other animals — Life in a Southern Forest

The living forest

OTHER ANIMALS GALLERY

In the 'other animals' category, we include those terrestrial creatures that most people (zoologists excluded!) think of as 'animals' - mammals, reptiles and amphibians. There are far fewer species of these vertebrate animals than invertebrates - both on the block and more generally. We are therefore reasonably confident that, after living here for several years now, we have discovered most of them.

As many mammalian species are nocturnal, our encounters with them are rare. We have used a night vision trail camera to help discover that group. The reptiles, particularly the lizards, are simpler to find and photograph. And the small 'frog bog' we built has increased our chances of seeing the various species of tree frogs that otherwise spend their time high in the trees or concealed in the undergrowth.

Scroll down for a pictorial tour.
All images were taken by us, on site, over the last few years.

Swamp Wallaby

Wallabia bicolor

Swamp Wallabies only occur in forest with stands of dense undergrowth (lots of it on the block) which is where they hide during the day. This is the most secretive of our three macropods. We seldom see "swampies" during the day and they bound away with a heavy thud if we disturb them. Swamp Wallabies have the most varied diet of our macropods - they prefer bushes and forbs over grass but seem to eat almost any type of the former vegetation. They are also avid eaters of fungi.

Order: Diprodontia Family: Macropodidae

Photo taken in September

Eastern Pygmy-possum

Cercartetus nanus

We chanced across this individual when searching for insects and spiders at night. It may also have been looking for insects, as they comprise part of their diet. They mainly feed on nectar and pollen from Banksia, Eucalyptus and Callistemon species, all of which are found on the block.

Order: Diprodontia Family: Burramyidae

Photo taken in February

Agile Antechinus

Antechinus agilis

We have seldom seen this small dasyurid in the flesh as, like most marsupials, it is nocturnal. However, we have recorded its antics on a night-vision video camera and we inadvertently trapped the individual in this photo. Like all Antechinus species, A. agilis is a carnivore, mainly eating arthropods such as beetles, spiders and cockroaches but also taking skinks. They probably also forage on Banksia flowers.

Order: Dasyuromorphia Family: Dasyuridae

Photo taken March

Lesser Long-eared Bat

Nyctophilus geoffroyi

We have seen a number of different bats on the block, flying around the house at dusk hawking insects. However this is the only one that we have been able to positively identify, after finding a dead individual on the road nearby. This species is found throughout Australia. It roosts in a variety of habitats, including dead trees. In Summer it hunts throughout the night, till dawn.

Order: Chiroptera Family: Vespertilionidae

Photo taken in March

Common Wombat

Vombatus ursinus

The block is home to several wombats. We often hear them at night, munching on vegetation outside our bedroom window. We seldom see them during the day - only on rare occasions when it is overcast. The image shows a young animal, which ventured out in the early morning. But their cubic scats are found all over our walkways and there are several burrows at different sites on the block.

Order: Diprodontia Family: Vombatidae

Photo taken in March

Common Ringtail Possum

Pseudocheirus peregrinus

This Ringtail Possum was one of a pair sighted at night in an Acacia mearnsii tree a few metres from the ground. Ringtails eat leaves, flowers and fruits of a variety of plants in the family Myrtaceae - primarily eucalypts.

Order: Diprodontia Family: Petauridae

Photo taken in July

Common Brushtail Possum

Trichosurus vulpecula

A major item of the diet of Brushtail Possums are eucalyptus leaves, but they supplement this with flowers and fruit. They typically take 3 or 4 different plant species on a foraging trip to get sufficient nitrogen.

Order: Diprodontia Family: Phalangeridae

Photo taken in November

Common Brushtail Possum

Trichosurus vulpecula

This Brushtail was sitting in an Acacia longifolia tree, which was in bloom - probably feeding on the blossom.

Order: Diprodontia Family: Phalangeridae

Photo taken in July

Red-necked Wallaby (male)

Macropus rufogriseus banksianus

The Red-necked Wallaby is a forest species, widely distributed in south-eastern Australia from south-east SA to the Tropic of Capricorn. We frequently seen it on the block in the early morning or late afternoon. It is usually alone but sometimes we see pairs of females. It grazes on grasses, low shrubs and forbs. During the day, it rests in dense vegetation, such as rainbow fern thickets.

Order: Diprodontia Family: Macropodidae

Photo taken in November

Red-necked Wallaby

Macropus rufogriseus banksianus

Joeys remain in the pouch for about 40 weeks. This little guy had not yet left the pouch, but probably wasn't far off it. Females can give birth to young in all months.

