Australia 2008 mammals page 1

Australia is well-known for its impressive and distinctive mammals, particularly the monotremes and the marsupials. We visited three far-flung and distinctive areas of Australia in August 2008, during the austral winter, and made an effort to see what could be seen in our timeframe:

ten days in the extreme southwest, between Perth and Albany, primarily in eucalypt woodlands and coastal heath
five days in the Red Centre of Australia, including the west MacDonnell Range and Alice Springs, and a drive to Uluru [Ayers Rock]
a day + 2 nights in Tasmania, around the Hobart vicinity

During this time we tallied 18 native mammals, excluding an unidentified rat (or antechinus?) and an unidentified bat, and many non-native European Rabbit [this includes two species that Rita saw which I missed]

We began our trip in the extensive remnants of wondoo eucalypt woodlands in Dryandra Woodlands reserve (above), ~4 hours drive southeast of Perth, near the wheat country town of Narrogin. The conspicuous mammal at dusk and dawn is Western Gray Kangaroo Macropus fulginosus (right). Night drives also produced singles of Tammar Wallaby Macropus eugenii, Brush-tailed Bettong [Woylie] Bettongia penicillata, and Common Brushtail Possum Trichosurus vulpecula (a unique form with white-tipped tail is here), plus two unidentified rats [or were they antechinus?] and an unidentified small bat.

During our 3 days at Dryandra, we came upon 13 different individual Short-beaked Echidna Tachyglossus aculeatus (right & below). This seemed like an enormous number of these usually difficult-to-see monotremes, but apparently they are known to appear on late-winter days. Many were digging in rotten logs or the earth, searching for ants, termites, and beetle grubs.

The absolute highlight of the trip — indeed, our primary goal for the vacation — was this Numbat (left). We had planned three days in search of this elusive and endangered mammal, and finally found this one on our 17th hour of the search, on the final afternoon. More of the story, and more photos, are on a separate Numbat page.

We later watched a captive Numbat in a large enclosure at the Alice Springs Desert Park. We especially recommend that outdoor zoo for its amazing nocturnal house, where lighting has modified the times of day and night, and one can see some great nocturnal mammals up close.

At dusk one evening, we arrived at the entrance to Barna Mia (above) for a pre-booked, privately guided walk into the huge multi-acre enclosure to look for some of Australia's most endangered mammals. A breeding program here, behind the fox-proof fence, is showing signs of success.

Our guide led us to three feeding stations, and used a red spotlight to show us the mammals. Here (right) two eager Boodies [Burrowing Bettong Bettongia lesueur] bound around Rita's feet as we start to set up tripods at the first feeding station.

Our guide uses a bright red-light spotlight, which the mammals do not see as 'light,' permitting close views. No flash photography is permitted, so all my shots are are with a camera on a tripod in the red spot (below left). The rarest beast present was Bilby Macrotis lagotis (below, both photos). It is now endangered and restricted to the most remote deserts of western Australia. It shelters in a long burrow system during the day, venturing out only at night. They were once native to the Dryandra region, and it is hoped they can be re-introduced.

Woylie [Brush-tailed Bettong Bettongia penicillata], below left, specializes on underground fungi in the wild. So there's a shitake mushroom in the food tray. Boodie [Burrowing Bettong], below right, prefers the rabbit-food pellets.

Watching the Brush-tailed Bettong [Woylie] inside the Barna Mia enclosure enabled us to become familiar with it, and helped us recognize a wild one bounding across the road during our drive out of the woodlands later that evening.