March 28, 2024, 10:54:45 AM *
Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
News: NEW CHILD BOARD CREATED IN THE POLITICAL SECTION FOR THE 2016 ELECTION
 
   Home   Help Login Register  
Pages: « 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 »   Go Down
  Print  
Author Topic: Australia by Tibrogargan January 2007 - present and 155216+ views later!  (Read 657549 times)
0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.
Tibrogargan
Monkey All Star Jr.
****
Offline Offline

Posts: 5315



« Reply #80 on: January 22, 2007, 11:18:07 PM »

Quote from: "BTgirl"
A Tennessee possum. Not nearly as cute as the Australian one. Trust me, I know. I have a yard full of them.  Laughing



They do look quite different.  If you live near the bush here possums can be a pest as they like to get into any gap they can find in the house roofs and they thump around all night on the ceilings.  Or they leap out of trees onto the house roof and thump and slide all about.   Things that go bump in the night!
Logged



....And at night the wond’rous glory of the everlasting stars..  A.B (Banjo) Paterson
BTgirl
Monkey All Star Jr.
****
Offline Offline

Posts: 9235



« Reply #81 on: January 23, 2007, 08:00:29 AM »

Quote from: "Tibrogargan"
Quote from: "BTgirl"
A Tennessee possum. Not nearly as cute as the Australian one. Trust me, I know. I have a yard full of them.  Laughing



They do look quite different.  If you live near the bush here possums can be a pest as they like to get into any gap they can find in the house roofs and they thump around all night on the ceilings.  Or they leap out of trees onto the house roof and thump and slide all about.   Things that go bump in the night!


We have persimmon trees in our yard, and the possums LOVE to climb up there at night and enjoy the persimmons. It drives our dogs nuts!  Laughing Fortunately, we've never found one anywhere in the house yet.  Shocked

Do the Australian ones "play possum," where they roll up into a ball when threatened?
Logged

I Stand With The Girl
pdh3
Monkey Junky
***
Offline Offline

Posts: 3019



« Reply #82 on: January 23, 2007, 11:43:10 AM »

Posssums are kinda mean, and they hiss like a cat! I had one in my garage. It tore a hole in the big bag of cat food I had stored there, and it was gorging on cat food. I chased it out with a broom, but I was skeert! I was raised in the city, and we did not have possums in our garage. Laughing
They creep me out. Shocked
Logged

What's done in the dark will always come to light.
BTgirl
Monkey All Star Jr.
****
Offline Offline

Posts: 9235



« Reply #83 on: January 23, 2007, 12:53:27 PM »

Pdh3 - I'll try to keep this short and not take over the Australia thread, but I have a funny possum story. Hubby grew up just outside London, so he's certainly a city boy! When we were first married, we found a dead possum beside our mailbox one day. We waited for the dog across the road (Elvis) to take an interest in the possum and drag it away for us, but Elvis shunned our road kill. Finally, hubby said that he knew how to get rid of it without having to bury it. He said there was a house being built down the road, and a pile of brush that smoldered all night. Well, night fell, and hubby skulked out of the house with a shovel and a flashlight. Keeping the flashlight beam pointed low, as if he were a burglar, he scooped up the possum and scurried down the road to the fire. A few minutes later he returned, looking a little sad. He said,"I felt kind of sorry for the poor little thing, lying there in the shovel with it's tongue hanging out, so when I threw it on the fire to cremate it, I said a little prayer over it's body."  Laughing
Logged

I Stand With The Girl
pdh3
Monkey Junky
***
Offline Offline

Posts: 3019



« Reply #84 on: January 23, 2007, 04:20:59 PM »

What a sweet man!! Even possums are God's little creatures. Very Happy

I never realized Australia had possums. They are very adaptable, so I guess they'd do well Down Under.
Logged

What's done in the dark will always come to light.
Tibrogargan
Monkey All Star Jr.
****
Offline Offline

Posts: 5315



« Reply #85 on: January 23, 2007, 06:00:42 PM »

BT  What a kind hearted husband you have!

pdh3  Possums do very well here and have almost been given "pest" status as they raid the fruit trees and vegetable gardens.  I have not seen them curl into a ball as I have never been that close to one, but they sure can scuttle up a tree very fast.  All dogs seem to hate them.
Logged



....And at night the wond’rous glory of the everlasting stars..  A.B (Banjo) Paterson
Tibrogargan
Monkey All Star Jr.
****
Offline Offline

Posts: 5315



« Reply #86 on: January 23, 2007, 06:21:21 PM »

DINGO
Canus Lupus Dingo

Dingoes have been in Australia up to 5000 years and are believed to be related to Asian and Middle Eastern wolves and brought here to trade with the Aborigines by Asian seafarers.

