Australia

One of the most exciting aspects of our trip thus far has been the remarkable diversity of plants and animals that we have encountered.  Australia is known for it’s strange and unique creatures, and we have been doing our best to see as many of them as possible.

Our wildlife adventures started as soon as we left our hotel in Sydney.  In Hyde Park we saw our first fig tree, with buttress roots taller than a person.  As we walked through the Royal Botanical Gardens we saw giant white cockatoos, which are as common as crows, and rainbow-colored lorikeets.  Everyone really got excited when we encountered a roosting colony of flying foxes, who squealed their discontent and fluttered around at being disturbed.

At the Sydney Wildlife Adventure some of the students had the opportunity to pet a koala, a bearded dragon, and a python.  Luckily, the students who tried surfing at Bondi Beach did not encounter any of Australia’s more dangerous creatures, box jellies and irukandji jelly fish.

Hiking at Kata Tjuta

We have had quite a few animal sightings in the Outback, which is especially green due to heavy rains in November.  As our tour bus rounded Uluru we saw a pack of dingoes, and on our way to Kata Tjuta we saw a few feral camels.  The camels were used as work animals when the Outback was settled by Europeans and, since being released, have established feral populations.  They are considered pests here, but we were excited nonetheless.

Our most exciting “find” so far has been a single rock wallaby that was having a breakfast of leaves on the rocky slopes of Simpson’s Gap.  She patiently munched on a bush as we snapped dozens of photographs.

Despite being mostly desert, Australia has no plants in the cactus family.  Instead, we’ve seen dozens of species of Eucalypts, desert oaks,  and grevilleas.  We’ve even spotted the witchetty bush with roots that house 3-inch long grubs that are eaten by the Aboriginal people.  We’ve also encountered a number of prickly, thorny, and spiky plants that are extremely skilled at protecting themselves from curious herbivores as well as the occasional careless traveller.

We hope to encounter many more of Australia’s biological wonders as our travels continue.  We’re still on the lookout for kangaroos!

Dr. Jessica Braswell