the black-flanked rock-wallaby ( petrogale lateralis ) , also known as the black-footed rock-wallaby or warru , is a kind of wallaby , one of several rock-wallabies in the genus petrogale .

black - flanked rock - wallaby

a black - flanked rock wallaby captured on sensor camera near parnngurr in western australia in 2014 . photograph : m huber
dpaw staff carry out surveys of the black - flanked rock wallabies in the national park .
the black - flanked rock wallaby had not been seen in the mid - west for 20 years and was considered extinct .
the black - flanked rock - wallaby is threatened by fox and feral cat predation , habitat destruction , and competition for food and shelter .
an aerial translocation of black - flanked rock - wallabies to kalbarri national park has replenished its dwindling population .
for decades it was thought the black - flanked rock wallaby was extinct in the kalbarri national park — driven out by feral pests and predators .
the highly textured soles of the black - footed rock - wallaby’s feet prevent the wallabies from slipping on rocks .
wikipedia article copyright notice : this article is licensed under the gnu free documentation license . it uses material from the wikipedia article
black - flanked rock - wallaby
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black flanked rock wallaby ; petrogale lateralis lateralis ; climatic effects ; foraging patterns ; spatial distribution ; habitat ; rock wallabies - ecology - western australia . ; biodiversity ; ecology and evolutionary biology ; other animal sciences
the animal ' s resurgence started in 2015 , after a pair of the black - flanked rock wallabies and their joey were spotted perched on a rocky outcrop by rock climbers .
the black - footed rock - wallaby is classified as near threatened ( nt ) by the iucn red list ( 1 ) .
a population of black - flanked rock - wallabies at nangeen hill is flourishing , thanks to a predator - proof fence and revegetation organised by wwf .
fauna species profiles - black - flanked rock - wallaby petrogale lateralis ( gould , 1842 ) ( western australia department of environment and conservation ( wa dec ) , 2010d ) [ information sheet ] .
zoos sa is represented on the black - flanked rock - wallaby recovery team . our project partners include the south australian department of environment , water and natural resources and anangu pitjantjatjara yunkuytjatjara land management .
petrogale lateralis hacketti or recherche rock - wallaby , which occurs on islands offshore of esperance .
two black - flanked rock wallabies and their joey created a stir after they were spotted by rock climbers in a remote gorge in kalbarri national park last year , decades after they were thought to have become locally extinct .
historically , hunting for the fur trade has also caused a decline in rock wallaby numbers . although this is no longer a current threat , it has had a big impact on the rock wallaby population .
the black - footed rock - wallaby is found amidst rock piles , steep cliffs , boulder scree slopes and granite outcrops , typically where there is some cover in the form of open vegetation ( 4 ) .
black - footed rock - wallabies rarely drink , surviving mainly on the water they obtain from their food .
the black - footed rock - wallaby can be found in a number of locations including : australia . find out more about these places and what else lives there .
pentland , c . ( 2014 ) . behavioural ecology of the black - flanked rock - wallaby ( petrogale lateralis lateralis ) : refuge importance in a variable environment . ph . d . thesis . edith cowan university . available from : urltoken .
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textured pads on its hind feet , which act much like the sole of a running shoe , enable the black - flanked rock - wallaby to bound around its rocky home . it moves swiftly and confidently , its dark fur perfectly camouflaged with its surroundings .
although still found across central and south - western australia , the black - flanked rock - wallaby has faced mounting pressures . predation by foxes and feral cats , habitat destruction , and growing competition for food and shelter have caused many local extinctions and the rock - wallaby ' s distribution is now greatly reduced . remaining populations are generally small , isolated and at risk of extinction .
the threatened species strategy webpage includes information on projects that may be supporting the species . the applying best practice feral cat and fox baiting partnership project aims to benefit the black - flanked rock - wallaby by reducing the impact that cats and foxes are having on the subspecies .
the following habitats are found across the black - footed rock - wallaby distribution range . find out more about these environments , what it takes to live there and what else inhabits them .
the black - flanked rock wallaby is an agile , shy marsupial that usually doesn’t stray far from the rocky outcrops it dwells in . however , it has suffered from a huge population slump since european arrival and is now found in just a handful of isolated spots in wa .
glenn , c . r . 2006 .
earth ' s endangered creatures - black - footed rock wallaby facts
( online ) - licensed article from wikipedia : the free encyclopedia . accessed
a three - year program to monitor and sustain an isolated population of black - flanked rock wallabies has started to bear fruit , with sensor - sensitive cameras showing that a translocated population has successfully bred a new generation of joeys .
unlike most other wallabies and kangaroos , black - footed rock - wallabies leave their young alone in a sheltered place while they feed .
there’s still a lot we don ' t know about the wary black - flanked rock - wallaby , but we do know that its numbers are declining and that we need to act fast . while there ' s clearly no place like home , moving wallabies to areas of suitable habitat and keeping out predators has proven effective .
in bad conditions female black - footed rock - wallabies will pause the development of an embryo , waiting until environmental conditions improve before continuing development .
kalbarri national park once supported a healthy population of black - flanked rock - wallabies but they virtually disappeared due to predation by foxes and feral cats , habitat degradation and competition from feral goats . wwf has helped to bring the wallabies back to the park .
nangeen hill ' s population of black - flanked rock - wallabies plummeted in 2010 and a class a nature reserve was declared in the western australian wheatbelt . wwf supporters and the western australian government partnered to fund a five kilometre predator - proof fence in 2013 that now keeps the resident rock - wallabies safe from foxes and feral cats .
rock wallabies specialise in rugged terrain and have modified feet designed to grip rock with skin friction rather than dig into soil with large claws .
for the most current information relating to the species and to assist with regulatory considerations , refer to its recovery plan . recent research has been undertaken for the black - footed rock - wallaby ( pentland 2014 ; willers et al . 2015 ) .
various populations of black - footed rock - wallaby occur within protected sites . a recovery plan is currently underway , and much of the suitable habitat within reserves has been protected . furthermore , fox control measures have been established at several sites ( 4 ) .
for rock wallabies , daytime activity is unusual , except in the breeding season .
the black - footed rock - wallaby is australia’s own intrepid mountaineer . it is incredibly agile and bounds across rough terrain and rocky outcrops . it is well adapted to life on steep rocks , with very textured feet that help it grip and a long , strong tail to give it balance .
the soles of its hind feet are coarse , acting much like the sole of a running shoe , providing friction and grip as the rock - wallaby bounces around the rocks at high speed .
the population size of the black - footed rock - wallaby is not well known , but is probably fewer than 10 , 000 mature individuals ; the largest subpopulation is < 1 , 000 mature individuals , it is severely fragmented and there is a continuing decline in some subpopulations . it has an estimated area of occupancy of just over 1 , 000 km 2 . this wallaby therefore qualifies for listing as vulnerable .
according to the epbc act this subspecies is classified as vulnerable . the black - footed rock - wallaby is
. . . dark grey - brown in colour with a distinct white cheek - stripe . a dark brown to black stripe is visible from between the ears to beyond the shoulders . the coat is thick and woolly , and the tail is brownish - grey with a black tip . . . the long tail [ see pic 2 ] , up to 605 mm long , is important for balance when hopping among rocks . . .
