A few birds at Boat Harbour

Male Superb fairywren (Malurus cyaneus)

One day I’ll return to this area, just to photograph the many species of birds to be seen here.

Land-based whale watching at Boat Harbour, NSW

A Humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) breaching.

I visited the Port Stephens area with two associates with the hope of seeing a whale or two before seriously bad weather was expected to set in later this week.

Australia Walkabout Wildlife Park 2021 #5: Meerkat

Meerkat (Suricata suricatta)

Meerkats (Suricata suricatta) are indigenous to southern Africa.

Xhosa and his mob came from Taronga Western Plains Zoo to their new forever home at AWWP in 2021.

Meerkat (Suricata suricatta)

Australia Walkabout Wildlife Park 2021 #4: Devils, Dingo and Echidna

Maliki the alpine dingo (Canis lupus ssp. dingo). His older companion Malloo was housed elsewhere (while recovering from a bout of tick paralysis) at the time.

Bucky the Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii)

Short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus)

Australia Walkabout Wildlife Park 2021 #3: Koalas

Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)

The Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) has been officially designated as Endangered in New South Wales, Queensland the Australian Capital Territory as of February 2022.

Gumnut the Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is housed with the echidnas

Australia Walkabout Wildlife Park 2021 #2: Kangaroos

Red kangaroo (Osphranter rufus), previously known as Macropus rufus.

The Red kangaroo (Osphranter rufus) is Australia’s largest living marsupial. Males of the species have reddish fur while females are grey (there are no females currently at the AWWP).

Zoe, the one Eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus ssp. giganteus) that you must not attempt to touch. She can get a bit stroppy.

The Eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus ssp. giganteus) is the second largest living marsupial in Australia.

Australia Walkabout Wildlife Park 2021 #1: Wallaroos and wallabies

Common wallaroo (Osphranter robustus), previously known as Macropus robustus.

On my first-ever visit to the Australia Walkabout Wildlife Park there was only one walleroo, and her name was Tegan. She is no longer with us, but there are now at least five of these animals at the sanctuary.

Compared to the Eastern Grey kangaroo, the Common Wallaroo has a squarer face, a shaggier coat and a pale-coloured tail. The feet are also much darker.

The darker wallaroo on the right is Texas, a male.

Common wallaroo (Osphranter robustus)

Swamp wallaby (Wallabia bicolor) with an agile wallaby (Notamacropus agilis) in the background

Singapore 2019 #07: Mangrove and Monitor

Malayan water monitor (Varanus salvator)

Singapore 2019 #06: Birds

Here are some of birds visit or reside in the Sungei Buloh Wetlands Reserve.

Milky Stork (Mycteria cinerea)

Singapore 2019 #05: Tree-climbing crabs

Possibly a Singapore vinegar crab (Episesarma singaporense)

Here are some crabs of the Sungei Buloh Wetlands Reserve.

The Singapore vinegar crab (Episarma singaporense) is one of four described species of tree-climbing crabs found in Singapore. The Singapore Biodiversity Online page on this species provides fairly detailed information on its biology and ecology. If you’re wondering why it has “vinegar” in its name, the explanation can be found there too. Here’s the National University of Singapore Taxo4254 entry.