Wet Tropics World Heritage Area Magazine 2007-2008 WonderfulWondeWonderfulrful WetW Wetet TropicsTropicsTrop wildlifeics wildlifewildlife

The tropical forests of the Wet Tropics are home to an astounding variety of . Many species that live here are found nowhere else in the world. Let’s take a closer look at some of the animals of the WetWet TropicsTropics that promote the

y area’s incredible biodiversity.biodiversity. fl r e tt u b s e ss ly U o o ar g an Welcome to the 2007-2008 edition of -k ree ’s t the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area oltz Ulysses butterfl y Lumh Magazine. About 120,000 copies of the ulysses joesa magazine are distributed to residents and When you spot a ulysses butterfl y, you can’t visitors to the Wet Tropics World Heritage help shouting “Hey look, there’s a ulysses!” Area from Townsville to Cooktown. Seeing its luminous blue wings shimmering

in the sunshine as it fl its about is such a treat. S The magazine is packed with stories o These swallowtail butterfl ies are commonly used u th about the animals, plants and people e to promote tourism in far north Queensland rn

that live in and around the Wet Tropics ca because of their dazzling iridescent wings framed ss rainforests. These forests were placed on ow in black. They have become a symbol of our ary the World Heritage list in recognition of tropical coastal lifestyle. their importance as the oldest continually In contrast to the bright colours on top of their surviving tropical rainforests on earth. wings, ulysses butterfl y wings have a mottled Southern cassowary brown underside to camoufl age them while Casuarius casuarius johnsonii Management of the resting. Ulysses butterfl ies are attracted to red Affectionately known as our ‘big chooks,’ World Heritage Area is and pink and are often seen feeding on the exotic southern cassowaries are a greatly loved and the responsibility of the ixora shrubs in suburban backyards. Native iconic species of the Wet Tropics. They are Wet Tropics Management Authority, funded by the plants that attract ulysses butterfl ies to your the largest animals that live in our rainforests, Queensland and Australian garden include Geijera species and Halfordia weighing up to 60kg and standing up to 2m tall. Governments. kendack. The food plant of ulysses larvae is Two southern cassowary populations exist in Opinions expressed in the magazine are not elleryana (formerly Euodia elleryana). . One population in Cape York Peninsula necessarily those of the Authority and, while every Ulysses butterfl ies are ‘frantic fl yers,’ spending and one population distributed between effort has been made to check the accuracy of articles, the Authority can not accept responsibility more time fl itting about than other butterfl y Cooktown and Paluma. Three cassowary species for any errors and omissions. species. They live for approximately two to four are also found in Papua . In the

Any comments are welcome. Please send them to: weeks – until their wings wear out. Although Wet Tropics southern cassowaries are the sole they are common because they have adapted dispersers of at least 70 types of large The Editor Wet Tropics World Heritage Magazine from rainforest to suburban gardens, they are rainforest fruit seeds. In total, they eat the fruit PO Box 2050 still protected to regulate the numbers that are and disperse the seeds of about 150 rainforest Cairns Qld Australia 4870 collected by enthusiasts. Papilio ulysses joesa plants. Cassowaries swallow fruit whole. As Ph: 07 4052 0531 Fax: 07 4031 1364 is found in coastal Queensland from Sarina to they wander around foraging, they disperse and Email [email protected] Thursday Island. Subspecies of the ulysses excrete the seeds in a pile of dung. The dung butterfl y are also found in is a great fertiliser and helps the seeds grow. Cover: Orange-thighed treefrogs. Photo: Mike Trenerry and the . Amazingly, at least 20 different rainforest seeds will only germinate after they have been through

Photos: Ulysses butterfl y, Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroo, orange-thighed treefrog - Mike Trenerry; 2 white-lipped treefrog - EPA; southern cassowary - WTMA. Wet Tropics World Heritage Area Magazine 2007-2008 WonderfulWondeWonderfulrful WetW Wetet TropicsTropicsTrop wildlifeics wildlifewildlife Tree-kangaroosTree-kangaroos Dendrolagus lumholtzi Dendrolagus bennettianus Kangaroos that prefer to live in the tree-