( department of environment )
in a remote part of western australia lives an endangered species of rock wallaby . although known to the local martu people , this population of endangered species was one of the last known populations in the western desert . constantly hunted by feral predators , particularly wild cats and foxes , the rock wallabies were in danger of disappearing all together .
the word wallaby is from an aboriginal name given to this animal by the eora tribe that once lived around the sydney area .
a threatened species of wallaby has been thrown a lifeline by the work of indigenous rangers in a remote part of western australia .
the black - footed rock - wallaby is one of 20 mammals that the australian government has prioritised resource allocation to support the species recovery effort . this species is a priority for investment as there are strong partnerships with the wetern australian , south australian and northern territory governments . priority actions that may support the species include implementing feral predator control and establishment of new populations .
chillin ' on the rock ledge , while it rains , in yardie creek gorge - cape range national park .
this documentary shows rangers at work establishing a new colony of rock wallabies to help secure their survival for the future .
for example , in new south wales there are only 2 colonies of yellow - footed rock wallabies left , about 10km apart .
black - footed wallabies are agile creatures that are the kangaroo family ' s equivalent of a mountain goat . their very long tails help them to keep their balance when jumping on cliffs and rock faces . they also have ' non - slip ' soles on their feet to help them keep their grip .
over time , if the population grows they will come together and so the rock wallabies will interbreed and we ' ll see those kalbarri genes maintained .
willers , n . , g . b . martin , p . matson , p . r . mawson , k . morris & r . bencini ( 2015 ) . finding the balance : fertility control for the management of fragmented populations of a threatened rock - wallaby species . animals . 5 ( 4 ) : 1329 - 1344 . available from : urltoken .
rock wallabies have been deprived of available habitat due to a combination of factors such as clearing of native vegetation , weed invasion and changed patterns of fire across the landscape .
it ' s like a crime scene in a way ; if you find a dead wallaby you want to go in there and work out what was responsible for its death so we can continually learn from the whole process .
feral cats now pose one of the greatest threats to the wallaby . the martu aided with the aerial baiting of cats in july , with subsequent monitoring last week discovering just two cat paw prints in the area where the wallabies live .
the martu , which was one of the last indigenous groups in australia to make contact with europeans , has partnered with the wa department of parks and wildlife , nature conservancy australia and bhp to help revive the fortunes of the wallaby .
“this project has been extremely successful , it has really helped the chances of survival for this wallaby , ” said zan king of kanyirninpa jukurrpa , the martu’s cultural organisation . “the latest results of the monitoring show that the joeys are doing very well .
if you prefer getting your hands dirty , then volunteer to help monitor rock - wallabies by counting scats ( poo ) , an activity scheduled every two months or you could join us in planting food plants to sustain these shy animals .
we didn ' t want to swamp the kalbarri animals with a whole bundle of wheatbelt ones , so that ' s why we just put the three females in with the kalbarri animals and the other rock wallabies further downstream ,
dr pearson said .
rock - wallabies shelter during the hottest part of the day in caves and among cliffs to avoid water loss , then emerge in the early evening to graze on grass and herbs . they live in colonies , and although they rarely make a sound , scientists believe that members communicate using a complex array of behaviours and chemical signals .
australia has a unenviable record for animal extinctions . since european settlement we’ve lost national treasures like the paradise parrot , desert bandicoot , toolache wallaby and , perhaps most tragically of all , the thylacine . such is the seriousness with which australians view the thylacine’s extinction that we commemorate the death of the last known thylacine ( at hobart zoo , 7 september 1936 ) , with national threatened species day each september 7 .
this shy wallaby lives in groups of 10 to 100 individuals ( 3 ) . they tend to feed at night in open areas on grasses , fruit , leaves and various herbs . they rarely drink , deriving most of the water they need from their diet ( 3 ) . they also conserve water by taking refuge from the heat of the day in rocky caves ( 2 ) . they are most active in the early evening when they leave their shelters ( 3 ) .
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for information to assist regulatory considerations , refer to policy statements and guidelines , the conservation advice , the listing advice and / or the recovery plan .
recovery plan required , a recovery plan would provide additional conservation actions that would benefit the recovery of the species and mitigate against key threats ( 24 / 11 / 2016 ) .
department of the environment , water , heritage and the arts ( dewha ) ( 2008 ) .
survey guidelines for australia ' s threatened mammals . epbc act survey guidelines 6 . 5
( department of sustainability , environment , water , population and communities ( dsewpac ) , 2011 ) [ admin guideline ] .
priority threat management of pilbara species of conservation significance ( carwardine , j . , s . nicol , s . van leeuwen , b . walters , j . firn , a . reeson , t . g . martin & i . chades , 2014 ) .
the action plan for threatened australian macropods 2011 - 2021 ( world wildlife fund for nature - australia ( wwf ) , 2011 ) .
the distribution shown is generalised from the departments species of national environmental significance dataset . this is an indicative distribution map of the present distribution of the species based on best available knowledge . some species information is withheld in line with sensitive species polices . see map caveat for more information .
the species is patchily distributed across the western half of australia . populations are scattered and restricted to sites with suitable rocky habitat with caves and crevices . four vulnerable subspecies are in the epbc threatened list :
australian biological resources study , ed . ( 2013 ) . australian faunal directory . australian biological resources study . available from : urltoken .
australian government ( 2015a ) . the australian government ' s threatened species strategy . available from : urltoken .
carwardine , j . , s . nicol , s . van leeuwen , b . walters , j . firn , a . reeson , t . g . martin & i . chades ( 2014 ) . priority threat management of pilbara species of conservation significance . csiro ecosystems sciences , brisbane . urltoken
commonwealth of australia ( 2000 ) . declaration under s178 , s181 , and s183 of the environment protection and biodiversity conservation act 1999 - list of threatened species , list of threatened ecological communities and list of threatening processes . f2005b02653 . canberra : federal register of legislative instruments . available from : urltoken . in effect under the epbc act from 16 - jul - 2000 .
department of the environment and heritage ( 2006su ) . petrogale lateralis lateralis in species profile and threats ( sprat ) database . canberra : deh . available from : urltoken .
department of the environment , water , heritage and the arts ( dewha ) ( 2008adh ) . threat abatement plan for competition and land degradation by rabbits . canberra , act : department of the environment , water , heritage and the arts . available from : urltoken . in effect under the epbc act from 01 - oct - 2008 .
environment australia ( ea ) ( 1999a ) . non - current threat abatement plan for predation by the european red fox . biodiversity group , environment australia . available from : urltoken . in effect under the epbc act from 16 - jul - 2000 .
environment australia ( ea ) ( 1999b ) . non - current threat abatement plan for predation by feral cats . biodiversity group , environment australia . available from : urltoken . in effect under the epbc act from 16 - jul - 2000 .
environment australia ( ea ) ( 1999d ) . non - current threat abatement plan for competition and land degradation by feral goats . biodiversity group , environment australia . available from : urltoken . in effect under the epbc act from 16 - jul - 2000 .
world wildlife fund for nature - australia ( wwf ) ( 2011 ) . the action plan for threatened australian macropods 2011 - 2021 . sydney : wwf . available from : urltoken .
epbc act email updates can be received via the communities for communities newsletter and the epbc act newsletter .
citation : department of the environment ( 2018 ) . petrogale lateralis lateralis in species profile and threats database , department of the environment , canberra . available from : urltoken . accessed tue , 10 jul 2018 05 : 09 : 45 + 1000 .
