For the last two years I’ve been involved in some survey work up in the far north-western corner of Queensland. In November of this year I undertook what will probably be my final survey in the area. I didn’t get any new repticks on my last trip, so I didn’t have high hopes for this trip. But I shouldn’t have thought so highly of myself. I should have known that Mother Nature always has something up her sleeve. I ended up getting one new mammal tick (a bat, Nyctophilus daedalos) and one new reptile tick (Egernia hosmeri). We were there as the first storms of the Wet Season were rolling in, providing us with some spectacular displays of an evening.
The Wet Season rolls in.
Star trail.
Northern soil-crevice skink (Proablepharus tenuis).
Stripe-headed finesnout ctenotus (Ctenotus striaticeps).
Stripe-headed finesnout ctenotus (Ctenotus striaticeps).
Straight-browed ctenotus (Ctenotus spaldingi).
Hosmer’s skink (Egernia hosmeri).
Ring-tailed dragon (Ctenophorus caudicinctus) perched on a bucket. He was hanging around our campsite for a bit..
Frill-necked dragon (Chlamydosaurus kingii).
Mertens’ water monitor (Varanus mertensi).
Little spotted snake (Suta punctata).
Olive python (Liasis olivaceus).
Little red flying-fox (Pteropus scapulatus).
Common rock-rat (Zyzomys argurus).
Hoary wattled bat (Chalinolobus nigrogriseus).
Inland cave bat (Vespadelus finlaysoni).
Little broad-nosed bat (Scotorepens greyii).
Leaden flycatcher (Myiagra rubecula).
Reptick:
Egernia hosmeri
Some brilliant photography… Thank you!
I would be interested if you published information about how the cane toads are effecting the wildlife in the Gulf country.
Hi Rob!
No, we didn’t. There were lots of toads up there, but we didn’t see any direct impacts (i.e., dead animals with toads in their mouths). The toads had also been up there long before we started working, so we had no opportunities to do before–after comparisons.
Stewart
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