Date of Issue : 1 July 2011
Australia Post issued a set of five stamps on Australia's most popular native baby animals The animals featured on the stamps are a bilby, dingo, kangaroo, koala and sugar glider.
This issue also includes five stamp and coin covers, each depicting a different baby animal. These special covers feature an exclusive $1.00 aluminium-bronze coin from the Perth Mint.A set of beautiful maxicards has also been issued.
The Bilby (Macrotis lagotis) is a nocturnal marsupial with distinctive rabbit-like ears, greyish fur and a beautiful bushy black tail with a white tip. It survives on a diet of seeds, grubs, bulbs, fruit and insects. Bilby babies stay in the pouch for about 80 days.
The Dingo (Canis lupus dingo) is Australia's native dog. It is typically ginger in colour although some dingos are black and tan. While the young pups stay with their mother while learning the art of hunting, they usually live in packs which help rear them. Unlike other dogs it does not bark.
The Sugar Glider (Petaurus breviceps) is a shy, small gliding possum found in the forests and woodlands of eastern and southern Australia. It has a membrane extending from its fifth finger to its ankle enabling it to glide between trees using its long bushy tail for stability and steering.
The Kangaroo (Macropus rufus) is probably the most recognisable of all Australian marsupials and the red kangaroo is found on the Australian coat of arms. There are over 60 different species of kangaroo and they live in all areas of Australia. Essentially nocturnal herbivores, kangaroos eat grasses, leaves, fungi and the shoots of small trees and need very little water to survive.
The Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is one of Australia's best known and most loved animals. A mammal not a bear, the koala is found from northern Queensland to southern Victoria and south-eastern South Australia, although habitat destruction through residential development and farming has significantly reduced its distribution. Koalas spend most of their time in eucalypt trees sleeping and feeding.
Maxi Cards
: Australia Post