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thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .
the formerly widespread p . lateralis shows local and considerable regional genetic variation . taxonomy follows eldridge et al . ( 1991 ) , which was based on chromosome morphology and allozyme banding . they identified three subspecies and two ‘races’ , here considered as subspecies . the subspecies and races have been widely accepted but have not been subjected to modern dna analyses .
vulnerable b2ab ( i , ii , iii , iv , v ) ; c2a ( i ) ver 3 . 1
kinnear et al . ( 2010 ) provided estimates for subpopulations in the western australian wheatbelt . pearson ( 2012 ) provided figures for some subspecies and subpopulations , but most are not based on robust sampling . in this account , population sizes are estimated for individual subspecies as p . l . lateralis ( 1 , 500 individuals , with largest subpopulation of 500 individuals ) , p . l . hacketti ( 1100 individuals , with largest subpopulation of 500 individuals ) , p . l . pearsoni ( 1 , 100 individuals ) , p . l . macdonnell ranges race ( 6000 individuals , largest subpopulation < 1000 ) and p . l . west kimberley subspecies ( < 2500 individuals ) . the population size is therefore c . 10 , 000 - 12 , 000 individuals with < 10 , 000 mature individuals .
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wilson and reeder ' s mammal species of the world is the classic reference book on the taxonomic classification and distribution of the more than 5400 species of mammals that exist today . the third edition includes detailed information on nomenclature and , for the first time , common names . each concise entry covers type locality , distribution , synonyms , and major reference sources . the systematic arrangement of
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wilson and reeder ' s mammal species of the world is the classic reference book on the taxonomic classification and distribution of the more than 5400 species of mammals that exist today . the third edition includes detailed information on nomenclature and , for the first time , common names . each concise entry covers type locality , distribution , synonyms , and major reference sources . the systematic arrangement of information indicates evolutionary relationships at both the ordinal and the family level . this indispensable reference work belongs in public and academic libraries throughout the world and on the shelf of every biologist who works with mammals .
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few have heard of it and even fewer have seen it , but the wiliji is very much on wwf ' s radar . since 2011 we ' ve been working with nyikina mangala rangers to give the wiliji every chance of survival in the grant , edgar and erskine ranges .
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a major cause of the decline of these wallabies has been predation by introduced foxes , which is thought to be responsible for the extinction of several populations . predation by feral cats , alteration of fire regimes and habitat damage caused by grazing sheep , goats and rabbits are also thought to have been problems ( 2 ) ( 4 ) .
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gestation the state of being pregnant ; the period from conception to birth . subspecies a population usually restricted to a geographical area that differs from other populations of the same species , but not to the extent of being classified as a separate species .
maxwell , s . , burbridge , a . a . and morris , k . ( 1996 ) action plan for australian marsupials and monotremes . australian marsupial and monotreme specialist group – iucn species survival commission . iucn , gland , switzerland .
kennedy , m . ( 1992 ) australasian marsupials and monotremes - an action plan for their conservation . international union for the conservation of nature and natural resources , gland , switzerland .
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but the endangered species is staging a comeback so strong authorities say it could become a regular sight in the park ' s network of remote gorges in wa ' s mid west .
in may of last year , with funding from the world wildlife foundation , 23 wallabies from bigger populations in the wheatbelt were introduced to the area .
department of parks and wildlife ( dpaw ) conservation leader anthony desmond said the kalbarri population had since risen significantly .
we ' d be expecting upwards of 80 animals now ,
he said .
most of the animals that went in last time have reproduced at least once .
another 24 of the animals were taken from the wheatbelt and introduced to the park last month and mr desmond said the area was on track to becoming the state ' s most significant site for the marsupials .
i predict we ' ll see large numbers of animals in kalbarri in the next five years , that will have a really good mix of genetics and we can continue to monitor that through the years .
mr desmond said considerable work had been undertaken to preserve the distinctness of the genes of the original wallabies .
prior to the first introduction of the wheatbelt species , dpaw spent months analysing droppings of the kalbarri female , but only recently have been able to track and take genetic samples from the elusive male .
mr desmond said the latest development was important in efforts to preserve the distinctiveness of the original wallabies ' genes .
that makes a big difference . you ' re 100 per cent solid in your genetic testing ,
he said .
you ' ve got some good data , so as we catch the new young ones that are appearing in the population we ' ll be able to see how much of those genetics are flowing down .
wwf australia ' s merril halley said a joey from the first relocation had recently been spotted and photographed .
the fact that this female has bred just one year after arriving in the new territory bodes really well for the future survival of the species in the kalbarri national park ,
she said .
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almost two dozen wallabies have been flown to a national park in western australia to boost a tiny population of the threatened species .
staff from the department of parks and wildlife ( dpaw ) spent days trekking through the park in the search for other surviving wallabies , but did not find any .
but the trio now has company : 23 wallabies have been sent in from bulging populations in the wheatbelt .
dpaw principal research scientist dr david pearson said so far , the animals seemed to have taken well to the rugged sandstone gorge .
they certainly bolted off the flat and onto the rocks and immediately looked at home ,
he said .
they ' ve come from granite rocks and they were going onto sandstone , their footing was good and away they went and disappeared into crevices .
the translocated wallabies were from populations at nangeen hill and mount caroline , where they were breeding so well , they were beginning to overgraze .
dpaw spent months carefully analysing the kalbarri animals and discovered the pair had unique dna , most closely linked to wallabies in the little sandy desert , almost 1 , 000 kilometres away .
to try to preserve the distinctness of the genes , the 23 wallabies have been released in two areas — three females have been positioned near the existing trio , while the 20 others have been released further along the gorge .
automatic cameras are being used to track how the animals respond to their new home and predators roaming in the area .
dr pearson said if the animal was still for 12 hours , an alert was sent to the dpaw staff closely monitoring them .
if for some reason any of them die , we can immediately go in there and work out why ,
he said .
it is believed overgrazing feral goats and predators like cats and foxes led to the demise of what was a healthy population of animals in the area decades ago .
dpaw has been baiting the area for foxes since 1996 and carried out a goat culling since 2006 .
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at the commencement of the environment protection and biodiversity conservation act 1999 ( epbc act ) the list of threatened species , ecological communities and threatening processes consisted only of those previously listed under the endangered species protection act 1992 .
under the epbc act new categories have been added for listed threatened species and ecological communities . critically endangered , conservation dependant and extinct in the wild have been added to the previous categories of endangered , vulnerable and extinct for threatened species and critically endangered and vulnerable have been added to the previous category of endangered for ecological communities . the definition of a species under the epbc act includes sub - species and distinct populations that the minister has determined to be species for the purposes of the act .
new nominations for species and ecological communities will be assessed under the epbc act by the threatened species scientific committee ( tssc ) according to the criteria for the new categories and listed accordingly . the tssc will reconsider the status of the initial list of threatened species and communities in line with the new refined epbc categories as information is updated and made available for assessment .
where two scientific names appear , the first is the name of the species as listed under the epbc act , and the name after the
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these unique and beautiful ' acrobats of the marsupial world ' leap and bound their way around rocky outcrops and cliff ledges in rugged and steep areas throughout australia .
they must also cope with being killed by foxes , and they compete with livestock , feral goats and rabbits for food . this competition forces them to search for food outside their natural ranges .
this species is considered to be in serious danger of extinction in this state .
