Jennifer Marohasy

a forum for the discussion of issues concerning the natural environment

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Leseur’s Frog

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Leseur’s Frogs (Litoria lesueuri) emerge after dark from their diurnal concealment amongst leaf-litter on the dark-brown forest floor, where they elude the predatory appetites of a formidable avian oversight.

Like all members of the genus, Leseur’s have large finger and toe pads and horizontal pupils, however, males out-number females, perhaps as many as fifty-to-one. Adult Females, such as the one pictured, are three to four times the mass of males and much less gregarious and stream-bound (I get the impression that the greater mass of the female provides more liberty from running water).

It has been a tough year for wildlife sightings generally with the longest, coldest patch I have known since starting my nocturnal forays, fifteen years ago. The last couple of nights have been good for the primitive northern leaf-tailed and chameleon geckos, as well as the spectacular moth Lyssa Macleayi.

Do you recognise this face?

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On this Queen’s Birthday Public Holiday, I thought that I would issue a challenge to our Politics & Environment Weblog community:

To whom or what does this face belong?

I can tell you that it is not a member of Australia’s legislature. Neither is it employed in Australia’s public service. It is definitely Australian, but it is not a contributor to our discussion on this blog, so it would be vexatious to suggest any of our local identities.

I’ll wait to see what our readership comes up with, before revealing the identity.

The World’s Most Painful Plant

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Australians might be surprised to hear that many visiting travellers perceive the country as dangerous … a landscape teeming with deadly snakes and spiders and surrounded by crocodiles, sharks and jellyfish, but what of its floral dangers?

Gympie Gympie (Dendrocnide moroides) is arguably the world’s most painful plant. Covered with hypodermic hairs on its leaves and stems, it can inject poison that causes extreme pain.

It grows most virulently in damaged rainforest along Australia’s north-east coast. Its seeds remain dormant in the soil beneath a dark understory, until germinated by exposure to intensified sunlight, such as when a rainforest tree collapses. It is found most frequently as a single-stemmed plant, 1-2 metres high. Its large, long-stalked, alternate leaves are broadly heart-shaped (∼30 x 22 cm) with serrated margins. The central vein stops short of the periphery, terminating with the stalk attachment, on the underside of the leaf. Its mulberry-like, bright pink to purple fruits are borne upon axillary stalks on female plants.

Contact with human skin can cause extreme pain, starting as a rapidly intensifying burning sensation. The pain may persist for days, but upon exposure to cold air, water or when rubbed, the pain can be reinvigorated for up to two months or more, beyond the original sting.

What is Wilderness? (Part 11)

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For me, wilderness both resonates of human potential and also describes the ultimate expression of humanity. No other state of relations can be more admirable. Far from the notion of humankind and wilderness being mutually exclusive, I believe we must rather aspire to change for the benefit of wilderness and in so doing, restore to ourselves, integrity.

Wompoo Fruit Doves

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Photographing this roosting pair of Wompoo Fruit-Doves Ptilinopus magnificus was simply irresistible. Over the years, I have seen many asleep, but never so low to the ground.

They are large doves, reaching almost half-a-metre and are richly coloured, with white head, purple breast, green wings with a conspicuous yellow stripe and bright yellow undergarments.

Their call is deep and resonant, with human-like attributes; “wollack-woo”. They feed on a variety of rainforest fruits, which may be quite large in size and are eaten whole.