Page 20 - Sentinel May 2018

WILD SIDE Continued from page 18 that the cats will lick off their fur, but other animals will not.
Hold on to your gasp – they even sell cat skins.
and determination to keep going until every last one of the inva-
sive species like rats, stoats, and possums are terminated.
Perth, the capital of Western Australia, left us amazed as large
flocks of cockatoos flew overhead and congregated in trees of
An early extinction was that of the moa in 1300-1400 A.D. This the parks or along grassy areas.
was a truly BIG bird, about 12 feet high and weighing over 500
pounds. Its demise was from overhunting by the Maori.
We ferried to small Rottnest Island off the coast of the Indian
Ocean. It was first recorded by Dutch explorers in the 1600s
Speaking of, the koi that we cherish and protect from herons, with the remark that the entire island was run over by large rats,
snakes, and raccoons, are prohibited, being an invasive species so it was named “Rottnest” for rat’s island. The rats are actually
in the streams and lakes there.
cute, small, friendly marsupials, named quokkas. And yes, the
gals have little joeys in their pouches.
Australia
The land of marsupials and raucous birds! Kangaroos, koala A trip south to canoe on the Margaret River allowed us lots of
beers, wallabies, padymelons, and quokkas. Say what? And, viewing opportunities of birds, like the white-breasted pied cor-
of course, highly venomous snakes and spiders, from which we morant and the very large highly-soaring wedge-tailed eagle.
were spared. We did not venture into the oceans with the great Lunch included emu, kangaroo, and smoked crocodile. Crocs
whites and painfully-stinging jelly fish this trip. But the mas- are mainly located in the NW corner of Ozland – far away from
sive fur seals and frolicking Australian seals provided immense us – whew.
entertainment.
Short Takes
We re-visited Tasmania for a whiskey tour, which was cancelled Many reports of hummingbirds have come in from around the
the day we arrived. Bummer. So, we used to time to check out area. I am so anxious to try my new feeders which just require
those growly Tasmanian Devils at a refuge. They love to fight some ripe bananas to start providing protein to the hummers
amongst themselves. A huge effort is underway to save the in the form of fruit flies. But the mornings need to get a little
species so it does not go the way of the Tasmanian tiger – to ex- warmer, so that the flies don’t freeze
tinction. A rare, viral form of cancer wiped out over 90 percent
of the Devils. Their fighting and biting each other was a way to Be sure to check out the Cherokee Ranch calendar. They are
quickly spread the disease.
hosting a number of nature walks for various interests.
At the same refuge we Reminder: all that winter coat fur that you are brushing out
delighted in feeding the of your dog would sure be appreciated by some mama birds,
kangaroos, who held building their nests, and looking for soft material to lay their
our hands still so that eggs in. Just make sure when you toss it into the wind, it is be-
they could easily eat the ing carried AWAY from you, or you might end up looking like
seed. One big dude, a shaggy dog – it’s a little early for Halloween.
Alfie for Alpha, used *****
the large, wicked claws That’s all, folks, for this month. Gotta run. The wind is at a lull,
on each foot to strike finally, and the mass of fur accumulated from our latest Golden
out at other ‘roos who got too close to the food. The small and Retriever foster, Lucy, needs to find a new home.
shyer Padymelons, a relative of wallabies, showed up for the
occasion.
How to Contact Me: Email is best at susan@larskpurconsulting.
com. Alternatively, call my cell phone at 303-725-6868 or send
On the southern coast of Oz, we observed koalas up in the trees a short write-up to 2255 Quartz Mountain Drive.
and a large variety of parrots, some tame enough to eat seed
from our hands. Occasionally an elusive kookaburra appeared.
We started seeing the road signs warning of kangaroos, as we
had in Tasmania, along with road-side carcasses. We stayed
on Kangaroo Island, southeast of Adelaide where, guess what?
They have a zillion kangaroos. I am used to seeing the tawny
color, but it turns out that they come in a wide range of colors, electric
even Albino with the latter being more susceptible to predators,
as they stand out from their habitat.
This island was on a major crusade to eliminate feral cats. The Pete Dunbar 1341 Quartz Mountain Drive
owner of a Eucalyptus-emu farm (emu -another large bird, along Larkspur, Colorado 80118
with the cassowary) said that he caught a cat that was three feet 303-681-3809
long nose to the tip of the tail, weighing 40 pounds. BIG kitty. Cell 303-638-6762
They have put up impressive barriers and have applied poison

Page 20 - May 2018 Perry Park Sentinel