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the project has utilised the skills of the martu people , traditional owners of a large tract of land in central western australia that includes part of the great sandy desert .
nearly 60 martu rangers have been involved in the monitoring and movement of the wallabies to ensure that a single fire or disease didn’t wipe out the entire isolated population .
the rangers have introduced a new “mosaic” fire - burning regime to reduce fuel loads for potential bushfires near the wallabies . meanwhile , traditional techniques have been used to track and trap the marsupials for research .
in 2013 , 26 of the wallabies were moved from the calvert ranges , also known as kaalpi , to durba hills , known to the martu as pinpi .
a trapping program that finished in late august involving rangers from the community of jigalong showed that the released population is in “exceptional” condition . the initial calvert ranges group , of which 46 wallabies were trapped , were also found to be in good shape .
“this is a fantastic partnership of western science and traditional skills of tracking . the rangers have an increased sense of pride and empowerment and it brings money into the community . a lot of kids at school now have aspirations to the rangers , which is very positive . ”
© 2018 guardian news and media limited or its affiliated companies . all rights reserved .
the reasons for australia’s terrible track record , especially with mammal extinctions , are many and complex including loss and fragmentation of habitat , the introduction of feral species ( particularly rabbits , cats and foxes ) , and changes to traditional fire patterns .
at the nature conservancy we’re getting things done to prevent the further decline of our unique and spectacular wildlife . for example , here’s some examples of threatened species our work is supporting in the wild for a more promising future :
numenius madagascariensis – the largest of all the world’s shorebirds , the eastern curlew’s impressive bill is used to probe mud and dig up crabs which is their main food source in australia . sadly , they’re critically endangered and have declined by more than 80 % in the past 50 years . they can be spotted in coastal regions of north - eastern and southern australia . they can also be found at the adelaide international bird sanctuary where they fatten up during non - breeding season between september and march , before heading back up to the northern hemisphere to breed .
petrogale lateralis – known in the western desert as warru , these endangered marsupials are making a comeback in various parts of western australia where introduced predators like cats and foxes can be effectively controlled or excluded . read more about our work with martu people to conserve the warru .
mesembriomys gouldii – recent research has shown that this large native rodent is doing very well at fish river station even though it has declined elsewhere . it can weigh almost a kilogram and stands up to 31 cm tall . it is known to aboriginal people as the djintamoonga or manbul .
erythrura gouldiae – perhaps the most beautiful small bird in the world , the incredibly marked gouldian finch has suffered from changes to fire regimes across northern australia . improved burning practices are helping them make a comeback .
cyanoramphus cookii – at high risk of extinction due to shooting by early settlers , egg and chick predation by introduced rats and cats , and a shortage of safe nesting hollows , we’re proud to have played a part in its recovery by supporting some of the important baseline science that demonstrated the perilous status of the species and recommending management actions that could be quickly acted upon to give it the best chance of recovery .
dasyurus hallucatus – these spotted marsupial predators of the north are threatened by the continued spread of the introduced and toxic cane toad . highly adaptable , they are finding refuge on some offshore , toad - free islands and thriving on fish river station . they will also benefit from better land management practices in the kimberley .
polytelis anthopeplus monarchoides – this beautiful parrot relies on two habitat types for its survival – nesting habitat in mature river red gums close to water and feeding habitat in nearby mallee country . restrictions in the free flow of water in the murray river and land clearing have negatively affected both of these habitats threatening their survival . read more about our water balancing project in the southern murray - darling basin helping to restore the health of eastern regent parrot habitat .
liopholis kintorei – highly significant to martu people of the western desert , this lizard is known to them as mulyamiji . they construct large burrow complexes in the desert sand up to 13 metres in diameter . with as many as twenty entrances , the complex may take up to two summers to complete . each burrow complex is shared by a family group of up to four generations .
macrotis lagotis – often simply called the bilby since the extinction of the lesser bilby in the middle of last century , mankarr ( as they are known throughout the western desert ) are an icon of the sandy deserts of the outback . like most desert dwellers they are nocturnal , spending their days in burrows deep underground to avoid the heat . you can find out more about our work with bilbies here .
maccullochella peelii – australia’s largest exclusively freshwater fish , the murray cod , can grow up to 1 . 8 metres long and weigh more than 100 kilograms . in the early history of european settlement , this long - lived species was heavily overfished leading to a serious population crash . its survival today continues to be threatened by loss of suitable habitat , barriers to movement and altered river flows . read more about our water balancing project in the southern murray - darling basin helping to restore the health of murray cod habitat .
would you like to help ? saving endangered species is something everyone can get involved in . become a conservation champion today and you’ll be helping to address the threats facing these and other threatened species while conserving their habitats for a more sustainable future .
© 2018 the nature conservancy australia we respect indigenous communities and culture . please be aware that the site may contain images or references to members of the indigenous community who have passed away .
this article is only an excerpt . if it appears incomplete or if you wish to see article references , visit the rest of its contents here .
the tasmanian devil is endemic to australia . although this species is called tiger ( named for its stripes ) and wolf ( due to its canid - like appearance ) , it is not a member of the cat or wolf family . it is a member of the marsupial family . other members of this family include kangaroos and koala bears .
the last known tasmanian tiger died in a zoo in hobart , tasmania in 1936 , but there have been hundreds of unconfirmed sightings , and a reserve has been set up in southwestern tasmania in the hopes that possible surviving individuals can have adequate habitat .
list of all endangered animals . list of all endangered plants . list of all endangered species ( animals & plants ) . by species group ( mammal , birds , etc ) . . . united states endangered species list . browse by country , island , us state . . . search for an endangered species profile .
are you inspired by endangered animals ? check out our games and coloring pages ! more to come soon .


the lesser banana frog ( afrixalus stuhlmanni brachycnemis ) is a subspecies of frog in the hyperoliidae family .

it is found in malawi , mozambique , and tanzania .

its natural habitats are moist savanna , subtropical or tropical moist shrubland , subtropical or tropical seasonally wet or flooded lowland grassland , swamps , intermittent freshwater marshes , arable land , pastureland , and seasonally flooded agricultural land .

it is threatened by habitat loss .

lesser banana frog

the lesser banana frog ( afrixalus brachycnemis ) is a species of frog in the hyperoliidae family . it is found in malawi , mozambique , tanzania , and possibly zambia . more
the lesser banana frog is classified as least concern . does not qualify for a more at risk category . widespread and abundant taxa are included in this category .
