Wildlife Watching in Australia

Dasyurids & Numbats

wildlifewatchingaustralia
2 minutes

The dasyurids are the carnivorous marsupials – not usually large but for their size some have big teeth!

Brush-tailed phascogale (Wambenger) – Phascogale tapoatafa

Found in areas of Jarrah forest and they have large home ranges so not often seen.   I am hoping to find other locations.

Locations

  • Mundaring – I found one in Mundaring after reading reports through a variety of sources – see blog.
  • Paganoni Swamp
  • Jarrah Forrest
  • Island Point Nature Reserve
  • Contos campground

Red-tailed phascogale – Phascogale calura

Rarer and smaller than the brush-tailed they are usually found in stands of sheoak.   They seem to really not like white light of spotlights and better in red light.  They move extremely fast.

Locations

  • Dryandra – in the sandalwood plantation detailed in this blog and this blog.  Also one seen near Gnaala Mia Campground just near the sheok on the main road – see this blog.
  • Tutanning NR – found in small sheok stand – see this blog.

Chuditch (Western Quoll) – Dasyurus geoffroii

I found it very difficult to find my first one.

  • Julimar Forest – haven’t been able to confirm reports – road can be quite rough and need to be careful in SUV.
  • Boyagin – I have not seen but seen evidence on camera traps from the Boyagin Boys
  • Lane Poole Reserve – I have not seen but advice given around “Chuditch” campsite
  • Perup – I have heard reports and Jimmy has seen a few times
  • Dryandra – this is where I saw my first Chuditch – see blog for details.  Jimmy also saw one on my second time there but I didn’t see – blog.

Mardo (Yellow-footed antichinus) – Antechinus flavipes

I have seen in Dryandra – see blog.

Numbat – Myrmecobius fasciatus

The state faunal emblem for Western Australia but endangered and possibly less than a 1000 left.  They are unusual for Australian mammals as they are diurnal (out during the day) and feed exclusively on termites.  There teeth are reduced to just pegs as you don’t need much for termites.  See this link for a video.

They are only found in a number of locations – only 2 complete natural surviving populations

  • Natural surviving populations in the mid 80s – only about 300 left at that time.
    • Perup (Jarrah forest)
    • Dryandra (Wandoo woodland)
  • Translocated – some sites have not had recent surveys so population health not well known.
    • Boyagin (Wandoo woodland) – This is probably the best location to find numbats.  This article details the best technique – essentially driving tracks very slowly looking for movement.  On my 4th time of trying to see numbats I had an extraordinary encounter with my friend Jimmy – we found a pair in January and watched pre-mating behaviour for an extended period – blog.
    • Tutanning NR
    • Dragon Rocks
    • Batalling
    • Stirling Ranges
    • Karroun Hill