Newsletter No. 73 July 2025

WELCOME

Well, well, we can definitely feel the chill now. At Animal Ark we are all rugging up against the cold as winter creeps in. It’s still sunny however and we are finally getting some rain. Mahogany Creek is often flowing, and we can hear the frogs. Now we need to find out which species: we think we have Squelching Froglets Crinia insignifera, Quacking Frogs Crinia georgiana and Bleating Froglets Crinia pseudinsignifera too. Great names, they sound like their names apparently! Reticulation is well and truly turned off and coats and scarves on!

This tiny baby snake appeared in our friend Ziggy’s bathroom recently. Goulds Hooded Snake Parasuta gouldii are a small, mildly venomous species not uncommon if you go looking for them! Found throughout the Perth region, at this young age they seek out presumably equally tiny skinks and geckos as prey. This baby was relocated a few hundred meters away onto our own bush block away from houses. I asked Jamie our newest staff member and keen reptile photographer to capture it alongside a $2 coin for scale.

new, lost and missing

Taxonomy is the science of classification of organisms. Taxonomists describe and classify some of the species of animal and plant life on our planet. Over time things change; new insights through genetics or other methods change the sum of knowledge we have about how many creatures and plants we share the planet with.

There are many species (thousands of them) yet to be properly described by taxonomists. Some species are sadly lost to extinction every day, some are even re-discovered. It’s a crazy taxonomic world! Here are a few I have heard about recently.

new:

The Western Laughing Tree Frog is a large, common and now officially the 248th native frog species found in Australia. Hidden in plain sight, as it looks very similar to another frog, this Western Laughing Tree Frog, now officially has its own scientific name Litoria ridibunda to differentiate from its close relative Roth’s Tree Frog Litoria rothii. Unlike most other continents we only have frogs in Australia, no newts, salamanders or toads. Apart of course from the introduced Marine or Giant or Cane Toad Rhinella marina.

found:

Last seen over 50 years ago and presumed to be extinct, the Victorian Grassland Earless Dragon, Tympanocryptis pinguicolla, was rediscovered in 2023. Sadly, even though a captive breeding population has been established, much of the lizard’s grassland habitat has gone. Melbourne has increased in size considerably and much of this small dragon’s grassland habitat has been developed and, coupled with cats and foxes, the population has been depleted to a tiny remnant. But the discovery gives us hope that conservation efforts may assist its continued survival.

missing:

I’m very excited about this one – I am also amazed that other naturalists aren’t as well, and that no expedition has yet been made to search for this elusive creature. Because wandering around the West Kimberley region could still be a strange large animal, one that is completely unstudied. In fact, it’s known existence in Australia comes from just a single specimen.

What we do know for certain is that in 1901 they existed – there must have been more than one! Some time ago (2009) whilst rummaging through a box in the Natural History Museum London a dried skin complete with skull (what is called a study specimen) was discovered. It had attached a label reading 1901 West Kimberley, Australia. I’m writing about the Giant or Western Long-beaked Echidna Zaglossus bruijnii. At around one meter this long beaked (and long legged) relative of our common Short-beaked Echidna Tachyglossus aculeatus is, I am pretty sure, still out there – yet to be rediscovered in remote Kimberley of WA. They do occur in remote Papua New Guinea and are rarely seen.

I am so pleased with some of the Animal Ark team to be visiting the Kimberley region in July, kindly invited by the Wunnggurr Rangers. We are going out bush for three nights to explore their country. Despite incalculable odds against any exciting Giant Echidna discoveries, I will still be looking – I reckon if you don’t try you can’t really hope to succeed!

new product

For managing wildlife in the field, see our new fauna bags in a variety of sizes. Available in packs of 10, both white and green.

For more information or to purchase check out our online store here

bait aversion

Animal Ark’s partner company Bait Aversion has dates available for training over the coming months, including Busselton at the end of July.

See the website for more details and to book baitaversion.com.au

animal ark snake avoidance

Spring is just around the corner and winter is a great time to train with Animal Ark Snake Avoidance.

Upcoming this month we are training in the Busselton area, plus plenty of Perth based locations, north, south, east and west, Perth hills, Toodyay and Bunbury area.

Have a look and book at the upcoming dates and locations on the website here

upcoming courses & events

For Snake & Fauna Handling Training course dates please see here

Courses are held regularly around Perth. On-site and remote site training is available on request – subject to availability. Please email info@animalark.com.au or call (08) 9243 3044.

For information on Animal Ark Snake Avoidance Training & Bait Aversion Training please see here

Come see us and meet the critters at Public Events see upcoming events here

For Animal Ark equipment sales please see our online store