* the african lesser banana frog has such transparent skin that you can see it bones through it ! * the east african toad , from mozambique , rarely grows more than 2 . 5 cm ( 1 in ) long . more
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one other frog to emerge in rain induced numbers are the banana frogs which will now be present in greater or smaller numbers at least until december .
the rains have continued to fall so the frogs have continued to call . last week i posted a photo of a small - headed frog , ( dendropsophus micracephalus ) . located in the same area amongst the water hyacinth and water lettuce as well as all around the back of the pond is almost identical looking banana frog , ( dendropsophus ebreccatus ) . morphologically the frogs can be distinguished with close scrutiny . the small - headed frog has a line running along the uppersides of the body while the banana frog has a small yellow patch under the eye . but it is when they are calling that the males can be readily discerned . the small - headed frog has a high pitched “eek eek eek eek” call while the male banana frog is more of a longer “neeurk” .
that includes several other species of frog in the genus . these can be considered
pickersgill , m . ( 2007 ) . frog search : results of expeditions to southern and eastern africa . edition chimaira , frankfurt am main .
most frog eggs in the tropics hatch after a period of about a week , but not so the milky frog . their eggs are remarkable in as much as they hatch within 24 hours , after which the pond will be filled with small black tadpoles . following a further 6 – 8 weeks , the newly metamorphosed golden green colored froglets emerge from the pond .
milky frogs are the largest of the costa rican tree frogs . they are sometimes referred to as marbled tree frogs because of the handsome mottled browns and beige of the body color . as documented above it is an explosive breeder . i only count it in small numbers , if at all around the pond , but they are obviously there because as i have mentioned , with the first torrential rain , they come out in force , up to 50 or 60 individuals . it is another frog that has the ability to glide from the tree tops to ground level using widely spread and heavily webbed fingers and toes . this allows the frog to take advantage of perfect breeding conditions very rapidly . significantly other frogs such as the smoky jungle frog were present in much smaller numbers than normal while the one off milky frog invasion occurred . the males grab anything that moves and i think that overzealous behavior may have kept other amphibians at bay .
although the milky frogs were the most numerous and vociferous of the pond inhabitants , there were other frogs too vying with them for some breeding space . we had our first sightings for the impending wet season of the banana frogs , ( dendropsophus ebreccatus ) and the masked smilisca , ( smilisca phaeota ) .
when disturbed , the milky frog gives off from glands in its skin , a thick white secretion that can prove to be highly irritating especially if making contact with mucus membranes such as mouth , nose and eyes . in fact it can cause temporary blindness .
not long after the vocal manifestation of the rain frogs heralded the approaching rainy season , the first actual rains encouraged out of hiding for the first time in five months the nightly sound of little ringing metal bells , that particular sound created by the tink frog . noticeable by their absence during the dry period , we will now have seven months of dusk till dawn chiming , their calls infinitely preferable to the dreadful din of the milky frogs , which thankfully only occurs once or twice at the onset of the rains . in spanish the tink frog is known as the martallito , the little metal hammer , because its call closely resembles the tinny ring of a small hammer hitting an anvil .
a very small frog with short legs and protruding eyes . the dorsum is light with brown sides and darker bands or stripes . small light dots are present on the brown patches and small brown dots occur on the light patches . toes and fingers have a small amount of webbing at the base . toe and finger tips end in distinct disks ( text from harper et al . , 2010 ) .
the daily torrential downpour has made wildlife spotting rather difficult . it is neither easy to see or hear anything in those conditions . in the inter deluge periods i have been out searching for whatever i could find and it may come as no surprise that the amphibians most certainly have enjoyed the excess water . all the usual members of the pond community have been out calling ; banana frogs , small - headed frogs , red - eyed green tree frogs , parachuting red - eyed green tree frogs , savage’s thin - fingered frog , marine toads and masked smiliscas . even the largest tree frogs in costa rica , the milky frogs have been coming out , which is unusual this time of year . away from the pond the tink frogs and fitzinger’s rain frogs call as soon as the sun sets . here are some photographs of the amphibians you may be lucky enough to see if you visit the osa peninsula now .
another animal whose numbers appear to be on the increase are the collared peccaries , ( tayassu tajacu ) . they can be seen on any of the trails but the titi trail seems to be their preferred habitat . everyone walking the titi trail will invariably come into contact with the peccaries . the bosque trail camera project has given us the opportunity of observe 24 hours / day , 7 days / week the animal movement at least on that one trail . each week when the camera memory is downloaded there is an air of anticipation and excitement as to what will have passed by over the previous week . inevitably it is the peccaries , coatis and the agoutis , ( dasyprocta punctata ) , that take centre stage in regards to numbers and frequency with some lesser players in the weekly cycle of activity who taking up the supporting roles .
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thank you for taking the time to provide feedback on the iucn red list of threatened species website , we are grateful for your input .
frost , d . r . 2014 . amphibian species of the world : an online reference . version 6 . 0 ( 7 july 2014 ) . electronic database . american museum of natural history , new york , usa . available at : urltoken .
poynton and broadley ( 1987 ) referred to true afrixalus brachycnemis as
afrixalus sp .
. the species that they treated as afrixalus brachycnemis is now treated as afrixalus delicatus ( m . pickersgill pers . comm . ) . this species is a member of the afrixalus stuhlmanni group ( pickersgill 2005 ) .
justification : listed as least concern in view of its relatively wide distribution , tolerance of a broad range of habitats , presumed large population , and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category .
this species occurs above 400m asl in northern mozambique , malawi , and eastern zambia , north to southwestern tanzania in the rungwa area north of lake rukwa . there are very few records from the northern part of its range , presumably due to lack of survey work , and its distributional limits are still poorly known .
it is common wherever it is the only dwarf afrixalus species present . where it is sympatric with arixalus delicatus , this species always appears to be the more rare of the two , and its populations are much smaller , with numbers of calling males at several sites estimated to be less 50 individuals .
it is a species of grassy pools and marshes in moist grassland and savannah . it can survive in anthropogenic habitats . it breeds in ephemeral ponds and with dense peripheral vegetation .
, which appears to be an aggressive competitor . some populations might be impacted by agricultural spread . chemical spraying to control mosquitoes might impact some populations .
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a small , slender savanna afrixalus ( males 15 - 21 mm , females 17 - 25 mm ) , from eastern africa . the gular disc is rounded to transversely oval and weakly granular . dorsal asperities very weak , none on tibia , generally confined to head and anterior dorsum in the subspecies a . s . stuhlmanni , but abundant in the subspecies a . s . brachycnemis . ventrally , asperities confined to the mentum . above silvery yellow with a dark lateral band . there is a pair of slightly convergent dark lines from the rump over the back to between the eyes . tibia has a dark band along its lower exposed surface and often an isolated longitudinally - biased dark streak in the lighter area . the subspecies a . s . brachycnemis has a more variable pattern ( pickersgill 2007 ) .
this species is referred to as afrixalus sp . in older publications ( schiøtz 1974 ; schiøtz 1999 ; poynton and broadley 1987 ) . it has been split by pickersgill ( 2005 ) into two subspecies : a . s . stuhlmanni from coastal kenya to lowland eastern tanzania , and a . s . brachycnemis from malawi and eastern zambia . poynton ( 2006 ) regards the two as distinct species , however .
iucn , conservation international , and natureserve . 2006 . global amphibian assessment : afrixalus stuhlmanni . urltoken . accessed on 23 august 2008 .
pickersgill , m . ( 2005 ) . ' ' the taxonomy and ethology of the afrixalus stuhlmanni complex ( anura : hyperoliidae ) . ' ' steenstrupia , 29 ( 1 ) , 1 - 38 .
poynton , j . ( 2006 ) . ' ' on dwarf spiny reedfrogs in tanzanian eastern lowlands ( anura : afrixalus ) : short communication . ' ' african journal of herpetology , 55 ( 2 ) , 167 - 169 .
poynton , j . c . and broadley , d . g . ( 1987 ) . ' ' amphibia zambesiaca 3 . rhacophoridae and hyperoliidae . ' ' annals of the natal museum , 28 , 161 - 229 .
schiøtz , a . ( 1974 ) . ' ' revision of the genus afrixalus ( anura ) in eastern africa . ' ' vedenskabelige meddelelser fra dansk naturhistorisk forening , 137 , 9 - 18 .
