20 Aussie frogs you need to know about - Australian Geographic
Oct 10, 2017 · The much-photographed red-eyed tree frog lives in the rainforest canopy, coming down to breed after rain. It has been known to launch itself from a high branch after insects and land safely many meters below. Extensive webbing on its feet and its adoption of a glider-like posture in midair suggest the species may be developing the ability to control such descents.
Fact File: Blue-ringed octopus (Hapalochlaena maculosa)
A greater blue-ringed octopus (Hapalochlaena lunulata).Image credit: shutterstock. These tiny cephalopods are grey to beige or even yellow in colour when resting, and have large light brown patches, helping them to camouflage beautifully into their rocky surrounds.
Fact File: Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) - Australian Geographic
Koalas use several sounds, including growling, belching, and bellowing to communicate with each other. Image credit: shutterstock. Once the juvenile koala is weaned from milk, it feeds on an unusual soft liquid faeces called pap, from its mother.This substance is thought to introduce the right bacteria to the joey which is necessary for digesting gum leaves.
Fact File: Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus ... - Australian …
Platypus take cover in earth banks and botanical vegetation near the edges of waterways. Image credit: Martin Pelanek/shutterstock. Hunting for food, the platypus closes its eyes and ears and relies on its amazing duck-like bill, a supersonic organ that is completely covered in sensors.
Fact File: Drop bear (Thylarctos plummetus) - Australian Geographic
The drop bear is a native Australian marsupial related to the koala that is ferocious, savage, cunning and…. entirely fabricated. The urban legend surrounding this predatory creature centres on the idea that this territorial animal ‘drops’ from the treetops on unsuspecting bush walkers and tourists.Interestingly, the drop bear is so elusive that no one has ever captured or photographed ...
The owls of Australia - Australian Geographic
Image credit: shutterstock. The well-known call of this medium sized hawk-owl is synonymous with that of a dog’s bark— “woof woof”. The Barking Owl inhabits drier woodland and forest type zones, often in edge habitats nearing watercourses such as creeks.
A photographic guide to Australia's bees - Australian Geographic
Jun 20, 2017 · Male leafcutter bees often have highly modified forelegs that are by and large designed for use during mating. Males will often rob their forelegs over the eyes of the female while mating; this is possibly used for species recognition.
The world’s 10 most devastating volcanic eruptions
The 2010 eruption of Eyjaflallajokull in Iceland resulted in the largest air-traffic shut-down since World War II, with over 100,000 flights cancelled, costing the airline industry worldwide an estimated US$1.7 billion.
Fact File: Eastern brown snake (Pseudonaja textilis)
One of Australia’s most venomous snakes, the eastern brown (Pseudonaja textilis) is an intimidating reptile that has nervous tendencies and will actively defend itself if it feels threatened.Despite the development of a successful antivenom and first aid practices, there are still between one and two deaths per year from eastern brown bites within Australia.
A guide to all six species of quoll - Australian Geographic
Feb 27, 2017 · IUCN status: Endangered The eastern quoll was once found across much of the south-eastern mainland, and as far as northern as NSW. The last members of the mainland population died out here in about 1963, but these quolls remain in Tasmania, where they inhabit rainforests and open grasslands, mainly in the eastern half of the state.