tops are curious creatures indeed! They O ra have evolved from kangaroos that lived ng e- on the ground and look more like part of thi ghe the possum family. The reason why tree- d treefrogs kangaroos chose to go back to living in the trees is not really known. Perhaps food make your garden frog-friendly by mulching and was a motivating factor – fruit was quite growing native rainforest plants. Avoid using abundant in the treetops of Papua New chemicals in your garden. Frog skin is quite thin Guinea where tree-kangaroos originated. and easily absorbs chemicals. Tree-kangaroosTree-kangaroos have better developed forearms than other kangaroos and short, Orange-thighed treefrog broad hind feet. They are the only macropods Litoria xanthomera o o ar that can move their hind legs independentlyindependently.. They The Wet Tropics has over 51 species of frogs g an -k crawl rather than hop. Their extra-long tails are – the highest diversity of frogs in Australia. ree ’s t used as a countercounter-balance-balance and, unlike possums, There are 21 Wet Tropics species that are found oltz Lumh they can’t wrap their tails around branches to nowhere else in the world. Orange-thighed help with their climbing. Although they are expert treefrogs are one species unique to the region. tree climbers and quite at home in the treetops, They live in dense rainforest from Cooktown to these animals look quite clumsy and almost Townsville and, with their bright orange and green the cassowary’s digestive tract. This makes comical when they climb down trees to reach the colouring, are one of the most beautiful treefrogs S cassowaries extremely important for maintaining o forest fl oor. There are two tree-kangaroo species in Australia. Orange-thighed treefrogs are quite u th rainforest diversity. in the rainforests of the Wet Tropics. Lumholtz’s small compared to white-lipped treefrogs. Adult e rn tree-kangaroos are lighter coloured with a females only measure about 6cm from snout c Cassowaries have a sharp claw (called the as so ‘dagger claw’) in the middle of their three toes yellowish grey coat. They prefer upland rainforest to vent. They are usually found in the rainforest wa ry and may strike out with it if they are cornered or above 300m in the Mt Carbine and Atherton canopy, venturing to the rainforest fl oor to mate. feel threatened. Scientists are still unsure what the Tableland areas. Bennett’s tree-kangaroos If there’s a heavy downpour, listen for the orange- horn or ‘casque’ on their head is used for. Some have a rusty brown coat and live in lowland vine thighed treefrog chorus – a slow, repetitious growl say it is used for foraging in the leaf litter while forests as well as in mountainous rainforest in the that builds into a crescendo Daintree and Bloomfi eld areas. of trills. others think cassowaries use it to push their way g efro through dense rainforest. Research also suggests tre White-lipped treefrog ed that the casque may pick up audio signals or pp -li Litoria infrafrenata te that it may be a sign of social order – females hi The deep barking that resonates from drainpipes W have a larger casque than males. The females lay and obscure parts of the garden whenever there’s three to fi ve eggs and leave the male to incubate rain is usually that of the common white-lipped the eggs and rear the chicks. After about nine treefrog. These are the largest frog species in months he chases the juvenile birds away and Australia and can grow up to 14cm long. They are they are left to fend for themselves. also found in Papua New Guinea. As their name Cassowaries are now caught in a struggle for suggests, these frogs have a white stripe that survival. With only about 1,200 birds left, they are runs along their lower lip. Their skin colour can classed as endangered. Land clearing for urban vary from green to dark green or light brown, sprawl has forced them into small fragmented depending on their surroundings. When males pockets of rainforest, often dissected by busy are ready to mate the inside of their thighs roads. The best place to see cassowaries is on turns an impressive red-gold colour. White- one of the many walking tracks in the Daintree lipped treefrogs are rainforest dwellers but have or Mission Beach areas. Slow down and drive adapted to live in suburban areas. carefully in these areas. Crossing roads is a Our Wet Tropics frog numbers have been common practice for cassowaries as they search dwindling due to environmental threats and for food, water or a suitable mate. diseases such as frog chytrid fungus. You can

3 Wet Tropics World Heritage Area Magazine 2007-2008

Spectacled fl ying foxfox Pteropus conspicullatus Just after dusk on sultry summer nights, it’s fascinating to watch hundreds of fl ying foxes fl y overhead as they begin their nightly search for food. Spectacled fl ying foxes live in far north Queensland and Papua New Guinea. As their

x name suggests, they have a o f ring of light coloured fur that g in surrounds their eyes, like a pair of y fl V d spectacles. This threatened species ic t le o c r is important for the regeneration of i ta a c ’s e our forests. Spectacled fl ying foxes r p ifl S e disperse rainforest fruit seeds and pollinate b ir tropical forest trees while feeding on fl owers. d n o g Spectacled fl ying foxes also feed on exotic ra d tropical fruits grown in orchards, damaging crops st re fo and costing farmers thousands of dollars. In ’s abundant. So occasionally their paths may cross yd the past farmers used electric grids that killed Bo ours. Luckily for us, they mainly prey on small many thousands of fl ying foxes. This practice is rodents. Taipans use a unique strike and release now illegal. You might see orchards in the region Boyd’s forest dragon technique to avoid being injured by mammals with netting over their trees. This is a much more Hypsilurus boydii that can infl ict a nasty bite. After striking, taipans humane method of controlling crop damage by You might be lucky enough to spy one of these wait until their venom takes effect and then fl ying foxes. beautiful lizards hiding on the trunk of a lichen- devour their meal. Taipans vary in colour from covered rainforest tree. Clinging upright, forest light to dark brown on top with a creamy yellow Unlike bats, fl ying foxes do not use sonar to dragons sit motionless and rely on their excellent underside – often with reddish-pink freckles. navigate through the night sky. They have very camoufl age as they wait to pounce on their prey. They are sometimes mistaken for non-venomous good vision and see about 20 times better than Their skin has dusky hues of purple, green and brown tree snakes. If you’re not sure, don’t touch humans. They are highly social creatures and yellow. An impressive row of spikes runs down them! Their large, reddish eyes and distinct like to ‘hang out’ in large numbers. With highly their spine and under their throat making them rectangular head warn us that this snake is developed memories, they can easily fi nd old look quite fi erce. Thankfully, forest dragons venomous and means business. Coastal taipans feeding sites and roosts or ‘camps.’ Research usually only grow to a length of about 45cm from are found along the east coast of Queensland conducted by Dr Louise Shilton of the CSIRO has snout to tail. When alarmed, dragons extend and in northern parts of Western Australia and the uncovered some very interesting feeding habits their throat pouches and open their mouths wide Northern Territory. of spectacled fl ying foxes. By putting radio collars in a threatening display. Forest dragons feed on the fl ying foxes, Louise has been able to track on slugs, and soft rainforest fruits. They their foraging movements. Spectacled fl ying retreat high into the trees to sleep at night. One foxes were once thought to be rainforest to fi ve eggs are laid in shallow burrows. Boyd’s specialists. However,However, Louise has forest dragons are commonly found throughout discovered that they use a broader the Wet Tropics. Look out for them on your next range of plant products including walk! nectar and pollen from a range of eucalypts. Spectacled Coastal taipan fl ying foxes also form camps Oxyuranus scutellatus in diverse habitats such Crikey! There’s no way you want to be anywhere as rainforest fragments, near a coastal taipan. Coastal taipans can paperbark swamps, dry grow up to 2.8m long and are Australia’s largest forests and mangroves. venomous snake. They have longer fangs and inject more venom than most other land snakes in the world. This snake has the third most toxic terrestrial snake venom on the planet – and an attitude to go with it! Perhaps the taipan’s aggressive character has inspired a number of C o a sporting clubs throughout the region – like our s ta l local basketball team. Coastal taipans prefer to ta ip live in areas of high rainfall where prey is most an