a small afrixalus ( males 19–21 mm ) . dorsum light with a dark middorsal stripe and an almost smooth dorsum .
this account was taken from
treefrogs of africa
by arne schiøtz with kind permission from edition chimaira publishers , frankfurt am main .
schiøtz , a . ( 1999 ) . treefrogs of africa . edition chimaira , frankfurt am main .
schiã¸tz , a . ( 1974 ) . ' ' revision of the genus afrixalus ( anura ) in eastern africa . ' ' vedenskabelige meddelelser fra dansk naturhistorisk forening , 137 , 9 - 18 .
there is considerable taxonomic confusion regarding this species . afrixalus brachycnemis , a . pygmaeus , and a . sylvaticus are considered synonomies of a . stuhlmanni by pickersgill ( 2005 ; text from harper et al . , 2010 ) .
this species is traditionally known only from zanzibar island in tanzania . however , recent studies have shown that it occurs on the tanzanian mainland from amboni in the northeast , south to liwale in the southeast , and inland to the kilombero floodplain , as well as on zanzibar . it is generally found below 300m asl .
a . s . stuhlmanni occurs from coastal kenya to lowland eastern tanzania , and a . s . brachycnemis is known from malawi and eastern zambia . both subspecies prefer grassy pools and marshes in humid shrubland , mixed farmland and savanna ( iucn 2006 ) .
the dry savanna of kenya , near tsavo national park , and northern tanzania , in tarangire national park . it should be searched for further north in the dry parts of kenya .
male snout - vent lengths range in size from 15 – 21 mm and females from 17 – 27 mm ( harper et al . , 2010 ) .
this species is similar to a . uluguruensis , but it lacks dorsal spines ( harper et al . , 2010 ) .
it is a species of grassy pools and marshes in humid shrubland , mixed farmland and savannah . it breeds in marshes , shrub - dominated wetlands , and permanent pools .
this species is found in grassland , savanna , and coastal forests at elevations from 0 – 1200 m ( harper et al . , 2010 ) .
the call is a series of clicks ( text from harper et al . , 2010 ) .
eggs are laid on blades of grass ( text from harper et al . , 2010 ) .
listed as least concern in view of its wide distribution , tolerance of a broad range of habitats , presumed large population , and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category .
listed as least concern in view of its relatively wide distribution , tolerance of a broad range of habitats , presumed large population , and because it is unlikely to be declining fast enough to qualify for listing in a more threatened category .
this species breeds in marshes , shrub - dominated wetlands , and permanent pools ( iucn 2006 ) . the voice is a series of high - pitched clicks ( pickersgill 2007 ) . for a . s . brachycnemis , the eggs are placed on grass leaves but observations indicate that the leaves are not glued together ( schiøtz 1999 ) .
the voice is a long , even buzzing , acoustically similar to that of a . delicatus , but somewhat deeper .
overall it is not threatened , and it is an adaptable species , but certain populations are affected by urbanization and water pollution . it is hybridising widely with the forest species ,
and ditches . it can tolerate many types of habitat and is common to abundant in some areas .
pickersgill , m . ( 2005 ) . the taxonomy and ethology of the afrixalus stuhlmanni complex ( anura : hyperoliidae ) . steenstrupia 29 1 - 37 .
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wells , k . d . the ecology & behavior of amphibians . university of chicago press 2007 .
this species ranges from the shimba hills in southern coastal kenya south through the east usambara foothills in north - eastern tanzania , as far south as the kazizumbwi forest in central coastal tanzania . there is an unconfirmed record from further north along the tana river in eastern kenya . it occurs only very patchily within the mapped range due to limited suitable habitat .
it is a species of lowland forest that can survive in secondary growth and plantations , but not in completely degraded habitats . it breeds in temporary pools and water - filled depressions in forest .
listed as endangered because its area of occurrence is less than 500km2 , its distribution is severely fragmented , and there is continuing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat along the kenyan and tanzanian coasts .
although it can tolerate degraded forest and secondary growth , these habitats are also known to be suitable for a . stuhlmanni with which this species hybridizes , and this is probably the most serious threat to the species .
it occurs in the shimba hills national park , but the maintenance and protection of other tracts of lowland coastal forest habitat is essential to ensure the persistence of this species .
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philip ' s blog rainforest animals . rainforest plants . costa rica . veridion adventures .
after a five week period away from the osa peninsula i am back to carry out another year of research . for the past sixteen years i have been monitoring populations of both butterflies and amphibians in the forests of cabo matapalo on the tip of the osa peninsula in south west costa rica . i collect the daily weather data and compare changes in amphibian populations against precipitation and butterflies populations against temperature in an effort to evaluate how or whether climate change effects the fauna of a tropical rain forest .
as i live in the forest and can be found constantly walking the trail systems , camera in hand , it provides ample opportunity to photograph the diversity of life that surrounds me . i am generally photographically prepared for small things so unless i am going out specifically to capture images of mammals or birds then my photographic galleries generally consist of reptiles , amphibians , all manner of arthropods as well as any plant and fungi features that catch my eye .
this blog acts as an expanded form of my nature diaries which are simply daily recordings on excel spreadsheets . i enjoy sharing my experiences with those who read my blog and over the years the number of subscribers constantly increases . if you are a first - time reader , then welcome and i hope you enjoy the content and the photos . i am not a professional photographer but i do try and take the best composed shots i can .
the blog also allows visitors to the area an insight of what they might expect to see in their absence or when they arrive as well as providing a small amount of information about the natural history of the organisms i feature . i try to post one blog a week but sometimes time constraints means there may be occasions when this is not possible .
for me the year does not begin on the january 1 st but rather on my return to the area in november . at this time of year we should be moving out of the main rainy season , which is what caused me to leave for a month or so , and into the dry season . there is no exact date and sometimes the rains hang on until december while other times the sun has started to shine constantly by mid - november . anyway , here we go with the opening blog of the 20016 / 17 season .
first things first . november normally heralds the ending of the rainy season . sometimes the wet period may continue into december but by now we are looking towards a drying of the forest . not so this year . this has been , without doubt , the wettest november i have recorded in 17 years , 185 inches of rain fell in that 30 - day period . the area was briefly closed down as bridges were not crossable , roads were not passable and the local town of puerto jimenez and its attendant landing strip were closed due to being under water . this may bode well for the coming dry season when for 4 / 5 months the area receives little or no rain whatsoever but at the moment the forest floors have rivulets with running water everywhere .
weatherwise the past week has been one of sunshine and showers . the week started wet but as we progressed through the days then the sun became more and more of a feature until finally over the weekend the days were warm and cloudless . we even managed a few nights without rain . the rain that did fall was not too heavy , just enough to keep things moist and help maintain a flow of water in the creek .
over recent years there has been a downturn in the fortunes of the white - nosed coatis , ( nassua narica ) . their numbers fell precipitously and for a period of several years the individuals that were seen appeared to suffering some sort of disease . their fur was sparse and mangy - looking and their demeanor seemed lethargic and lacking their normal inquisitive vitality . last year the males , which are solitary , ( the name of a single male coati is coati mundi ) , were back sniffing around the grounds in search of whatever they could find . this year the grounds have been home to roaming bands of gregarious females with a plethora of young in attendance . it would seem that whatever malady had apparently been affecting them seems to have run its course and now people can see them with relative ease on most of the trails . the australian screw pines , ( pandanus sp ) , have been fruiting recently and it is not uncommon to see one the male white - nosed coatis at the top of the plant ripping the exotic pinecone - looking fruit to pieces .
