Wildlife of Australia

Platypus

Habitat and Behaviour

The Platypus is a shy, semi-aquatic mammal found only in eastern Australia, where they live on the edges of rivers and freshwater lakes where burrows can be dug.

The best streams are ones where the banks are strong enough for building their deep burrows, and often these banks overhang the river. During the day, a Platypus often rests in this burrow, but it may spend some hours near the entrance to the burrow, basking in the sun and grooming its dense fur. But Platypuses (or platypi) are most active for several hours after dusk and before dawn. Platypuses are renound for their excellence in the water as both a diver and swimmer.

Description

The Platypus has a bill that resembles a duck's bill but is actually an elongated snout covered with soft, moist, leathery skin and sensitive nerve endings. The body of the platypus is 30 to 45 cm (12 to 18 in) long; the flattened tail measures 10 to 15 cm (4 to 6 in) in length. The feet are webbed. The body and tail are covered with a thick, soft, woolly layer of fur, from which long, flat hairs protrude. The Platypus has three layers of fur:
1. an inside layer to trap air and keep the animal warm.
2. a middle layer which works like a wet suit.
3. an outer layer to feel if it is close to objects.

A Platypus grows to a maximum weight of 1 to 2.4 kg (2.2 to 5.3 lb).
The Platypus is known to live for at least 12 years in the wild.

Toxic Spur

The male Platypus has a sharp, hollow, horny spur about 15 millimetres long on the inside of both hind leg ankles. This is connected to a venom gland which produces a very strong toxin. The spur can be used in defence against predators (the venom can cause excruciating pain in humans and is strong enough to kill a dog.) but the fact that it is restricted to the male - and that the gland reaches its greatest development in the mating season - suggests that it is normally employed in aggressive encounters between males.

Monotrems

Monotremes are a sub family of Mammals and there are only 2 animals that belong to this sub family Platypus and Echidnas(a spiny anteaters resemble the Hedgehog and the Porcupine in that they are covered by sharp spines). Monotremes are animals that lay eggs rather than giving birth to their young.



Swimming

Whilst underwater the Platypus has its eyes and ears shut and, being buoyant, it must continuously swim downwards with its webbed forefeet to remain submerged. Webbing on the front feet extends well beyond the claws, forming large paddles for swimming. The hindfeet of the Platypus are also webbed but are employed in steering or braking - not in propulsion. Platypuses can swim underwater for two minutes, but may 'rest' underneath a submerged object for up to 10 minutes. Dense fur fibres trap a layer of air next to the skin, giving excellent insulation for an animal that spends up to 12 hours each day in water as cold as 0 degrees Celsius.



Feeding

The Platypus usally feeds at night on aquatic insect larvae, shrimps and worms by dabbling in mud or silt on the bottom of rivers and freshwater lakes with its sensitive, flexible, duck-like snout, aided by . electroreceptors (electronic sense) on its bill These are stored in the cheek pouches and will be chewed after returning to the surface. The Platypus can eat their own body weight in food in one night.




Reproduction

Platypus males are larger than females. Mating occurs once a year, beginning in late June in the warmer northern parts and in October in the southern part. The female usually lays two eggs ( the soft leathery egg resembles a reptiles egg) but may lay up to four and incubates these against her abdomen
(by clasping them with its tail)for about two weeks in a blocked-off nest at the end of a long breeding burrow. The young "puggle" have no fur when they hatch. The female has no teats. Milk is produced in large glands under her skin which oozes out onto a patch of fur and the young Platypus (puggle) sucks it up.

Laughing Kookaburra

Description

The kookaburra is the largest kingfisher. The laughing kookaburra has a short thick body with a very large head with a dark eye streak. Their colourings are mainly brown with black markings on top with a creamy whit underbelly and head, and "mottled" blue patch on their wings. They are famous for their laughing calls which usually occur at dawn and dusk and is in fact the kookaburra "marking out" its territory.

Habitat

They are found through out eastern Australia from the northern tip of Queensland right down to Tasmania. They have also been introduced to the southern part of Western Australia They frequent open forests and Eucalypt bushland.

Feeding

Like most kingfishers the Laughing kookaburra launches itself from a perch to pounce on its prey They enjoy eating most ground-living insects, as well as mice, lizards and snakes.

