Barna Mia sanctuary... and Mala
Nov. 11th, 2006 02:49 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
gemfyrePart One
Right-o. Next week I am finally getting busy with work. I'm having 4:30am starts and 11pm finishes. Admittedly between 8am and 8:30pm I'll probably have off. I'm going to help trap Mala at the Return To Dryandra enclosure. It's a case of set the traps in the evening and check them early in the morning. The trapping is mainly just to monitor them, but it's quite possible that the Mala translocation to Tutanning Reserve will also get into action next week and this translocation is one of the main tasks on my activity plan for the year. If the translocation does go ahead I'll be out at Tutanning every day for a month monitoring the beasties and hoping they've been savvy enough to avoid the few cats and foxes left on the reserve and the ever present wedge-tailed eagles (which are left alone - they're a native species too).
My parents came to visit me this weekend and I took them out to Barna Mia. Barna Mia is an enclosure within Dryandra Woodland where some of our endangered marsupials are kept within a predator fence. The path within the enclosure is lit by red lights, so as to not disturb the animals (regular spotlights are deemed invasive - imagine it, you're a nocturnal creature, used to getting about in the dark and suddenly someone shines an extremely bright light in your eyes. For starters you'd blinded for a minute or so, enough time for an enterprising predator to pick you off. You'd probably also be pretty darn annoyed - so spotlighting is discouraged). Not far from Barna Mia - but not accessible to the public - is the larger Return To Dryandra enclosure where specific species are kept to breed and provide stock for translocations. On the way in we spotted many Western Grey Kangaroos, seeing as it was kangaroo o'clock (dusk) this was no surprise.
I had heard horror stories about dud tours at Barna Mia. The animals are fed a small amount at 3 feeding stations you can sit around quietly and watch. Most likely at least a Boodie will bound out, practically running over people's feet, and get stuck into the food, but many of the other animals are a lot shyer. The biggest drawcard here is apparently the Bilby, which doesn't appear on every tour - I've heard the tour guides breathe a sigh of relief when a Bilby makes an appearance because it means people won't be left disappointed. I myself particularly wanted to see a Mala. Sure I'll probably be seeing plenty next week, but I wanted to familiarise myself with this creature in the flesh before I started trapping them.
We sat down at station one and immediately a mother and joey pair of Boodies emerged and started feeding. It didn't take long for a Woylie or two to show up as well. And not long after a Bilby made a few short appearances. After about 10 minutes watching the oh-so cute Boodies feed, a Quenda turned up as well. Four species (out of 7 in the enclosure) at the first feeding station!
Second feeding station yielded more Boodies and Woylies as expected and two Bilbies, which hung around and chowed down on the fruit and veggies. I was so close I could hear the Bilby crunching on the various veggies. They are all long legs, nose, ears and tail and somewhat bizarre looking but endearing. In all honesty I found them the least cute animal we saw during the night, but by this time I'd fallen head over heels in love with the tubby little Boodies.
Third (and last) station we sat down and stayed in darkness for a few minutes to make any animals more comfortable about approaching the food. I wished for a Mala. When our guide turned the light on a creature was feeding at the station which I immediately thought was a large Boodie. But I was soon informed that my wish had come true - this was a Mala. It didn't take long for an actual Boodie to come along too. The Mala are also incredibly cute with Tyrannosaurus style useless forearms.
So it was an awesome night! The only animals we didn't see were the tiny and shy Western Barred Bandicoot (which I was lucky enough to feed and see during my short time volunteering at Kanyana Wildlife Hospital), and the largest animal in the enclosure - the Banded Hare Wallaby - of which there was only one in the enclosure, so the chances of seeing her were slim.
I now have a nice collection of Dryandra merchandise, including a shirt with a Mala on it.
Right near the entrance to Dryandra we found some roadkill. A woylie. I was relieved that it was a male because I really didn't want to have to deal with any pouch young if there was some - and I guess I'm obliged to deal with it these days. On the main road one Brush-tailed Possum scampered across the road ahead of us.
So, a very successful night. I was impressed! And the rain held off.