we did get our first photo of a puma , ( puma concolor ) , this week on the titi trail . it will come as no surprise to regular readers of this blog that it looks like the resident and distinctive female “half tail” that walked through the cameras field of vision . unfortunately she did so in such a fashion that she triggered the camera as she was passing and so we are missing her head . for reasons as yet unknown , wildcats have a predilection for the scent “calvin klein obsession for men” . to that effect the lodge has purchased a bottle of said perfume to spray in front of the cameras with a view of holding the cats attention for long enough that we get some photos with her head on her shoulders .
the rain combined with constant warmth has resulted in a lot of the fungi producing fruiting bodies , mushrooms and toadstools . some of the fungal fruiting bodies are so obscure that they resemble something more alien in form than most people are used to seeing many times people don’t even know it is a fungus they are looking at . then , of course , there are the more familiar parasol - shaped mushrooms that occur in all sizes and colors , many of which are diagnostic features in helping identify the specimen to species level .
growing saprophytically on the rotting wood of dead trees it is not uncommon to see the bright yellow granular caps of leucocoprinus birnbaunii . it is found throughout tropical regions as well as growing in glasshouses in more temperate areas . it is quite surprising how many fungi know few boundaries and have a global distribution . despite its resemblance to a marzipan cake decoration it is inedible and regarded by some authorities as deadly poisonous . as with many fungi it is always best to look and not touch .
both species utilize the same areas to lay their eggs on the upper leaf surfaces of plants floating on the water . they are small flat masses of leaves numbering about 50 eggs . the eggs develop until about a week , the egg mass liquidizes and the tadpoles wriggle off into the water to complete their developement .
philip is a biologist , writer and photographer as well as the onsite naturalist guide at bosque del cabo rainforest lodge on the osa peninsula , costa rica .
sometimes you witness aberrant animal behavior that allow you to identify that something outside of the norm in happening . i was passing the patch of lantana camara near the bosque pond one day and was idly watching the butterflies that had been summoned by the sun . i noticed a butterfly that was resting on a flowerhead but at a strange angle and with no wing movement . most of the other butterflies were warmed by the solar radiation and were flitting from one flower to the next , stopping only briefly to imbibe some of the nectar . this individual , a white - banded fatima , ( anartia fatima ) , was not . i knew fron experience what was likely to have happened and luckily had the camera with me so took a closer look .
sure enough my thoughts were confirmed , a beautiful crab spider was positioned at the top of the flower head , its chelicerae , ( fangs ) , buried in the body of the butterfly which must have succumbed to the quick acting venom . crab - spiders are placed in the arachnid family : thomisidae and they are ambush predators that also the masters of disguise . this one had a body colored in a fashion to match exactly the flower in which it was lurking , bright yellow . butterfly vision allows them to see color and movement but they don’t readily determine image . this unfortunate individual would not have know what hit it until too late .
the crab spider unlike its butterfly prey which has large compound eyes has small simple eyes that only produce sharp vision up close but can discern movement from some distance away . they don’t build webs but use a silken line to secure them to the blooming flower . female crab spiders can change their color to a certain degree to match them to the flower . they sit and wait with large strong front legs outstretched until the prey alights then grab it , hold it tight and inject the venom . the liquefied juices of the prey are sucked out of the puncture wounds . they attain their name of crab spider due to their uncanny ability to walk sideways .
average daily rainfall 0 . 38 ins . total weekly rainfall 2 . 63 ins
average daily rainfall 10 . 4 mm . total weekly rainfall 82 . 8 mm
the high temperatures experienced in february and march continued into april . this year the rains came a little earlier than would normally be expected . on one or two occasions we had torrential thunderstorms occurring overnight this month . the heavy rain caused some very large trees to fall . one large monkey comb tree fell not too far from the suspension bridge . even though the rain was lashing down so heavily it was hard to hear anything outside your immediate vicinity , everyone standing in the bar heard that particular crash .
in response to the first rains for 4 months , the amphibians were stimulated into action . huge breeding aggregations of milky frogs , ( trachycephalus venulosus ) , filled the ponds with a choral cacophony of amorous males , each calling for a mate with such voluminous gusto , that their collective sound could quite easily be heard by guests taking their evening meal in the lodge restaurant .
there are many orchids around the grounds of bosque , unfortunately most of them growing up at canopy level , but there is one species which grows closer to the ground . lady of the night , ( brassavola nodosa ) , can be found growing in clumps on several trees close to the restaurant . once or twice a year it produces long white trumpet shaped flowers that give off a sweet perfume once the sun has set . the scent attracts in night flying hawk moths with long proboscises that can be inserted into the deep into the flower searching for the sugary nectar .
in comparison , one of the trees on which we find the orchid growing is the calabash tree , ( cresentia alata ) , which flowers and fruits all year round . also in contrast to the orchid , the calabash is a bat pollinated tree and consequently has large pale colored , night flowering blossoms that emits the bat attracting scent of sweaty cheese .
paper wasps can be identified to species level by the form the wasp’s nest takes . in general wasps in the genus polistes have open nests while those in the genus polybia have enclosed nests . this nest i found under a leaf with only one female in attendance , probably the dominant reproductive female whose close relatives and nest mates may have been away foraging for food . you can see eggs and larvae in the open cells while one closed cell contains a pupa .
over the course of the year the numbers of butterflies fluctuates greatly . some butterfly species you expect to see almost every day of the butterfly season but others you only see once or twice . it may well be that they exist in small numbers or they may be secretive or they may inhabit areas such as the canopy where it is difficult to record them without resorting to bait trapping . even that may not work as not all butterflies are attracted to the bait . this particular species , ( callicore lyca ) , of the biblidinae subfamily i see only on one or two occasions a year . this individual was on the titi trail and i could never get close to it , the image being captured from some distance using a 100mm macro lens .
that same lens was used to capture this white hawk , ( leucopternis albicollis ) , which landed above my head in one the open garden areas . white hawks can generally be found in the company of moving troops of monkeys . they have no interest in the monkeys themselves , it is the insect life that the monkeys scatter as they move through the vegetation that make an easily picked off meal for this beautiful raptor .
average daily rainfall 0 . 04 ins . total monthly rainfall 1 . 28 ins
average daily temp high 34 . 3°c . average daily temp low 23 . 0°c .
average daily rainfall 1 . 0 mm . total monthly rainfall 32 . 5 mm
the last few weeks have been so busy that it has been almost impossible for me to sit down and write up my daily nature diaries in the form of a blog . now , with spring break and easter over , i should be able to get back to normal . this blog is the summary of all that has happened in the natural world forming my immediate surroundings over the last three weeks and so the species lists and total rainfall figures may seem somewhat inflated compared with my recent weekly summaries .
over the past three weeks , there have been several puma , ( puma concolor ) , sightings at various locations around the grounds . leaving the hotel one night after work , the restaurant employees saw a young male puma on the main driveway by casa miramar . he stood in the middle of the road and then headed into the undergrowth and watched the departing staff from the safety of the dense low growing vegetation . some visitors saw a puma on the titi trail and yet another one , or perhaps the same individual , was spotted in the citrus garden behind the restaurant .