Order: Diprodontia Family: Macropodidae

Photo taken in October

Red-necked Wallaby

Macropus rufogriseus banksianus

The young gets to graze at the same time as the mother. The white object above the female's eye is a tick. Our macropods commonly carry a heavy load of these parasites - without any apparent ill effects.

Order: Diprodontia Family: Macropodidae

Photo taken in October

Eastern Grey Kangaroo (male)

Macropus giganteus giganteus

The Eastern Grey is the largest of the three macropods found in our area. It grazes on grasses and forbs, with a much more restricted range of choices than Red-Necked and Swamp Wallabies. These are our maintenance-free lawn mowers! We often see a group of several animals, usually a male in company of several females, grazing on the more open areas of the block. They are more tolerant of our presence than the wallabies and can often be seen grazing in the middle of the day - especially when it is overcast.

Order: Diprodontia Family: Macropodidae

Photo taken in April

Eastern Grey Kangaroo

Macropus giganteus giganteus

This little guy is very young indeed. It will be a while before he justifies his species name 'giganteus'.

Order: Diprodontia Family: Macropodidae

Photo taken in April

Swamp Wallaby

Wallabia bicolor

This image shows the thick-set, stocky build of the Swamp Wallaby in comparison to our other macropods. They also have much darker fur. Our frog pond has become a favourite watering hole for the wallabies and kangaroos. However it was still a surprise to see this swampy drinking at the pond as they are very shy animals. Their gait is very different to other macropods - they jump with their head kept low and their tail straight. A number of behavioural, anatomical and genetic differences lead to the Swamp Wallaby being placed in a different genus (Wallabia) to other macropods (Macropus). So, surprisingly, the Red-Necked Wallaby is more closely related to the Eastern Grey Kangaroo than it is to the Swamp Wallaby.

Order: Diprodontia Family: Macropodidae

Photo taken in February

Bush Rat

Rattus fuscipes

The Bush Rat is a native Australian rodent. It is an omnivore, taking fruit, arthropods, seeds, grasses and fungi (and in summer, the tomatoes from our vegetable garden!). We seldom see them as they are nocturnal. We trapped this one in our tool shed - the big, protruding eyes are a distinctive feature of this species. Note that the tail is about the same length as the body - unlike the introduced Black Rat (Rattus rattus), in which the tail is noticeably longer than the body. I was surprised to discover how many native rodents we have in Australia - 54 extant species. We had another 10 rodent species, but they did not survive European invasion. Rodents first arrived in Australia between 4-6 million years ago and underwent an evolutionary radiation to produce 57 different species (the 'old endemics'). Then about a million years ago a Rattus entered from New Guinea and evolved into 7 species (the 'new endemics'), of which Rattus fuscipes is one example. Europeans brought another 4 rodents with them, including the Black Rat, Rattus rattus.

Order: Rodentia Family: Muridae

Photo taken in January

Swamp Rat

Rattus lutreolus

The Swamp Rat is another of the 'New Endemic' rodents, which evolved from a single species of ancestral rat that arrived in Australian from New Guinea a million years ago. The Swamp Rat is very similar to the Bush Rat - just a bit smaller and lacking the bulging eyes of that species. It also moves around during the day, unlike the Bush Rat which is strictly nocturnal. Nonetheless, Swamp Rats must be quite cryptic because the only individual we have ever seen on the block is this baby. Swamp Rats eat grasses and sedges and some insects.

Order: Rodentia Family: Muridae

Photo taken in December

Eastern Brown Snake

Pseudonaja textilis

This is one of six venomous snakes - belonging to the family Elapidae - that we have on the block. In fact, we have the full set of Elapidae species for our region! We see the Eastern Brown rarely, but have sighted it all over the forest. It is most commonly found on the west-facing rocky headland overlooking the river, where it basks in the afternoon sun. The colouration of Eastern Browns is highly variable - ranging from brown to black. The juvenile is a striking creature with black narrow stripes on a tan background! The adults feed on other reptiles and mammals, but will occasionally take frogs and birds.

Order: Squamata Family: Elapidae

Photo taken in November

Red-bellied Black Snake

Pseudechis porphyriacus

This is the snake we most commonly encounter - not surprising, as one often takes up residence in the bottom of our compost bin! While they are rated as dangerously venomous, we have never felt threatened by them. They slither away quickly when discovered. They are a large snake - most of the ones we have seen are between 1 and 1.5m in length. The prime item in their diet is frogs, but they also take other reptiles and small mammals. Check out our blog "Red-bellied Black Snakes love water" in 'News & Stories'.

Order: Squamata Family: Elapidae

Photo taken in May

Eastern Small-eyed Snake

Rhinoplocephalus nigrescens

This is another dangerously venomous home snake. However its retiring nature and nocturnal habits mean that it presents little risk to us. We have only sighted it when lifting sheets of corrugated iron, boxes or rotten logs. It is smaller than the other elapids - the ones we have sighted have been less 50cm long. It is reported to feed on lizards and frogs.