Next up - Part two - The animals of Dryandra (i.e. lots of cute pictures).
Right-o. Next week I am finally getting busy with work. I'm having 4:30am starts and 11pm finishes. Admittedly between 8am and 8:30pm I'll probably have off. I'm going to help trap Mala at the Return To Dryandra enclosure. It's a case of set the traps in the evening and check them early in the morning. The trapping is mainly just to monitor them, but it's quite possible that the Mala translocation to Tutanning Reserve will also get into action next week and this translocation is one of the main tasks on my activity plan for the year. If the translocation does go ahead I'll be out at Tutanning every day for a month monitoring the beasties and hoping they've been savvy enough to avoid the few cats and foxes left on the reserve and the ever present wedge-tailed eagles (which are left alone - they're a native species too).
My parents came to visit me this weekend and I took them out to Barna Mia. Barna Mia is an enclosure within Dryandra Woodland where some of our endangered marsupials are kept within a predator fence. The path within the enclosure is lit by red lights, so as to not disturb the animals (regular spotlights are deemed invasive - imagine it, you're a nocturnal creature, used to getting about in the dark and suddenly someone shines an extremely bright light in your eyes. For starters you'd blinded for a minute or so, enough time for an enterprising predator to pick you off. You'd probably also be pretty darn annoyed - so spotlighting is discouraged). Not far from Barna Mia - but not accessible to the public - is the larger Return To Dryandra enclosure where specific species are kept to breed and provide stock for translocations. On the way in we spotted many Western Grey Kangaroos, seeing as it was kangaroo o'clock (dusk) this was no surprise.
I had heard horror stories about dud tours at Barna Mia. The animals are fed a small amount at 3 feeding stations you can sit around quietly and watch. Most likely at least a Boodie will bound out, practically running over people's feet, and get stuck into the food, but many of the other animals are a lot shyer. The biggest drawcard here is apparently the Bilby, which doesn't appear on every tour - I've heard the tour guides breathe a sigh of relief when a Bilby makes an appearance because it means people won't be left disappointed. I myself particularly wanted to see a Mala. Sure I'll probably be seeing plenty next week, but I wanted to familiarise myself with this creature in the flesh before I started trapping them.
We sat down at station one and immediately a mother and joey pair of Boodies emerged and started feeding. It didn't take long for a Woylie or two to show up as well. And not long after a Bilby made a few short appearances. After about 10 minutes watching the oh-so cute Boodies feed, a Quenda turned up as well. Four species (out of 7 in the enclosure) at the first feeding station!
Second feeding station yielded more Boodies and Woylies as expected and two Bilbies, which hung around and chowed down on the fruit and veggies. I was so close I could hear the Bilby crunching on the various veggies. They are all long legs, nose, ears and tail and somewhat bizarre looking but endearing. In all honesty I found them the least cute animal we saw during the night, but by this time I'd fallen head over heels in love with the tubby little Boodies.
Third (and last) station we sat down and stayed in darkness for a few minutes to make any animals more comfortable about approaching the food. I wished for a Mala. When our guide turned the light on a creature was feeding at the station which I immediately thought was a large Boodie. But I was soon informed that my wish had come true - this was a Mala. It didn't take long for an actual Boodie to come along too. The Mala are also incredibly cute with Tyrannosaurus style useless forearms.
So it was an awesome night! The only animals we didn't see were the tiny and shy Western Barred Bandicoot (which I was lucky enough to feed and see during my short time volunteering at Kanyana Wildlife Hospital), and the largest animal in the enclosure - the Banded Hare Wallaby - of which there was only one in the enclosure, so the chances of seeing her were slim.
I now have a nice collection of Dryandra merchandise, including a shirt with a Mala on it.
Right near the entrance to Dryandra we found some roadkill. A woylie. I was relieved that it was a male because I really didn't want to have to deal with any pouch young if there was some - and I guess I'm obliged to deal with it these days. On the main road one Brush-tailed Possum scampered across the road ahead of us.
So, a very successful night. I was impressed! And the rain held off.
Next up - Part two - The animals of Dryandra (i.e. lots of cute pictures).
