www.rottnestisland.com http://www.metromagazine.com.au https://theeducationshop.com.au A STUDY GUIDE BY © ATOM 2018 ISBN: 978-1-76061-223-8 DAVE CREWE * Synopsis Islands worldwide are grand experiments in nature, with their isolation creating unique conditions for animals to diverge from the norm. But some islands take evolutionary twists to the extreme. On the far west of the Australian continent, with the limitless Indian Ocean beyond, there is a set of islands whose inhabitants defy all laws of nature. The three islands lie side by side, but each is ruled by a different animal. One by a unique marsupial, the second by a penguin and the third by one of the world’s most venomous snakes, as though evolution has divided the real estate equitably. And on the islands each animal has become stranger than ever – with a set of features so unique they are bizarre. One of the world’s ‘happiest’ yet most vulnerable marsupials, the quokka, thrives only on Rottnest Island. In almost plague proportions, over 10,000 of the strange relic wallabies live here. How do they survive here in such inhospitable conditions and no- where else? In a world-first,Rottnest Island: Kingdom of the Quokka reveals the life cycle of the quokka using special natural history filming techniques to expose the secrets of their incredible survival mechanisms. On nearby Penguin Island, the name says it all. Over a thousand Little Penguins live here. Little Penguins are found no further north in the world, and the birds here are larger, with heavier beaks than anywhere else. How does a penguin designed for Antarctic waters survive in summers of forty-degree plus heat? From top: If you research Quokkas, you’ll most likely find them described as the happiest animal on earth; Doug Coughran AM stakes Close by Carnac Island is serpent heaven or hell! out the Osprey nest near Little Salmon Bay; More than 2000 pairs of One of ’s most venomous reptiles, the Tiger Bridled Terns travel to Penguin Island and other surrounding islands from the tropics near Indonesia. Snake has become a monster on Carnac Island, and bizarrely many are blind. Over four hundred snakes live on this tiny island. Carnac Island is only sixteen hectares in size but has one of the highest densities of venomous snakes ever recorded, with over twenty snakes per hectare. In a grand-experiment, things have taken a strange turn for the snakes on this CONTENT HYPERLINKS island. 3 CURRICULUM LINKS Like the Galapagos, Rottnest and its surrounding islands hold secrets that defy reason. Only now will 5 THE ANIMALS OF ROTTNEST ISLAND they be revealed with an exclusive and intimate look at the animal inhabitants and those intertwined in 10 EVOLUTION AND NATURAL SELECTION © ATOM 2018 their lives on the islands and in the fringing ocean. Source: Rottnest Island: Kingdom of the Quokka press kit 13 FOOD AND NUTRITION 2 L-R: Fishhook Bay is stunning and the visibility underwater can almost be twenty-five metres; Steve Speelburg’ the Quokka - directing the days filming during a winter rainstorm. ** Curriculum Links

RELEVANT CONTENT DESCRIPTORS Year 10 FOR SCIENCE • Transmission of heritable characteristics from one generation to the next involves DNA and genes Science Understanding – Biological Sciences (ACSSU184) • The theory of evolution by natural selection explains Year 1 the diversity of living things and is supported by a • Living things have a variety of external features range of scientific evidence (ACSSU185) (ACSSU017) • Living things live in different places where their needs Science Inquiry Skills – Communicating are met (ACSSU211) Years 1–2 Year 2 • Represent and communicate observations and ideas in • Living things grow, change and have offspring similar a variety of ways (ACSIS029, ACSIS042) to themselves (ACSSU030) Years 3–4 Year 4 • Represent and communicate observations, ideas and • Living things have life cycles (ACSSU072) findings using formal and informal representations • Living things depend on each other and the environ- (ACSIS060, ACSIS071) ment to survive (ACSSU073) Years 5–6 Year 5 • Communicate ideas, explanations and processes using • Living things have structural features and adapta- scientific representations in a variety of ways, including tions that help them to survive in their environment multi-modal texts (ACSIS093, ACSIS110) (ACSSU043) Years 7–8 Year 6 • Communicate ideas, findings and evidence based • The growth and survival of living things are affected by to problems using scientific language, and physical conditions of their environment (ACSSU094) representations, using digital technologies as appropri- ate (ACSIS133, ACSIS148) Year 7 • Interactions between organisms, including the effects Years 9–10 of human activities can be represented by food chains • Communicate scientific ideas and information for a and food webs (ACSSU112) particular purpose, including constructing evidence- based arguments and using appropriate scientific Year 9 language, conventions and representations (ACSIS174, • Ecosystems consist of communities of interdependent ACSIS208) organisms and abiotic components of the environ- © ATOM 2018 ment; matter and energy flow through these systems (ACSSU176) 3 RELEVANT CONTENT DESCRIPTORS FOR BIOLOGY

