Daintree Forest is a tropical rainforest located in the state of Queensland, northeastern Australia.
She is unique in many ways.
First of all, by its size: the massif covers 1,200 km², which makes it the largest continuous area of tropical forest in the country.
It is also one of the oldest natural sanctuaries on the planet: it is nearly 125 million years old and is home to primitive species of ferns and flowering plants found nowhere else.
A unique forest in the world
The configuration of the Daintree forest is very particular, it is a wide strip of 10 to 20 km parallel to the Great Barrier Reef.
Between sea and desert, it receives enough rainfall to maintain its incredible biodiversity.
This humid climate is conducive to the growth of ferns and mosses, which here are the most primitive in the world.
In total there are more than 3000 species of plants.
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A rich and diversified fauna
In this dense forest, green all year round, there is exceptional wildlife, just like its habitat.
It is home to almost a third of Australia's species of frogs, reptiles and marsupials, and 90% of its species of bats and butterflies, as well as more than 12,000 species of insects.
The cassowary, a runner bird second only to the ostrich in size, reigns supreme and plays an essential role in its ecosystem: it is the only animal that can disperse seeds over 70 species of fruit trees too large to be swallowed by other frugivores, and therefore contributes to the maintenance of the forest massif.
The saltwater crocodile, which can exceed 6 m in length and weigh 1,200 kg, monitors the mangroves and the Daintree River, feeding on fish,
Muskrat Kangaroo
This small marsupial of 23 cm in length on average is only diurnal.
It lives on the ground, moving like a rabbit, simultaneously stretching its forelimbs then bringing its lower limbs together, and feeds on fallen fruits, seeds and small invertebrates.
Thanks to an opposable finger on its lower limbs, it is able to climb trees;
this physical characteristic seems to indicate that it is a primitive marsupial, as are the scales on its feet and tail.
The blue-backed kingfisher
This small kingfisher, measuring approximately 17 to 19 cm in length, is a particularly colorful bird.
Its back is a deep azure blue, its belly reddish and its legs bright red.
It has a large white patch near each of its eyes, which gives it the appearance of having two large white eyes, thereby scaring off predators.
It feeds on small crustaceans and freshwater fish which it locates from a perch above the water.
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