They are about 18 inches tall and are a yellow brown colour with a bushy tail and pointed ears.  They can have white feet and chest markings.  They have adapted to the many different habitats and in the hot northern tropical areas have a short single coat and in the cool to cold mountain areas further south they have a longer and thicker coat with a double layer of fur.  They will eat almost anything such as reptiles, mammals, insects, carrion and some plants.  They have also adapted well to the   coming of Europeans by hunting and killing the sheep and rabbits brought here by the settlers.

They do not bark but howl to announce their territorial boundaries and have many different sounds to communicate within their small groups or to call any straying pups.  A dingo pair stay together for life and dig a den to house the litters of up to 6 pups.  The pups leave the den at about 3 weeks of age and then are taught to hunt and kill by the parents.  Dingoes will hunt alone or with other dingoes to catch larger prey.

The dingo exclusion fence runs through 3 states : South Aust, NSW and Queensland and it is the longest fence in the world.  Dingoes have been known to stalk and menace people who intrude on their territory and ignore the "Do not feed the dingoes" signs.



....................................
Logged



....And at night the wond’rous glory of the everlasting stars..  A.B (Banjo) Paterson
Tibrogargan
Monkey All Star Jr.
****
Offline Offline

Posts: 5315



« Reply #87 on: January 23, 2007, 06:22:42 PM »

Dingo and pups ..

Logged



....And at night the wond’rous glory of the everlasting stars..  A.B (Banjo) Paterson
Tibrogargan
Monkey All Star Jr.
****
Offline Offline

Posts: 5315



« Reply #88 on: January 23, 2007, 07:46:59 PM »

ECHIDNA

Pronounced :  E-kid-na

The echidna and the platypus are the worlds only monotremes which mean they are egg laying mammals.  They can grow up to 20 inches long and weigh about 3 lbs.  In the hotter northern areas they are light brown and get darker with thicker hair further south.  They are black in Tasmania.

They are shy creatures with short stout limbs for digging burrows and searching for food.  Their snout is 3 inches long and stiffened to break up logs and termite mounds.  Their favourite food is termites hence they are sometimes called Spiny Ant Eaters.  They catch their prey with a long sticky tongue and as they have no teeth they have to grind their food between their tongue and the bottom of their mouth.

When frightened they will roll in a ball with snout and legs tucked in and sharp spines sticking out.  Pick one up if you dare!!

During the breeding season the female develops a simple pouch into which she lays a single egg which takes 10 days to hatch.  The baby is carried in this pouch until the spines develop at about 3 months of age.

Logged



....And at night the wond’rous glory of the everlasting stars..  A.B (Banjo) Paterson
Tibrogargan
Monkey All Star Jr.
****
Offline Offline

Posts: 5315



« Reply #89 on: January 23, 2007, 07:57:20 PM »

WOMBAT

Wombats are very shy nocturnal marsupials with a large blunt head, small eyes and ears, thick soft fur with strong legs and claws designed for digging burrows to live in and foraging for food.  They eat grasses, tree roots and soft mosses, and also raid gardens by knocking down fences which makes them unpopular with farmers.  They can grow up to 4 foot in length and weigh up to 70 lbs and can survive small bushfires by hiding in their burrows.  They can swim but will keep clean with dust baths.  They often sleep on their back with all four feet sticking up in the air.
   
Female wombats have a back opening pouch so that she does not cover her baby with sand and twigs when digging.  They are a close relation to the koala.

...........................................
Logged



....And at night the wond’rous glory of the everlasting stars..  A.B (Banjo) Paterson
Tibrogargan
Monkey All Star Jr.
****
Offline Offline

Posts: 5315



« Reply #90 on: January 23, 2007, 08:56:29 PM »

PLATYPUS

The only other monotreme in the world beside the Echidna,  the Platypus is native to the eastern areas of Australia and Tasmania.  Often described as an animal that has been assembled by a committee, the platypus is a unique shy and wary creature with a stream lined body, soft pliable muzzle or duck bill, webbed feet and a broad tail.  Grows up to 2 foot long and can weigh up to 5 lbs.  It is deep brown in colour on upper side of body and limbs with the under side being golden or grey in colour.  It has a dense waterproof outer coat and grey woolly underfur for insulation.  Grooming is very important to the platypus.  Fur on the broad flat tail is coarse and bristly and acts as a rudder when swimming and an aid in diving.