Photos: Boyd’s forest dragon - Martin Cohen; coastal taipan - Lyall Naylor; Victoria’a rifl ebird (profi le) - Mike Trenerry; 4 Victoria’a rifl ebird (courtship dance) - WTMA; spotted-tailed quoll - Bruce Thomson/Scott Burnett; northern bettong - Scott Sullivan; spectacled fl ying fox - Mike Trenerry.

Wet Tropics World Heritage Area Magazine 2007-2008

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a indigestible truffl e spores in conservation is important. Feral dogs, foxes and

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p their droppings. They are an birds of prey are the quoll’s main predators, but i

h s endangered species, unique quolls are also poisoned by eating cane toads or t r u to the Wet Tropics, and mainly by baits laid out by farmers. Spotted-tailed quolls o C inhabit grassy open forests on are active both day and night and can often be the western edges of the World seen around homes and camping areas where Heritage Area. FoxesFoxes are thought they scavenge food scraps. They are rarely seen to be the main predator of the below 600m in the upland forests and then only northern bettong. in two general areas, the Daintree coast and around Tully. Spotted-tailed quoll Dasyurus maculatus gracilis Quolls look a bit like a cross

V between a domestic cat and ic t o a weasel. They are the largest r Spotte i d-ta a iled ’ carnivorous marsupials living on q s uo r ll ifl mainland Australia. The TTasmanianasmanian e b i rd devil, another member of the dasyurus familyfamily,, is larger.larger. There are two quoll species in the WetWet Tropics:Tropics: spotted-tailed quolls and northern quolls. Spotted- tailed quolls are distinguished by white Victoria’s rifl ebird spots on their bodies and along their Ptiloris victoriae tails. Northern quolls have spots The ‘John Travolta’ of the rainforest, the male on their bodies only. Spotted- Victoria’s rifl ebird is renowned for his fantastic tailed quolls are unique to the courtship dance. He sits high in the canopy and, Wet Tropics region. Despite their once he spies a suitable female, he curves his small size, these predators are wings skyward in an arc, tilts his head back and quite aggressive and eat small sways his body from side to side, fl icking each wallabies, rodents and possums wing upwards in time to his swaying. Victoria’s as well as insects, reptiles rifl ebirds are part of the bird of paradise family and birds (including domestic and are only found in the Wet Tropics, mostly in chickens). Quolls naturally mountain areas. Adult male Victoria’s rifl ebirds occur in low numbers so their are a deep velvet-black colour with a rich iridescent purple and green sheen and bright yellow inside their mouth. Females and juveniles have drab colours of brown and off-white. There are two other species of rifl ebird found in Australia - the magnifi cent rifl ebird in Cape York Peninsula and the paradise rifl ebird found in the Great Dividing Range of southeast Queensland and northern NSW. Northern bettong Bettongia tropica When it comes to the serious business of building nests, fi ve hands are better than four. Northern bettongs or ‘brush-tailed bettongs’ have ‘prehensile’ tails, meaning they can grasp objects with their tails – like possums can. They collect grass and leaves for their nests with their front paws, then push the nesting material beneath them and carry it with their tails. Their tails also act as a counter balance when they hop, similar to kangaroos. Bettongs are members

of the rat-kangaroo family. These nocturnal g n o marsupials mostly feed on truffl es and the roots tt e of cockatoo grass. Northern bettongs help b rn e maintain the diversity of forests as they spread th or N 5