Order: Squamata Family: Elapidae

Photo taken in April

Grass Sun-skink

Lampropholis guichenoti

We generally encounter this species in more open areas - in leaf litter around the house and in the vegetable garden - devouring small grasshoppers and other insects. It is the most common and one of the smallest of the 7 species of skinks found here. By mid Autumn we see large numbers of very small individuals - presumably the progeny of the previous Summer's breeding.

Order: Squamata Family: Scincidae

Photo taken in August

Garden Sun-Skink

Lampropholis delicata

This small skink (up to 50mm long) is found in similar habitat to the similarly-sized L. guichenoti - in more open areas, foraging in the leaf litter or grasses for insects and other small invertebrates. The individual in this photo is taking advantage of an intermittent feeding bonanza, which many other creatures in the forest partake in - a termite swarm.

Order: Squamata Family: Scincidae

Photo taken in November

White's Skink

Egernia whitii

We have seen this moderately large (up to 90mm long) skink in only one location - on a dry, rocky, west-facing cliff top overlooking the river. They are usually found sunning themselves on a rock. This site is a favourite hangout for a number of our reptiles.

Order: Squamata Family: Scincidae

Photo taken April

Black Rock-Skink

Egernia saxatilis

This is our largest skink - up to 125mm in length. It has a characteristic thick trunk. It is typically found on the same rocky cliff top location as several other of our reptiles, but at least one individual also inhabits our wood heap.

Order: Squamata Family: Scincidae

Photo taken in February

Yellow-bellied Water-Skink

Eulamprus heatwolei

We have sighted this moderately large (100mm long) skink in a few places - on the riverbank, on our wood pile and on a tree stump close to our vegetable garden. The animal in the latter location - shown here - suns himself on the log, in between catching insects in the vegetable garden. I have a sentimental attachment to this species, as it is named after a former colleague at the University of New England, Hal Heatwole - one of Australia's leading herpetologists.

Order: Squamata Family: Scincidae

Photo taken in November

Jacky Lizard

Amphibolurus muricatus

This is one of two 'dragons' that call the block home. Jacky Lizard is quite a large creature - up to 35cm long when fully grown. They are quite territorial, often taking up a prominent position on a tree stump to survey and guard the surrounding domain. We have seen a lizard launch off his log and rush towards and grapple with a competitor that came within 10m of him.

Order: Squamata Family: Agamidae

Photo taken in December

Jacky Lizard

Amphibolurus muricatus

This juvenile Jacky Lizard is basking on a flowering stem of Coast Sword-sedge, Lepidosperma latens. It was so well camouflaged that I barely noticed it at first.

Order: Squamata Family: Agamidae

Photo taken in February

Eastern Water-dragon

Intellagama lesueurii howittii

This is our other 'dragon'. We often see an individual on a fallen tree trunk overhanging the water upstream of the block, above the limit of tidal flow. It drops into the water to escape if we come too close. They can apparently remain underwater for up to 90 minutes. But this guy was sighted on the water's edge immediately in front of the block. They are a diurnal species, feeding mainly on insects but also small rodents.

Order: Squamata Family: Agamidae

Photo taken in December

Lace Monitor

Varanus varius

This lizard - easily the largest on the block - can be rather inquisitive! I photographed this guy through the loungeroom window. It then wandered off and checked out our vegetable garden. We see Lace Monitors after they come out of hibernation in late Winter/early Spring, then right through Summer. They will take live prey, such as chicks at the nest, but they are generally seen cleaning up a carcass of roadkill. Indeed they play a vital role in the ecosystem as recyclers of dead bodies - including other lace monitors! Our blog 'Lace monitor recovery' in the 'News & Stories' section tells this story.

Order: Squamata Family: Varanidae

Photo taken in January

Emerald-spotted Tree Frog

Litoria peronii

This is the largest of the five frog species we have sighted here. The mating call of the male sounds like a maniacal cackle. The frogs call throughout the year but they are particularly vocal during the breeding season in Summer. The pair in the photo is in amplexus. The male grasps the female tightly and fertilises the eggs as they are released from her body.

Order: Anura Family: Hylidae

Photo taken in December

Southern Brown Tree Frog

Litoria ewingii

This is a widespread, common species and is an agile climber. One individual spends the day wedged in a crack in the supporting column of our deck umbrella! Our frog bog is apparently very acceptable breeding habitat. We have found spawn, tadpoles and froglets of this species in the pond in December and May.

Order: Anura Family: Hylidae

Photo taken in December

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