I’ve spent the last couple of days on Rottnest Island. Information on the island abounds, so this will just be a brief pictorial overview of my time on the island. I’m heading off to Shark Bay early tomorrow morning.
Rottnest is famous for many things, but none more so than its quokkas (Setonix brachyurus)
Quokka (Setonix brachyurus)
It was these rat-like creatures that earned the island its name. Rottnest supports a population of around 8,000 to 10,000 quokkas. You can see lots of them during the day seeking shelter under low bushes.
Quokka (Setonix brachyurus)
Quokka (Setonix brachyurus)
But it’s during the night when you see just how many quokkas are around. When riding on the roads at night you need to swerve around these stocky marsupials.
Quokka (Setonix brachyurus)
But it’s not all beer and skittles for quokkas, with many dying from lack of food and/or fresh water. Quokka carcasses are not uncommon.
Quokka (Setonix brachyurus)
Rottnest has quite a few reptile species, such the beautiful south-west spiny-tailed gecko (Strophurus spinigerus).
South-west spiny-tailed gecko (Strophurus spinigerus)
South-west spiny-tailed gecko (Strophurus spinigerus)
The island is home to an endemic subspecies of the dugite (a type of brown snake). This is the creature I was most hoping to encounter during my stay, and thankfully on the last day I ran into a couple.
Dugite (Pseudonaja affinis exilis)
Dugite (Pseudonaja affinis exilis)
Dugite (Pseudonaja affinis exilis)
Dugite (Pseudonaja affinis exilis)
I also found a juvenile Burton’s legless lizard (Lialis burtonis) on the last day. He was soaking up some sun in the middle of a road.
Burton’s legless lizard (Lialis burtonis)
And of course there are lots of birds. I’ll ID these when I get some more time.
