Fauna and Flora

We found the only kangaroo that doesn’t hop – and it can teach us how roos evolved their quirky gait

We found the only kangaroo that doesn’t hop – and it can teach us how roos evolved their quirky gait

From The Conversation (20/3/25)…   We found the only kangaroo that doesn’t hop – and it can teach us how roos evolved their quirky gait In the remnant rainforests of coastal far-north Queensland, bushwalkers may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a diminutive marsupial…

Last night the zombie of native forest logging was reanimated

Last night the zombie of native forest logging was reanimated

From Victoria National Parks Association (20/3/25)… On Wednesday night, the native logging zombie lurched through the doors of an East Gippsland Shire Council meeting. Councillors approved a permit to log a whopping 51 hectares of threatened wildlife habitat on private land. Home to threatened animals like…

DNA points the finger at feral cats after translocation failures

DNA points the finger at feral cats after translocation failures

From Cosmos (13/2/25)… DNA points the finger at feral cats after translocation failures Feral cats have been implicated in the deaths of reintroduced native mammals at two conservation sites in South Australia. Such predation can often mean failure for translocation programmes, say lead author, Dr…

Australia’s extinction crisis: 21 species join threatened list

From Cosmos (10/3/25)…   Australia’s extinction crisis: 21 species join threatened list The Australian Government has added 21 new species of fauna and flora to the threatened species list, with six more being uplisted to higher threat categories. This decision underscores Australia’s worsening extinction crisis…

Superb lyrebirds have an unexpected new skill

Superb lyrebirds have an unexpected new skill

From Cosmos (8/3/25)…   Superb lyrebirds have an unexpected new skill The superb lyrebird is arguably Australia’s most iconic native songbird, known for its ornate tail and incredible mimicry. The species can imitate natural and mechanical sounds, resulting in a vocal repertoire that spans the…

The return of the bandicoots: tiny gardeners transforming The Briars

The return of the bandicoots: tiny gardeners transforming The Briars

From Mornington Peninsula Shire (21/2/25)…   The return of the bandicoots: tiny gardeners transforming The Briars They’re back! For the first time in decades, bandicoots have returned to the Briars, and they’re already making a huge impact. These little ‘ecosystem engineers’ aren’t just cute –…

New book: Fungi obscura

New book: Fungi obscura

Funga Obscura  photo journeys among fungi  by Alison Pouliot               Reviewed March 2025 Referencing the camera obscura of times past, Funga Obscura is an ingeniously apt title for Alison Pouliot’s latest book. Through the dual lenses of science and…

Years-long research project finds snakes become ‘very disoriented’, lose weight and get sick when relocated

Years-long research project finds snakes become ‘very disoriented’, lose weight and get sick when relocated

From ABC News (9/2/250)…   Years-long research project finds snakes become ‘very disoriented’, lose weight and get sick when relocated It’s just past 10am and it’s already 30 degrees at Ginninderry Conservation Corridor, on Canberra’s outskirts. A soft beeping from a radio transmitter is getting…

Poison baits were used on 1,400 feral cats, foxes and dingoes. We studied their fate to see what works

Poison baits were used on 1,400 feral cats, foxes and dingoes. We studied their fate to see what works

From The Conversation (3/5/25)…   Poison baits were used on 1,400 feral cats, foxes and dingoes. We studied their fate to see what works Poisoned baits are the main way land managers control foxes, feral cats and dingoes. Baiting is done to reduce livestock and…

Whale sharks have a complicated relationship with oil and gas platforms

Whale sharks have a complicated relationship with oil and gas platforms

From Cosmos (25/1/25)… Whale sharks have a complicated relationship with oil and gas platforms In new insight into the effects of artificial underwater structures on marine life, research has found that whale sharks can use oil and gas platforms and other, natural features as migratory…