They live in burrows they dig on the banks of freshwater rivers, lakes and streams which are concealed by logs and undergrowth.  The females lay 1 to 3 eggs and incubation is 12 days.  At 6 weeks the kits are furred and their eyes are open.  They are weaned by 4 - 5 months old.

The males have a poisonous spur on each hind limb and it can cause a painful injury to humans.  They make a soft growling sound when disturbed.  The platypus forages on the bottom for food and swim with their eyes, ears and nostrils closed.  They use their electro-sensitive bill to locate and probe for prey.  They eat worms, insects, crustaceans, molluscs tadpoles and larvae which is carried in their cheek pouches to the surface to eat.  (I knew there had to be a pouch somewhere)

The platypus is wholly protected and is threatened by pollution and urban development.


Logged



....And at night the wond’rous glory of the everlasting stars..  A.B (Banjo) Paterson
Dihannah1
Monkey All Star Jr.
****
Offline Offline

Posts: 5264


God watch over our children and keep them safe.


« Reply #91 on: January 23, 2007, 10:53:53 PM »

Oh this is so fascinating.  That's it.   I'm saving some money up and going to Australia!  It's so beautiful and the wildlife is awesome.   Thank you so much for sharing.  I always knew it was beautiful country, but this just proves it.

hhhmmppfff,  why would anybody even consider going to the Caribbean, when there is Australia!

Here in Ohio, possum's are also known to be a nuisance,  my husbands aunt lives on a farm and they are a nightmare for her house and farm.  She would have my husband and his brother (both hunters) go out and shoot them.  Sad  Me the city girl, would be upset, but I eventually learned.
Logged

God has FINAL Judgement!<br />
Tibrogargan
Monkey All Star Jr.
****
Offline Offline

Posts: 5315



« Reply #92 on: January 23, 2007, 11:40:46 PM »

TASMANIAN DEVIL

The Devil can not be mistaken for any other marsupial, owing to it's spine chilling screeches, black colour and reputed bad temper, which led the early settlers to name it Devil.  Although only the size of a small dog it can sound and look incredibly fierce.  The world's largest surviving carnivorous marsupial, it has a thick-set, squat build, relatively large broad head and short thick tail.  The fur is mostly black but can have white markings on the rump and chest.  It can grow to 12 inches at shoulder and weigh up to 24 lbs.

Fossils have been found on mainland Australia where it is believed Dingoes were to blame for eradicating them and now it is found only in Tasmania.   The mother can carry up to 4 young in her pouch for up to 4 months then the young are left in a simple den or hollow log until they are weaned at 6 months of age.

Devils are scavengers with powerful jaws and teeth enabling it to completely devour it's prey : bones, fur and all.  Wallabies, small animals, birds, reptiles, amphibians and insects are all eaten as prey or carrion.  In farming areas they also eat the carcasses of sheep and cattle.

It is said that the threatening "yawn" and strong odour is the result of fear rather than aggression.  They make a variety of fierce noises, from harsh coughs and snarls to high pitched screeches.  A sharp sneeze is used as a challenge to other devils before a fight or as part of a ritual when feeding communally at a large carcass.

Trapping and poisoning decimated their population and protection was finally introduced in 1941.  Although their numbers then increased they are now listed as vulnerable due to the devastating effect of the Devil Facial Tumour Disease.  Researchers funded by grants from even as far away as Japan are trying to find a cause and a cure for this disease.

Devil "yawning"  

........................................ young Devil
Logged



....And at night the wond’rous glory of the everlasting stars..  A.B (Banjo) Paterson
Tibrogargan
Monkey All Star Jr.
****
Offline Offline

Posts: 5315



« Reply #93 on: January 24, 2007, 05:16:26 PM »

Some Wildflowers for you to enjoy



Red flowering gum

................Close up of waratah...............................



Honeyeater in Waratah.
Logged



....And at night the wond’rous glory of the everlasting stars..  A.B (Banjo) Paterson
Tibrogargan
Monkey All Star Jr.
****
Offline Offline

Posts: 5315



« Reply #94 on: January 24, 2007, 05:25:33 PM »

More Wildflowers

Wattle tree.....