Behaviour

The Laughing Kookaburras form community groups which together share and defend their home territory. As already mentioned they mark this territory with their calls, but also will physically defend it from other bird species These community groups have a dominate matting pair and other lesser members Laughing kookaburras do not build nests, instead they use existing cavities in trees or again sometimes a tree-termite mound.

Tasmanian Wolf/Tasmanian Tiger


It is generally agreed that this carnivorous (meat eating) marsupial is extinct, though occasionally there is local unconfirmed sightings in its "former" wild habitat of Tasmania.

Description

The Tasmanian Wolf also known as Thylacinus cyanocephaplus is the shape and size of a big dog (especially like a dog in forequarters and head) , and observation suggestion that it acted in a very dog like manner (ie running, sitting, sun baking, etc) The stripes started 1/2 way down the back and extended to the tail, and were believed to be for camouflage (eg in sunny + shady forests) The base colour of the animal was brownish (fawn through to dark brown) with a cream coloured belly One very unique aspect was that its jaw could open extremely wide. Its tail was very straight more like a thin Kangaroos tail and did not wag like a dogs The female has a backward facing pouch, and extraordinary the male also has a pouch, his though to protect his testicles.

Location and Habitat

Originally thought to roam all over the mainland of Australia, it was confined to the island of Tasmania for the last 3,000 years. There has been no confirmed sighting in the wild since 1932 The Thylacine was found in open forest and scrubland close to its grazing prey of wallabies etc and close to the protection of forests. They were a nocturnal creature sleeping by day in the safety of dense vegetation.

Demise

The reason the Thylacine (Tasmanian Tiger) became extinct is many fold Below is some of the reasons:
a) The arrival of Native aborigines with their dogs.
b) The arrival of the dingo from mainland Australia, is thought to be the main reason for the Thylacines demise. The dingo hunted for the same food as the Thylacine, but was a lot more efficient and adaptable.
c) The arrival of European settlers.
- The loss of habitat due to farming and grazing.
- Protection of their sheep and etc.
- Bounty hunters reaping Government payment for dead "Tigers".

The last thylacine to be shot in the wild was in 1932 and the last to die in captivity was in 1936.


Feeding

They were nocturnal hunters (especially at dusk), hunting other marsupials (Wallabies and smaller animals + sheep) at night by smell using its pace and stamina to run down smaller animals until they became tired. It would use its wide opening jaws to rip out its preys neck and feed only once from the fresh kill. (it seems Thylacine only liked fresh meat) They were solitary hunters it seems.


Breeding

The Thylacines it seemed bred once a year, with the young being carried in their mothers backward facing pouch, which had 4 teats. After approximately 6-8 months the young now too big for the pouch were left alone in a sheltered place whilst their mother went for food.






Sulphur Crested Cockatoo

This very striking bird is found throughout a lot of Australia in the wild, and is often kept as pets all over the world.
The Sulphur Crested Cockatoo in Australia has 4 main species which do not vary much except in the overall size of the bird and the size and shape of their crest:
a) Galerita Galerita
b) Galerita Fitzroyi
c) Galerita Triton
d) Galerita Eleonora

All birds in the species are white with yellow markings on their crest, ear, tail and parts of their "underfeathers".

Description

The Sulphur Crested Cockatoo is a white bird with a striking sulphur yellow crest (hence their name). This crest is normally "sleeked" back but can be raised which shows the bird is either afraid, curious or putting on a display. It normally has yellow markings under its wing and tail and its voice has been described as an "extremely loud raucous screech" The Sulphur Crested Cockatoo overall length ranges from 40 to 55 cm and its weight from 700 to 950 grams.


General Behaviour

The Sulphur Crested Cockatoo is strongly gregarious (meaning it likes to form large groups and etc.) forming flocks often numbering in the hundreds. They are more active in the morning, preferring to roost in leafy trees during the hotter part of the day. A flock can be extremely noisy.

Feeding

They are basically a seed and grain eating bird, living off various seeds, nuts, grain, berries, fruit flowers etc as well as small insects and their larvae Most of this food is obtained from the ground, and because of their love for seeds the Sulphur Crested Cockatoo is often considered a pest by farmers.



Breeding

They love to nest in high eucalypt (Gum tree) cavity or hollow. Both parents are involved with nest building and bringing up the family. A typical nest will have up to 3 eggs (normally 2) take 30 days to hatch (both parents help incubate) and the young take approx 70 days to fledge.