D: Diprodons

The Diprotodon was the first fossil mammal found in Australia. It is one of our megafauna. It is often referred to as the Giant Wombat. Naracoorte Caves in South Australia are World Heritage Listed and one of the world’s most significant fossil sites. Many bones from the Diprotodon as well as other megafauna have been found in these caves. When we visited we saw some that were being excavated by scientists, which was fascinating.

It has been said that the Diprotodon is the largest marsupial that ever existed. Looking at the Diprotodon head and jaw fossil at Naracoorte Caves was amazing. I still can’t get my head around animals this size roaming around our country. The Diprotodon fossil at Naracoorte was collected in South Australia in1890’s. Diproptodons weighed 2500 kilograms and became extinct about 45,000 years.

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