Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
to a small thorny devil taking lunch. The camouflaged, thorny coat of this lizard features
a decoy 'head' behind the real head to fool predators.
In the tropical woodlands of the Top End, the well-known frill-necked lizards spend
most of their days in trees eating insects and termites. When a 'frilly' is frightened or de-
fending its territory, its defensive strategy is to open its mouth, widen its impressive frill
and hiss. This menacing show is all bluff and a frilly will generally run very fast on its
two hind legs in the opposite direction when the show is over. In June and July, when
many other reptile species are hibernating, Australia's best-known reptiles - the freshwa-
ter and estuarine crocodiles - can be seen warming themselves on the banks of Top End
rivers.
If you stay overnight in Alice Springs, a visit to Simpsons Gap just before dark is your
best bet for seeing black-footed rock wallabies in their natural environment.
Marsupials Rule
Of the larger marsupials, you are most likely to see mobs of Australia's unique marsupial
macropods, either bounding away from you, grazing quietly with ears twitching or rest-
ing in the shade of a tree. Look for a joey poking out from the female's pouch. In south-
ern and central Australia, the most common macropod species is the red kangaroo, the
world's largest marsupial. Males are a reddish brown colour and can grow to 2m, while
females are smaller with blue grey colouring. Robust euros (or wallaroos) can be seen
around Alice Springs and yellow-footed rock wallabies are making a comeback in the
Flinders Ranges, thanks in part to a feral-animal eradication program. In the north, the
most common macropod species is the agile wallaby, which grows to about 1m and has a
distinct white line from the tip of its nose to its eye.
Not all Australian mammals have pouches. You may see the occasional solitary dingo;
usually slinking away annoyed at being discovered. But many of Australia's mammals
are small, secretive and nocturnal, so you're unlikely to see them in the wild unless you
go spotlighting with a knowledgeable guide or visit one of the excellent wildlife parks in
Alice Springs and Darwin.
The Ferals
The introduction of animals from other countries in the last 200 years has contributed
significantly to the fragmentation of ecosystems and the extinction of native animals in
Australia. Introduced species include foxes, rabbits, cats, pigs, goats, donkeys, horses,
