Wildlife Australia - Spring 2003

Preferring a mix of forest and pasture, the Eastern Quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus) is a graceful and agile predator of insects but will hunt, scavenge and forage for a wide variety of foods. Rare and possibly extinct in the wild on mainland Australia, it is one of the marsupial carnivores for which Tasmania has been a last refuge.

A place of rare beauty, high endemisim and considerable controversy, Tasmania inspires visitors, naturalists, artists and photographers.

Welcome to the Spring 2003 edition of Widlife Australia Magazine. This edition, with a theme set in the rugged beauty - and controversy - of Tasmania, is packed with features and articles about about this wonderful place. In addition, there are all our regular team of columnists brings a thought provoking slant to many of the issues currently being faced across Australia.

Contents…

The Devil's last stand

By Saren Starbridge

Things are looking ugly for the world's largest marsupial carnivore - and what does that mean for Tasmania?

Foxes are loose in Tasmania and pose a serious threat to the state's ecology and economy. The world's largest living marsupial carnivore could play a major defence role. What a time to be struck by a killer disease.

Blue carrots, green isle - growing trees without 1080

By Katherine Johnson

Does the choice have to be trees or wildlife, or are there real alternatives?

From rotten egg and dog urine, to super fences and bitter tasting seedlings, scientists have found alternatives to 1080 in Tasmania's eucalyptus plantations. And, with recent advances in identifying the coups at highest risk of damage, the amount of 1080 used could be significantly reduced.

At your feet: endangered endemic flora of Tasmania

By Lauren Black

Have paintbrush, will travel in a race to record and protect rare plants in unlikely and overlooked locations.

The island of Tasmania conjures up images of wild and rugged beauty: lush, cool temperate rainforests, alpine splendour and rugged coastlines, all full of unique and wonderful plants. Painter Lauren Black is documenting a slightly different kind of beauty.

Desert Channels

By Steve Wilson and Angus Emmott

In a dramatic northern landscape, interests converge to form promising partnerships between governments, graziers, short-necked tortoises and others.

Some of the world's last arid zone wild river systems feed into the world's largest ephemeral lake - Lake Eyre. In most years, the water evaporates our of the shallow meandering rivers long before it can fill the lake - yet two endangered species survive in this arid landscape.

Wilderness: the vision

Interview with Scott Millwood

Thorough the eyes of two great photographers, a filmmaker explores Tasmania's unusual and transformational beauty. Writer/Director Scott Millwood has just released Wilderness - a documentary file on two of Australia's greatest wilderness photographers, Olegas Truchanas and Peter Dombrovskis.

Save or take: national park protection in Tasmania

By Margie Jenkin

At last, after decades of battles to save its wilderness, Tasmania has an association dedicated to national parks. While other Australian National Parks Associations were celebrating their 50th birthdays, the Tasmanian National Parks association was just forming in 2001 to give the public a voice on the issues affecting the state's national parks.

Flashjack makes a comeback

By John McCann

A new development in the compelling 'lost and found' tale of the Bridled Nailtail Wallaby.

Lost to science for 40 years, the Bridled Nailtail Wallaby was rediscovered in 1973 when a fencing contractor reported sighting a strange looking wallaby on a property where he was working. In 1979 the state government purchased the land and named it Taunton Scientific Reserve.

Wildlife First

By Lee Curtis

'The spry mail Bilby mounts his mate and goes at it for 18 hours straight...' Sex, money, conflict, agreement and - amazing video footage brought together wildlife carers from around Australia for the first Nation Conference on Wildlife Rehabilitation.

 

Cyber Jungle

Discover Tasmania
Discover ... Tasmania
Tasforests
Doctors for Forests
The Tasmanian Times
Australian Antarctic Division (Macquarie Island)
DPIWE
North East Tasmania
Tasmanian National Parks Association

Also in this edition:

Eco-Media, Comment, city Animal, Scratchings and Rustlings, Books Reviews, Spring Skies, Wildside, Young and Wild, WPSQ in Action, Swamp Cartoon and our regular environmental crossword.

Wildlife Australia is pleased and excited to launch the new Young and Wild partnership with Steve Parish Publishing who contribute some great facts and quizzes material for our regular childern's section. Steve Parish rejoins Wildlife Australia after a break of many years.

Subscribe to Wildlife Australia today - your subscription helps many worthwhile wildlife projects and contributes to a successful education campaign that has been an effective voice for Australian wildlife since 1963.