Louise Egerton - Wildlife of Australia

There is nothing to beat the extraordinary wildlifeof Australia. Its colourful parrots, its venomoussnakes, its abundance of hopping marsupials andthe strange, egg-laying Platypusthese are justsome of the players in a story that began hundredsof millions of year ago.

Many members of Australias wildlife livenowhere else on Earth. They are unique, theresult of evolution on a continent that has beengeographically isolated from the rest of the worldfor 38 million years. Wildlife of Australia is anaccount of how these animals have developedin response to changing climates and habitats. Itdescribes their day-to-day habits, where they live,how they find partners and care for their young,and how they protect themselves and seek outfood and shelter.

Superbly illustrated with over 550 colourphotographs by renowned wildlife photographerJiri Lochman, the book also contains a list ofscientific names, good zoos and wildlife parks,useful websites and books, and a comprehensiveglossary.

Wildlife of Australia reveals the fascinatingworlds of the animals that live all around us onthis ancient land but remain largely unnoticed.

First published in 2009 by Allen & Unwin

Copyright text Louise Egerton 2009
Copyright photographs Lochman Transparencies 2009
(unless otherwise )

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced ortransmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical,including photocopying, recording or by any information storageand retrieval system, without prior permission in writing from thepublisher. The Australian Copyright Act 1968 (the Act) allows amaximum of one chapter or 10 per cent of this book,whichever is the greater, to be photocopied by anyeducational institution for its educationalpurposes provided that the educationalinstitution (or body that administers it)has given a remuneration notice toCopyright Agency Limited (CAL)under the Act.

Jacana Books, an imprint of
Allen & Unwin
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Crows Nest NSW2065
Australia
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National Library of Australia Cataloguing-in-Publication entry:

Wildlife of Australia / Louise Egerton, Jiri Lochman.
9781741149975 (ebook).
Includes index.
Zoology Australia Pictorial works.
Other Authors/Contributors: Lochman, Jiri.
591.994

Designed and typeset in Australia by saso content & design Pty Ltd.

This book is intended as a source of information. While every care has been taken in compiling the information contained hereinneither the authors nor the publishers can be held responsible for any adverse reactions contrary to the information offered. The reader is advised to consult with a medical health professionalshould you be injured by any animal encounter.

Photographs on
Cover: Western Pygmy Possum
Previous page:
Page 4: New Holland Honeyeater

CONTENTS

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

We would like to thank the following experts for generously giving up their time to readsections of this book.

