| WILDLIFE AUSTRALIA Magazine - Summer 2008 |
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Heat
A historic election in one of the world’s most powerful nations and a celebration marking 45 years of publication for WAM. It’s been an interesting few months. Communication technologies have expanded enormously since WAM first rolled off the presses in 1963.
In keeping with this issue’s theme of Heat, our WAM45 celebration generated a good deal of warmth as contributors and supporters renewed old friendships and forged new ones. Electronic communications are fine, but there’s a special buzz to the immediacy of a lively gathering and spontaneous conversation. Thanks to everyone who joined us, and thanks to all of you who sent in good wishes, feedback and new, gift and renewal subscriptions.
Back to Heat: an international symposium on sea turtles, held for the first time in its history in the southern hemisphere, has prompted an article on current Australian research into this ancient and resilient group of reptiles. Although temperature is an important influence in their lives, they have survived many climatic changes, but how will they fare now, when climate change adds to a barrage of recent challenges? |
| FEATURES |
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| Thermometers in the sand: research into sea turtles and climate change |
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By: Mark Hamann and colleagues
As global temperatures and sea levels have fluctuated over 100 million years or more, sea turtles have spent their post-hatchling lives roaming and feeding in the warm oceans of the world while mature females have crawled ashore to dig their nests and lay their eggs on sandy beaches. It’s an ancient and elegant cycle, but we have altered coastal areas and increased hunting and pollution pressures. Can our sea turtles survive, and can we help? Researchers from around the world are asking these questions as they meet in Australia in February. |
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| Drenched in rainforests: observations on life in the wet tropics |
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 By Damon Ramsey
Rolling mist, pouring rain, dripping sweat and the wildlife that thrives in these conditions. A place to itch, to sweat, to see how rain is gathered and to be utterly enthralled by the proliferation of wildlife.
Like a hot towel, the tropics wrap you in heat and humidity the minute you step off the plane. For many visitors, this claustrophobic embrace is one of the most uncomfortable aspects of equatorial regions. But for biologists and naturalists, it has wonderful associations... |
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| Wiritjiribin: the first lyrebird |
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 By Francis Bodkin, story teller and knowledge holder of the D’harawal peoples. Illustrations by Lorraine Robertson
'Wise grandmothers and lyrebirds know ways to survive the danger of bushfires. A very long time ago, there was a long drought, and the forest began to die and food became scarce. The People had never before suffered dry times, or times of scarcity, and they did not know what to do. They only knew that now that had to travel long distances to obtain enough food and water to sustain themselves, and were becoming very thin.' |
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| Life beyond air conditioning |
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 By Steve G Wilson
As the temperature climbs, the ON switch tempts. But rather than add to surging power demands, find a shady spot and discover how our arid zone species cope...
Steve's work involves considerable travel in remote, inland Australia. Like Steve, surviving harsh, hot conditions is part of the program for many inland species. Peak summer in western Queensland sustains months of high-40°C to low-50°C temperatures. Dust storms, high evaporation rates (up to 12m per year) and enduring hot, dry winds add to the challenge. |
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| Saving energy: torpor and basking in small mammals of western New South Wales |
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 By Lisa Warnecke
Reptiles basking in the sun’s warmth are a familiar sight. Now, new research is exploring the importance of basking as a mechanism to help some small mammal species survive winter conditions. |
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| Laughing through winter |
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 By Katrin Holmsten
Is there anyone who hasn’t woken to their summer laughter or watched one steal a snag off the barbie? However, our bold, boisterous and well-known kookaburras have been keeping a little secret: how do they survive a cold winter?
Although many birds are seasonal migrants, following milder weather and abundant food sources, the laughing kookaburra is generally sedentary. In the wild, it may use torpor as a strategy for surviving cold weather when its normal prey is less active or available. |
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| Wildlife Australia CyberJungle |
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| Also in this edition |
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Editorial, City Animal, Trekabout Photography, NatureWatch, Books Reviews, Summer Skies, Young and Wild, Scratchings and Rustlings, Six Species Acacias, WPSQ in Action, Swamp Cartoon and our regular environmental crossword.
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. |
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