Australian Mammal of the Year Top 5 – you decide who goes!

The spectacled flying-fox hasn’t quite flown high enough this round and didn’t make the final five.

There is some unusual voting for two of our finalists but we are checking the votes to make sure all is fair. Remember this isn’t the favourite mammal of a handful of people so don’t spoil it. 

Now you’ve got just 22 hours to vote for your favourite in the Top 5, after which we’ll remove the lowest-rated mammal, clear the tallies and start again with the Top 4 at the same time tomorrow.

Get behind our mammals and give them a shoutout to your friends to ensure they make it into the next rounds.

In no particular order, here’s our Top 5

Australian fur seal (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus)

Having placed second in “Under the Sea: Marine Marvels”, unlike last year, the Australian fur seal collected enough votes overall to make it to the Top 10. They are the largest of all fur seals in the world, with females weighing 78kg and males 220-360kg.

Dingo (Canis dingo or Canis familiaris)

Our charismatic but controversial canid made it to the Top 10 with 32.6% of the vote in “Snow Patrol: Alpine Adventurers”.

Mountain pygmy possum (Burramys parvus)

The mountain pygmy possum scaled to second position in “Snow Patrol: Alpine Adventurers”, but still managed to receive enough votes overall to secure its spot in the Top 10. Did you know they hibernate for 5-7 months every year under the snow, during which they lose half of their body weight?

Gilbert’s Potoroo (Potorous gilbertii)

The Gilbert’s Potoroo secured 56.5% of support in in “Woodland Wanderers”. After missing from the records for 120 years and thought extinct, they came “back from the dead” when rediscovered in 1994.

Golden-tipped bat (Phoniscus papuensis)

The golden-tipped bat made a glittering impression on voters with 46.1% of the votes in “The Cool South: Forest Fossickers”. They roost in the bottom of suspended bird nests, excising a chamber below the nest where they happily freeload.

How does voting work?

“But how does voting work?” you may ask. Don’t worry, it’s super simple.

Voting has now begun for the Top 5 and will remain open until 10am AEST tomorrow, Sunday 20 August.

Then, at 12pm AEST we’ll announce the mammal that has received the least votes and has been knocked out of the running.

We’ll set the tally back to zero and open up voting for the Top 4 anew. Voting will be open for 22 hours, until 10am AEST the following day.

Then the Top 3 left standing will be announced, and voting will open for the final time, at 12pm AEST Monday 21 August.

We’ll finally put the debate to rest for 2023 and crown Australia’s Mammal of the Year on Thursday 24 August!