Dr Gerald R. Allen, Western Australia Museum; Marion Anstis , herpetologist andauthor; Professor Andrew J. Beattie , Dept. of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University; Dr Walter Boles , Curator, Ornithological Dept., Australian Museum; Dave Britton , BSc.(Hons), Collection Manager, Entomology, Australian Museum; Paul D. Brock , NaturalHistory Museum, London; Professor Gerry Cassis , School of Biological, Earth andEnvironmental Sciences, University of New South Wales; Dr Sue Churchill , field biologist; Dr Andrew Claridge , Mammologist, New South Wales National Parks and WildlifeServices; Dr Hal Cogger , John Evans Memorial Fellow, Australian Museum; RickiCoughlan, Grad. Cert. App. Ornithology, avian consultant, guide and presenter, Redtail,Sydney; Dr Chris Dickman , Director, Institute of Wildlife Research, Sydney University; Dr Eric Dorfman , Director, Eklektus Inc., Wellington, New Zealand; Dr Mark Eldridge ,Dept. of Biological Sciences, Macquarie University; Michael Elliott , BSc. (Hons), Centrefor Biodiversity and Conservation Research, Australian Museum; Dr Karen Firestone ,School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Studies, University of New South Wales; Dr Fred Ford , New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Services; Dr Tony Friend ,Principal Research Scientist, Fauna Conservation Program, Dept. of Environment andConservation, Western Australia; Dr Clifford B. Frith , author and ornithologist, northQueensland; Dr Peter Fullagar , CSIRO Research Scientist, retired; David Geering, RegentHoneyeater Recovery Coordinator, Dept. of Environment and Conservation, Dubbo; Denise Lawungurr Goodfellow , biological/indigenous tourism consultant, birdwatching/natural history guide, Northern Territory; Dr Mark Greco , Centre for Plantand Food Sciences, College of Health and Science, University of Western Sydney; Dr BrianGreen , Adjunct Research Fellow, Applied Ecology Research Group, University ofCanberra; Phillip Hadlington , New South Wales Forestry Commission, retired; Dr R.B.Halliday , Research Fellow (Acarology), CSIRO Entomology; Dr Kath Handasyde , Dept.of Zoology University of Melbourne; Dr George Hangay , author and entomologist;Associate Professor Rob Harcourt, Macquarie University; Dr David Hollands , ruraldoctor, wildlife photographer and author; Dr Greg Holwell , Research Fellow, Departmentof Biological Sciences, Macquarie University; Dr Paul Horner , Curator of TerrestrialVertebrates, Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory; Ian Hutton , author andCurator of Lord Howe Island Museum, Lord Howe Island; Tessa J. Ivison, B.Appl.Sc.,natural history consultant; Dr Stephen Jackson , Project OfficerAnimal Welfare, NewSouth Wales Dept of Primary Industries; David James , BSc. (Hons), Acting Senior ProjectManager/Ecologist, Australian Museum; Associate Professor Darryl Jones , Griffith Schoolof Environment, Griffith University; Diana Jones , BSc. (Hons), Executive Director,Western Australia Museum; Dr Leo Joseph , Director of the Australian National WildlifeCollection, CSIRO; Professor Richard Kingsford , School of Biological Earth andEnvironmental Sciences, University of New South Wales; Dr Gerald Kuchling , School ofAnimal Biology, University of Western Australia; Dr Naomi Langmore , Senior ResearchFellow, School of Botany and Zoology, Australian National University; Dr Ivan Lawler ,School of Tropical Environment Studies and Geography, James Cook University of NorthQueensland; N.W. Longmore , Collections Manager: Birds and Mammals, MuseumVictoria; Professor Michael Mahony , School of Environmental and Life Sciences,University of Newcastle; Dr Richard Major , Senior Research Scientist, Australian Museum;Darryl McKay, Southern Ocean Seabird Study Association; Dr Robert Mesibov , HonoraryResearch Associate, Queen Victoria Museum and Art Gallery and School of Zoology,University of Tasmania; Graham Milledge , Arachnology Collection Manager, AustralianMuseum; Dr Max Moulds , Senior Research Fellow, Australian Museum; Dr Timothy Moulds , Senior Environmental Consultant, Subterranean Ecology (Scientific Environmental Services); JohnNielsen, BSc. (Hons.), entomologist; Dr Richard Noske , Senior Lecturer in Biology, School of Science andPrimary Industry, Charles Darwin University; Dr Penny Olsen , Australia National University; Anthony Overs,ornithologist; Bruce Pascoe, Curator of Zoology, Alice Springs Desert Park; Dean Portelli , BSc. (Hons),School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Science, University of New South Wales; Dr Mark Read ,Manager, Species Conservation Unit, Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority; Dr David Rentz , HonoraryResearch Fellow, CSIRO Entomology; Dr Jacqui Richards , Australian Wildlife Conservancy; Peter Roberts ,birdwatcher and author; Peter Rowland, author and ornithologist; Dr Bronwen Scott , Victoria University; Dr Jim Shields , Wildlife Manager, State Forests of New South Wales; Professor Rick Shine , School ofBiological Sciences, University of Sydney; Graeme Smith, entomologist; Dr Courtenay Smithers , SeniorFellow, Australian Museum; Dr Helen Stevens , Charles Sturt University; Dejan Stojanovic , ecologist, BirdsAustralia; Phil Straw, B.Appl.Sc., consultant avian and wetlands ecologist, Avifauna Research and Services;Gerry Swan, herpetologist and author; Dr Noel Tait , Honorary Research Fellow, Biological Sciences,Macquarie University; Dr Anthea Taylor , School of Biological Sciences, Monash University; Dr Aleks Terauds ,Wildlife and Marine Conservation Section, Biodiversity and Conservation Branch, Dept. of Primary Industriesand Water, Hobart; Julianne M.Waldock, BSc ., Technical Officer, Dept. of Terrestrial Zoology, WesternAustralian Museum; James Walker, entomologist, Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service; Dr ScottWhiting , Biomarine International, Charles Darwin University; Dr Mary White , palaeobotanist and author;Steve Wilson, wildlife photographer, author and herpetologist; Dr David Yeates , Australian National InsectCollection, CSIRO Entomology; Paul Zborowski , photographer, author and entomologist; Mark Ziembicki ,BSc. (Hons), School of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Adelaide and BiodiversityConservation Unit, Dept. of Nature Resources, Environment and the Arts, Northern Territory.