As some of the world’s most intelligent birds, kea are extremely inquisitive, appear to enjoy problem-solving and engage in playful activities, seemingly for fun – qualities that endear them to us yet bring them into conflict. Endemic to New Zealand’s South Island, kea have evolved over millennia to survive harsh alpine conditions. They became omnivores, […]
Tag: Brushtail possum
When a sick possum showed up in my garden my heart overtook my head. Is it ever OK to feed urban wildlife?
Chopping vegetables in my kitchen on a winter afternoon, I was startled by the sound of rustling branches and loud coughing coming from my back yard. I walked outside tentatively, prepared to face a fence-hopping intruder. Instead, after a few minutes of listening to evenly timed wheezes, I spotted it – a small brushtail possum, […]
I collect roo poo – and our research could save many marsupial lives
I thought convincing my husband of the merits of my returning to study just as he had retired would be a tricky sell. So his enthusiasm for the idea caught me by surprise. He helpfully suggested several interesting topics: sea turtles, dugongs and coral reefs. If it involved a boat in a warm climate, he […]
Finding mammals in Sydney (Urban mammals)
When most of us think about wildlife watching, cities are not the environments that usually come to mind. Typically urban development is associated with habitat destruction and local extinctions. However, not all wildlife species are equally affected by human activities and some have adapted and become quite successful in human-dominated landscapes. Sydney – Australia‘s largest […]