Monday, December 25, 2006

Amethystine Python seen on Nightwalk

Nightwalk Sightings Sept - Dec 06

This year has been unusual, in that we have not really had any very hot weather. This has meant a slow start to snake and other reptile sightings. (but nice cool nights for humans!)

It wasn't really until November that we started to see many snakes on the Nightwalks, but once we did there were plenty around, with up to 4 snakes being seen in one night in December. Several species have been seen, with the most spectacular being a 4m Amethystine Python, coiled up beside the path! Amethystine Pythons are Australia's largest snake species, with an 8.6m example having been recorded. They do like pets however, and anyone with cats, small dogs, chickens, or in the case of one our guides, rehabilitating Fruit bats needs to be careful or their pets become python fodder.

Likewise the Forest Dragons have not been as visible, usually we see many more of these as soon as the rain starts. During September and October there were a number of Gravid (pregnant) females around, but they appear to have all laid by now. Likewise the Water Dragons have all laid eggs and the babies have hatched, at least this has been our observation along Myall Creek. Cool years are probably harder for these creatures, as there are less insects than usual.

The dry weather has been good to the Native Rats, and we have had many good sightings of Melomys, Cape York Rats, Prehensile Tailed Rats, and White Tailed Rats. Rats are to a degree dependent on good weather, the smaller species tend to suffer population declines when there is prolonged rain.

Crocodile sightings have been good, with regualr good sightings of up to 3 different Crocs. Sadly this year here we had a Crocodile trapped and removed from a local creek, despite local opposition. It had bitten a tourist, but only after extreme provocation from the tourist, who actually was silly enough to get in the water with it and slap a stick on the water. We feel that Crocs should not generally be removed from wilderness locations such as this, especially if the attack is the result of blatant stupidity as this was.

Generally other sightings have been good with most nights groups seeing sleeping birds, insects and spiders, and even the occasional Striped Possum. Frogs have been a little active, but will surely be present in huge numbers once the rain begins. Rainy warm weather really is the best time to see wildlfe here.

See you on a rainy Nightwalk in 2007!