%); wetter uplands and coastal pockets in the south and south-east.

Freshwater ecosystems are limited and often seasonal: the lower Murray River and associated wetlands, mound springs in the arid zone, and freshwater lenses/springs supporting localized aquatic biota; many inland systems are episodic rather than permanent.

Low areal extent but ecologically important; concentrated along the River Murray and scattered springs/soaks inland.

Includes internationally significant saline and brackish wetlands (Coorong lagoons), estuarine marshes, inland claypans and flooded gibber flats after rains, and coastal saltmarsh/mangrove complexes around gulfs.

Patchy; major complexes at the Murray Mouth/Coorong, Spencer Gulf/Gulf St Vincent shorelines, and episodic inland basins.

Temperate marine ecosystems of the Great Australian Bight and the two gulfs: high endemism on temperate reefs, extensive seagrass meadows, sponge gardens, and productive shelf waters supporting seals, dolphins, seabirds and major fisheries.

All coastal waters; strongest expression along the Great Australian Bight shelf and within Spencer Gulf/Gulf St Vincent.

Great Victoria Desert margins and other inland deserts with dunes, swales, spinifex and low shrublands; includes vast salt-lake landscapes (e.g., Lake Gairdner/Lake Torrens systems).

Chenopod shrublands (saltbush/bluebush) and arid shrub mosaics across pastoral zones; key for arid-zone mammals, reptiles and nomadic birds after rain.

Native grasslands and grassy woodland understoreys in the south-east and agricultural belt, often fragmented but important for ground-foraging birds and seasonal wildflowers.

Mallee and open eucalypt woodlands on Eyre and Yorke Peninsulas and in the Murraylands; many areas persist as large blocks of mallee with high bird and reptile diversity.

Heavier-cover eucalypt forests in wetter southern areas (Mount Lofty Ranges, parts of the Limestone Coast, Kangaroo Island), including conservation-significant remnants among agricultural land uses.

Flinders Ranges and associated uplands: rugged terrain with gorges and elevational gradients supporting distinctive plant communities and refugia for wildlife during drought.

Great Australian Bight coastal cliffs (including Nullarbor coast) provide nesting/roosting habitat for seabirds and are adjacent to productive nearshore waters.

Naracoorte caves and karst systems in the Limestone Coast: subterranean habitats and globally important fossil deposits; associated with groundwater-fed ecosystems.

Large mostly saline or ephemeral lakes (Lake Eyre fringe within SA, Lake Torrens, Lake Gairdner) plus smaller freshwater/perched lakes in the south-east; boom-bust dynamics for waterbirds.

The River Murray and tributary/anabranch networks: riparian woodlands, billabongs and floodplain habitats underpin major freshwater biodiversity and waterbird corridors.

Coorong lagoons, floodplain wetlands along the lower Murray, inland claypans, and coastal saltmarsh systems; many are highly seasonal and sensitive to water allocation and salinity.

Freshwater swamps and peat-influenced wet areas in the Limestone Coast (e.g., Bool Lagoon complex), supporting amphibians, waterbirds and dense emergent vegetation.

Coastal and estuarine marshes (saltmarsh) around Spencer Gulf and Gulf St Vincent, often grading into mangroves and tidal flats.

Avicennia marina mangrove stands in sheltered gulf environments (e.g., near Adelaide's Port River-Barker Inlet and upper Spencer Gulf), important for shoreline stability and juvenile fish habitat.

Murray Mouth estuary and associated tidal channels, plus smaller estuarine inlets along the gulfs; strong salinity gradients and crucial nursery function.

Long temperate coastline spanning high-energy Bight shores to sheltered gulf embayments; includes dune systems, headlands and extensive seagrass shallows.

Sandy beaches and dune fields along the Bight and peninsula coasts; key nesting and foraging areas for shorebirds and coastal invertebrates.

Rocky headlands and intertidal reefs common on southern coasts and around Kangaroo Island, supporting diverse temperate intertidal communities.

Temperate reef kelp and macroalgal communities in cooler, clearer waters (notably around Kangaroo Island and parts of the southern coastline), supporting high endemism.

Offshore waters of the Great Australian Bight used by seabirds, tuna and marine mammals; productivity influenced by shelf processes and seasonal conditions.

Deep slope and basin environments beyond the continental shelf in the Bight region, with cold-water communities and low-light ecosystems.

Extensive continental shelf seabed habitats (sand, gravel, reef and sponge grounds) in the Bight and gulfs; important for demersal fish and invertebrates.

Broadacre cropping and grazing (wheat-sheep belt), plus viticulture (Barossa, McLaren Vale, Clare) and irrigated horticulture along the Murray; major driver of habitat fragmentation in the south.

Softwood plantations concentrated in the south-east (Limestone Coast/Green Triangle fringe), embedded within remnant native vegetation networks.

Adelaide metropolitan area and regional centers, with urban coastal interfaces, modified waterways, and peri-urban conservation reserves.

Expanding peri-urban zones around Adelaide and major towns where remnant woodlands, creeks and coastal dunes interface with housing and recreation.