Close-up of  Wattle flowers

..................................................................Sturt desert pea



Honey Possum on Bottlebrush.................................................
Logged



....And at night the wond’rous glory of the everlasting stars..  A.B (Banjo) Paterson
pdh3
Monkey Junky
***
Offline Offline

Posts: 3019



« Reply #95 on: January 24, 2007, 11:33:33 PM »

Tibro - Thanks for posting all this fascinating information. I look forward to reading your posts, and I have learned so much about Australia!
It is my dream to visit there.

Does Australia manufacture many different types of automoblies, or do you rely on imports?
Logged

What's done in the dark will always come to light.
LouiseVargas
Monkey Junky
***
Offline Offline

Posts: 2524



« Reply #96 on: January 25, 2007, 02:18:47 AM »

Tibrogargan,

Welcome to the Scared Monkey's Forum. I absolutely adore your posts. Thank you for your gorgeous pics.

With Love,
Louise
Logged

Hope is everything. I see angels everywhere.
Tibrogargan
Monkey All Star Jr.
****
Offline Offline

Posts: 5315



« Reply #97 on: January 25, 2007, 05:12:17 PM »

Dihannah and Louise...Thank you for your kind comments.  I am really enjoying presenting this thread more than I imagined I could.  I have learned some things about our country too, especially how many creatures we have with pouches!  I did not realise that we have the more of them than any other country until LilPuma commented on them.

pdh3 We have three main car manufacturers here : Holden (GMH), Ford and Toyota.  Depending on the model they are either manufactured here or assembled here.  There are several other makers that partly assemble here but these are the top sellers.  We export Toyota Camrys to the Middle East.  We import all the other more exotic cars but there is a big import tax duty on them so they are expensive.
Logged



....And at night the wond’rous glory of the everlasting stars..  A.B (Banjo) Paterson
Tibrogargan
Monkey All Star Jr.
****
Offline Offline

Posts: 5315



« Reply #98 on: January 25, 2007, 05:49:03 PM »

AUSTRALIA DAY

Today is our National Day.  On 26 January 1788 Captain Arthur Phillip took formal possession of the colony of New South Wales and became it's first governor.  The fledgling colony soon began to celebrate the anniversary of this date and fifty years later it became a public holiday.  After the Federation of all the states and territories in 1901 it became known as Australia Day.  It is now celebrated with a re-enactment of that first landing, regattas and water sports, race meetings, concerts, family day at the beach or playing cricket, Barbeques and official Naturalisation ceremonies. Aboriginals hold ceremonial corroborees and there is an announcement of Australian of the Year and at night fireworks displays.

AUSTRALIAN FLAG

............................................................

Our flag is an blue ensign with the British Union Jack in the upper corner, a large 7 pointed star called the Commonwealth star which represents one point for each of the six states and one point for all the territories.  There is also a representation of the Southern Cross constellation which can be seen from all our states and territories.  We have two mainland territories and several overseas, including two in Antarctica.
Logged



....And at night the wond’rous glory of the everlasting stars..  A.B (Banjo) Paterson
Tibrogargan
Monkey All Star Jr.
****
Offline Offline

Posts: 5315



« Reply #99 on: January 25, 2007, 05:56:26 PM »

And now for all those monkeys who follow the Olympic Games here are the words to our National Anthem so you can learn the first verse and sing along when we win all those gold medals...........

ADVANCE AUSTRALIA FAIR.

Australians all let us rejoice,
For we are young and free;
We've golden soil and wealth for toil;
Our home is girt by sea;
Our land abounds in nature's gifts
Of beauty rich and rare;
In history's page, let every stage
Advance Australia Fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.

Beneath our radiant Southern Cross
We'll toil with hearts and hands;
To make this Commonwealth of ours
Renowned of all the lands;
For those who've come across the seas
We've boundless plains to share;
With courage let us all combine
To Advance Australia Fair.
In joyful strains then let us sing,
Advance Australia Fair.
Logged



....And at night the wond’rous glory of the everlasting stars..  A.B (Banjo) Paterson
Pages: « 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 »   Go Up
  Print  
 
Jump to:  

Use of this web site in any manner signifies unconditional acceptance, without exception, of our terms of use.
Powered by SMF 1.1.13 | SMF © 2006-2011, Simple Machines LLC
 
Page created in 7.46 seconds with 20 queries.