Australia and New Zealand are two countries in the Southern Hemisphere. These countries have a variety of geographic regions. They also have many ecosystems. An ecosystem is an area where plants, animals, and the environment interact. Let’s take a closer look!
Both Australia and New Zealand are surrounded by water. But New Zealand is an island nation while Australia is a continent! New Zealand is made up of two large islands and hundreds of small islands. Australia is the sixth-largest country in the world by area. The country has thousands of islands, including Tasmania.
The climate of New Zealand is mild to cold. The temperature can change suddenly throughout the day. New Zealand has plains, forests, and mountains. Australia has many climates. It has deserts and tropics. It also has places with mild temperatures. The climates of both countries create different ecosystems. Many kinds of plants and animals are found in these ecosystems.
The northeast coast of Australia has lots of coral. Coral lives underwater. It looks like a plant. But it is a living animal. Coral lives in a colony called a reef. Australia also has kangaroos. Kangaroos are mammals that jump to get around. They can live in deserts and plains. Australia also has koalas. Koalas are found in forests. They like to live in trees.
New Zealand is home to many kinds of birds. Some of these birds can only be found in New Zealand. One of them is the kiwi. The kiwi has a long beak. Although it is a bird, the kiwi does not fly. It lives in forests. New Zealand also has penguins. There are more kinds of penguins in New Zealand than anywhere on Earth! Dolphins and seals also live off the coast.
People live in New Zealand and Australia, too. They live in cities and in less populated places. No matter where they live, people interact with ecosystems. People’s actions can help or hurt the world around them. Sometimes people change the land around them. This can cause animals to lose their homes. But people can also help protect animals and ecosystems. Many people in Australia and New Zealand are working to make a difference!
What Do You Think? What animal or ecosystem would you like to learn more about? Why?
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