kinkajou , ( potos flavus ) , activity has started to increase ; their noisy whistles and honks adding to the nightly rustlings in the trees above your head . after dinner , if you hear the sound of something moving in the vegetation above you , and you then direct the beam of your flashlight upwards , invariably a curious kinkajou will run down the branch to take a look before disappearing quickly into the tree tops again .
several mammals tend to be seen following the sunset rather than during the day . the commonest of these are the nine - banded armadillo , ( dasypus novemcinctus ) , and the virginia opossum , ( didelphis virginiana ) , both of which i regularly observe on nightly outings with people on the sunset tour or when undertaking my nocturnal amphibian counts .
one morning , a noise which i had heard on many previous instances , was coming from outside my cabin , an arrhythmic thump , thump thump . i went outside to find the cause of the sound which i knew , in fact , would be a large caviomorph rodent , the agouti , ( dasyprocta punctata ) . when danger threatens , in the same fashion as frightened rabbits , the agouti thumps its foot against the ground . on most other occasions this has revealed , upon closer scrutiny of the area around the disturbed rodent , a snake , generally a boa of greater or smaller dimensions . this time i could not find the subject of the agoutis consternation but i am sure it was going to be around somewhere .
the past three weeks has experienced some of the first heavy downpours of the impending rainy season . there were several nights when we were subjected to some early evening deluges .
the resulting reaction to this saturating stimulus is an explosion in amphibian numbers , both in respect to individuals and species . we had two particularly intense drenchings separated by a week or so . both occasions drew the same response , a huge number of milky frogs , ( trachycephala venulosus ) , which seemingly arrive from nowhere , their numbers been very limited on normal count nights . following the heavy rain , they appear in dozens , the surface of the pond hosting a dreadful cacophony of calling males whose sole intention is to quickly find a single available female with whom to mate . many of them obviously succeed because the following morning the pond and floating aquatic vegetation is covered with their small black eggs .
last year we had the first time appearance of olive tree frogs , ( scinax elaeochroa ) , at the pond . their presence was of brief duration , but enough to fox me for several nights with the new calls i could not recognize until seeing one out in the open calling with gusto . their temporary occupation of the pond must have been successful as i have just seen a juvenile in amongst all the other pond regulars .
the butterfly season is on the downturn now . most numbers of individuals and species occur throughout february and march . the start of the rains can severely deplete numbers seen but extended periods of sun between the showers will see the numbers rise once again but not to the peaks of the dry season .
one thing that i will notice though is the frequency at which i will encounter a few species of butterfly that i will only see maybe once or twice during the course of the year . it is always nice to renew this re - acquaintance as well as recording species that i have previously not monitored on the grounds of bosque del cabo .
the swirling and frenzied clouds of green urania moths are now diminishing in numbers too . they will have mated , laid eggs , the adults are dying and the resulting new offspring upon emergence will fly off is search of new omphalia vine hence continuing that verdant migration back and forward throughout central america .
one particular moth has been capturing the attention of some of the visitors walking the trails if only for its initial shock value , the bird wing moth , ( thysania agrippina ) . when disturbed it vacates its perch on the side of a tree trunk , taking to flight some enormous floppy bat flying away from you down the forest path only to suddenly disappear from in front of your eyes as quickly as it appeared . if you approach slowly , you will see the moth has alighted on the trunk of the tree , its wings aligned up to down , its body horizontal . the wings are patterned with a series of wavy lines that look to all intents and purposes like the bark of the tree . only the visually acute will spot them in this position .
there is a constantly changing flux of plants flowering and fruiting . the recent blooms of lady of the night orchid have momentarily faded . walking through the forest you will happen upon many fallen blooms and fruits from vines , trees and their associated epiphytes .
minute white flowers of the hobo or hog plum , ( spondias mombin ) , carpet the forest floor like confetti from a secretive woodland wedding ceremony . the legato negro is also in flower , its blooms appear to a rich prize for the leaf - cutter ants which harvest them from the tops of the tree crown , descend and carry them over large distances , finally returning to the nest where they will be processed into compost along with any other plant material that enters the subterranean attine domain .
in recent weeks i have seen the bases of ajo trees , ( caryocar costaricense ) , littered with their fallen green fruits . the fruits have an oily nutritious pulp that the rodents enjoy eating . the presence of high rodent numbers can attract in another , less welcome by some , visitor to the base of the trees , snakes , in particular , the terciopelo , ( bothrops asper ) . these large pit vipers are ambush predators that sit and wait , sometimes for days on end , for a meal in the form of a small furry creature to pass by . it is one reason why you should check the base of trees before complacently stepping in to have your photograph taken against some of the giant buttresses .
two species of nutmeg trees have recently been producing the “golden fruits” that give the trees their name , fruta dorada . the golden fruits are the hard shelled nuts that upon ripening and splitting reveal the seed that is the nutmeg and the bright red membranous aril that surrounds it .
the shorted and stuttered rain induced breeding frenzy of the milky frogs was witnessed by many of the visitors to bosque , some of whom could not contain their curiosity and simply had to go and investigate what was causing the unfaltering ruckus they were hearing over the course of their dinner . for one young boy the effect was overwhelming , reducing him to tears , seriously disturbed by a sight he , ( as far as he is concerned ) , hopefully will never witness again .
it is almost impossible for me to give the spoken part of the sunset tour over the top of such a din , and i often have to retire to the quieter confines of the garage across the road before i can make myself heard .
it occurred to me that i should go along after dinner and photograph the event . so after i finished up in the office , i returned to the pond at 11 : 00 pm . just as i arrived , an incredible thing happened , as one all of the frogs stopped calling . it was so simultaneous that it seemed like an off switch had been hit . not only that , but as i tried to compose some exposures , the frogs made a mass exit from the water and ran up the side of the trees like small mice on amphetamine sulphate . within a matter of minutes the pond have had been vacated with the same alarming rapidity with which it was occupied only a few hours earlier .
it was while i stood marveling at the truly amazing scene unfolding in front of my eyes that i noticed a pair of amplected red - eyed green tree frogs that had made their way , despite their boisterous co - inhabitants , under a low lying leaf and they were beginning to lay eggs . i couldn’t quite get in at a good angle to record the event but managed to get at least several shots .
average daily rainfall 0 . 32 ins . total weekly rainfall 6 . 73 ins
average daily temp high 31 . 2 °c . average daily temp low 23 . 0 °c .
average daily rainfall 7 . 9 mm . total weekly rainfall 166 . 4 mm
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arkive is working with iucn - international union for conservation of nature , to source images of the world ' s threatened amphibian species . together with conservation international and natureserve , iucn has led a comprehensive assessment of the conservation status for the world ' s known species of frogs , toads , salamanders , newts and caecilians . to date , the project has involved the input of more than 600 herpetologists from around the world .
iucn red list category , and details of range , ecology , threats and conservation information for every known amphibian species , can be found on the iucn red list website .
classified as vulnerable ( vu b1ab ( iii ) ) on the iucn red list 2004 ( 1 ) .
this information is awaiting authentication by a species expert , and will be updated as soon as possible . if you are able to help please contact : arkive @ urltoken
michele menegon museo tridentino di scienze naturali sezione di zoologia dei vertebrati via calepina 14 , i - 38100 trento italy tel : + 39 ( 461 ) 270374 menegon @ urltoken http : / / www . urltoken / easternarc
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