News
Debunking some common myths about Australian snakes
— by Kate
Does Australia really have the deadliest snakes? We debunk 6 common myths A red-bellied black snake Damian Michael, Author provided Damian R. Michael, Charles Sturt University; Dale Nimmo, Charles Sturt University, and Skye Wassens, Charles Sturt University As we settle into spring and temperatures rise, snakes are emerging from their winter hideouts to bask in
Ilparpa Claypan Buffel Busting – a bunch of friends committed to conserving and regenerating habitat
— by Kate
Ilparpa Claypans has dedicated friends committed to regenerating native plants through weekly Buffel Busting efforts
The truth behind the poster….
— by Kate
The two Land for Wildlife programs in the NT; Central Australia & the Top End will both cease to receive funding from the NT Government from July 1 this year. Both our programs have been grateful recipients of a modicum of reliable and ongoing funding from Parks and Wildlife NT for the past 9 years. No
No ‘white Christmas’ for Alice please!
— by Kate
At this time of year, old Christmas Carols and songs are often heard through sound systems of businesses, shopping centres, radio stations, churches, parks, gardens and family homes (admittedly some of these areas may not reverberate with musical Christmas cheer!) But Land for Wildlife Central Australia request that you be mindful of what song you
Beware! Bearded Dragons use roads too!
— by Kate
Watch out for lizards on roads in the morning or early evening, and after dark on hot days. A work colleague at Low Ecological Services was driving to work one morning and stopped to remove Bearded Dragons from on the road, not just once, but three times. The eventful trip caused us to wonder about,
A boost to Bilby population numbers
— by Kate
On-ground action helps to increase population numbers of the critically endangered Bilby Following our article in the Land for Wildlife November newsletter about the ‘Bilby Blitz’, an innovative survey program run by Indigenous rangers in northern WA and the NT, we are pleased to report more news of positive on-ground action to help save Bilbies
Red Mulga Lerp
At a recent Land for Wildlife property assessment, I came across a great example of Red Mulga Lerp that I wanted to share with the members. Red Mulga Lerp (Austrotachardia acacia) is a structure produced by the larvae of ‘lac’ insects. The Red Mulga Lerp is found on Mulga (Acacia aneura) bushes and the crystallised
Unusual Raptor Deaths in Alice Springs
In early August of this year, a pair of Black-breasted Buzzards (Hamirostra melanosternon) were found dead under their nest in the Todd River, around the Amoonguna area. Concerningly, three to four weeks later a pair of Little Eagles (Hieraaetus morphnoides) were also found dead on the ground under their nest, approximately 100 m from where
Keeping an Eye on Invertebrates: Spider Wasps
By Caragh Heenan Spider Wasps (Family: Pompilidae) are, as their name suggests, a family of Wasps that prey on Spiders (Order: Araneae). There are four subfamilies, including Ceropalinae, Ctenocerinae, Pepsinae, and Pompilinae, where coloration and wing appearance vary greatly among the many species. They are solitary Wasps that are native to Australia, and despite using
Bad news for Bee-eaters…a mass mortality event in Alice
— by Kate
On a sad note, numerous Rainbow Bee-eaters have recently been found dead in Ilparpa, Alice Springs. These deaths, although alarming, were not suspicious. Seemingly a few dozen Bee-eaters were fairly lean from their migration effort to Alice from further north. When Alice Springs had a cold snap just a few weeks ago, the Bee-eaters succumbed
Introducing the New Land for Wildlife Coordinator
Hi everyone, my name’s Kate, the new Land for Wildlife & Garden for Wildlife Central Australia Coordinator. I join the team here at Low Ecological Services with a background in landscape ecology and [basic!] landscape genetics from a few dedicated years at Deakin University. Ensconced in my heavy bias toward, and love of, the Australian
Dormancy Schmormancy
By Caragh Heenan I was talking recently to a Land for Wildlife member about why there aren’t any reptiles around in the cooler weather and this sparked the thought that while most of us know about the fact that reptiles are cold-blooded and therefore may slow down in winter, not many people know about the
Goodbye, my Kindred Spirit
I feel like the Western Bowerbird (Ptilonorhynchus guttatus) is my kindred spirit. Quirky, hops around making silly noises while trying to look serious, and generally collecting all manner of things to make a nice home. When I first arrived in Central Australia, I was living in Mutitjulu at the base of Uluru and working for
Seeking a Coordinator!
Caragh Heenan, the current Land for Wildlife Coordinator, is sadly moving on to a new role. As a result, Land for Wildlife Central Australia is looking for a new full-time coordinator to take over the management of the program. Do you think you have what it takes to engage the community regarding natural resource management?
Ecological Observations by Des Nelson
By Des Nelson My article on the origin and spread of Buffel Grass (Cenchrus ciliaris) posted in the Alice Springs News online (and shared on the Land for Wildlife blog as A Buffel Grass Story) promoted some discussion. Among topics it was said that the cover provided by Buffel Grass would prevent dust storms such
NT Register of Significant Trees Online Register Launch
Land for Wildlife Central Australia is proud to announce the National Trust Register of Significant Trees Northern Territory is now available online. Visit our website and explore the interactive map of tree listings. Why not even go on a self-guided Significant Trees Tour in your region? View the Register: wildlife.lowecol.com.au/projects/significant-trees
Mistletoe and Seed Dispersal
Ever wondered about how a new Mistletoe plant comes about? As with most other plants, it relies on birds for seed dispersal and the Mistletoebird (Dicaeum hirundinaceum) is the key. They are one of the major species that feeds on Mistletoe fruit. Another local species that consumes the fruit is the Spiny-cheeked Honeyeater (Acanthagenys rufogularis).
Property Profile: Bruce and Meg Simmons
Bruce and Meg Simmons moved to Schaber Road in 1993, initially moving into a shed while the house construction was being completed. As an avid gardener, Bruce has been working tirelessly to remove weeds from their 2.0 hectare property ever since. Bruce was ‘Buffel busting’ within the year—beginning with the western (roadside) portion of the
Property Profile: Olive Pink Botanic Garden
Note that sections of this article were written for the Australian Plants Society Alice Springs Inc. and the Alice Springs Field Naturalists Club as part of a joint walk of Olive Pink Botanic Garden the groups ran at the end of April. Regular visitors to Olive Pink Botanic Garden over the years will have noticed
A Buffel Grass Story
By Des Nelson Having recently heard the sometimes repeated view that CSIRO was responsible for the invasion of Buffel Grass in central Australia, I would like to present some observations of my own. I do not write of hearsay. I had first-hand experience of all places and events here described. In the early 1950’s I