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Separated from the Australian mainland by less than 10 miles of ocean, and only a 30-minute flight from Adelaide, Kangaroo Island -- known simply as KI to locals -- is home to a remarkable collection of wildlife, often allowing travelers to get incredibly close to many of the down-under destination's most iconic creatures. Here, a juvenile kangaroo pauses during morning grazing. Photo Credit: Shane Nelson

Although there is evidence that Koalas may have lived on Kangaroo Island thousands of years ago, the species had died out there by the early 20th century. The endangered creatures were reintroduced in the 1920s and have thrived ever since. In 2010, Kangaroo Island was home to more than 13,000. This wild koala snacks on leaves high up in a eucalyptus tree. Photo Credit: Shane Nelson

Mathew Flinders, the first European to explore Kangaroo Island, named the place in 1802 after discovering the remarkably tame kangaroos -- untroubled by people because Aboriginals hadn't lived on the island for thousands of years. Today, travelers visiting in October and early November may spot joeys making their first forays beyond mom's pouch. This joey, pictured at right, still wasn't fully grown, however, in late June. Photo Credit: Shane Nelson

Kangaroo Island is home for over 260 species of birds. Here, a Nankeen Kestrel looks out over native bush covering the southwestern coast. More than a third of the island, which is home to fewer than 5,000 residents, is national park land while half is still covered in native vegetation. Photo Credit: Shane Nelson

A Scarlet Robin peers through the forest of Kangaroo Island. The island is Australia's third largest, covering 1,700 square miles. Photo Credit: Shane Nelson

A popular visitor attraction within Flinders Chase National Park, the Remarkable Rocks date back 500 million years. Made up of black mica, blue quartz and pink feldspar, the granite formation is covered today by orange-colored lichen and has eroded after millennia of rain, wind and pounding surf. Photo Credit: Shane Nelson