Unit 1 • Ecosystems are diverse, composed of varied habitats and can be described in terms of their component spe- cies, species interactions and the abiotic factors that make up the environment (ACSBL019) • Relationships and interactions between species in ecosystems include predation, competition, symbiosis and disease (ACSBL020) • Ecosystems have carrying capacities that limit the number of organisms (within populations) they support, and can be impacted by changes to abiotic and biotic factors, including climatic events (ACSBL025) • Ecosystems can change dramatically over time; the Above: Filming with the VR camera underwater took a little getting used to fossil record and sedimentary rock characteristics provide evidence of past ecosystems and changes in biotic and abiotic components (ACSBL027)

Unit 3 • Life has existed on Earth for approximately 3.5 bil- RELEVANT CONTENT DESCRIPTORS lion years and has changed and diversified over time FOR GEOGRAPHY (ACSBL088) • Natural selection occurs when selection in Year 8 the environment confer a selective advantage on a • Different types of landscapes and their distinctive specific phenotype to enhance its survival and repro- landform features (ACHGK048) duction; this results in changes in allele frequency in • Geomorphic processes that produce landforms, the gene pool of a population (ACSBL090) including a case study of at least one landform • In additional to environmental selection pressures, (ACHGK050) mutation, gene flow and genetic drift can contribute to • Represent spatial distribution of different types of changes in allele frequency in a population gene pool geographical phenomena by constructing appropri- and results in micro-evolutionary change (ACSBL091) ate maps at different scales that conform to carto- • Differing selection pressures between geographically graphic conventions, using spatial technologies as isolated populations may lead to allopatric speciation appropriate (ACHGS058) (ACSBL094) • Present findings, arguments and ideas in a range • Populations with reduced genetic diversity face in- of communication forms selected to suit a par- creased risk of extinction (ACSBL095) ticular audience and purpose; using geographical terminology and digital technologies as appropriate RELEVANT CONTENT DESCRIPTORS (ACHGS061) FOR MATHEMATICS GENERAL CAPABILITIES Year 7 • Recognise and solve problems involving simple ratios Creative and Critical Thinking (Years 3–10) (ACMNA173) • Establish the formulas for areas of rectangles, triangles • Inquiring – identifying, exploring and clarifying infor- and parallelograms, and use these in problem-solving mation: Explore the coherence and logic of multiple (ACMMG159) perspectives on an issue. • Reflecting on thinking, actions and processes: Give Year 8 reasons to support their own thinking, show aware- • Solve a range of problems involving rates and ratios, ness of opposing viewpoints and possible weak- with and without digital technologies (ACMNA188) nesses in their own positions. • Choose appropriate units of measurement for area • Analysing, synthesising and evaluating reasoning and volume and convert from one unit to another and procedures: apply logic and reasoning, draw (ACMMG195) conclusions and design a course of action and • Find perimeters and areas of parallelograms, trapezi- evaluate procedures and outcomes. ums, rhombuses and kites (ACMMG196) © ATOM 2018

4 ** The Animals of Rottnest Island Rottnest Island: Kingdom of the Quokka might focus primarily on the so-called ‘happiest animal on earth’, the quokkas, but as it takes in the scope of Rottnest and its surrounding islands, the documentary includes the diversity of Australian animals. Over the program’s two episodes, we’re welcomed into the worlds of the fur seals and ospreys of Rottnest Island, the sea lions and snakes of Carnac Island, the penguins of Penguin Island, and the humpback whales and dolphins of the surrounding oceans. And, of course, the quokka.

Quokkas are unique to Compared with Antarctic penguins, Little Penguins are tiny Quokkas Penguins

• Why do you think quokkas are often called the • Penguin Island is described as ‘the most northerly ‘happiest animal on earth’? Does that seem like colony of little penguins in the world.’ Why don’t you an appropriate description after watching Rottnest find the species any further north? Island: Kingdom of the Quokka? • Penguins are shown in the program to share their ‘pa- • According to the program, quokkas ‘even gave rental duties’; we’re treated to a close-up view of one [Rottnest] island its name.’ What does the name couple of parents and their efforts to raise a young ‘Rottnest’ have to do with quokkas? penguin chick. Research how many other species Teacher Notes: You may wish to show your raise their young in parental pairs like this. students this brief video relating to the above question

There are up to nine breeding pairs of Ospreys on the It’s not known exactly how or when the island at various times throughout the year Tiger Snakes came to Carnac Ospreys Snakes

• The is another species found on • On the mainland, where do tiger snakes commonly Rottnest Island. How does its population density find their food and why does that present a challenge

on the island compare to ospreys on mainland on the island? © ATOM 2018 Australia? • Rottnest Island: Kingdom of the Quokka explains that • Identify two features of ospreys that make them ‘nearly one in 10 tiger snakes are blinded by gulls that effective at hunting fish. peck their eyes out protecting their chicks.’ How does this affect the snakes’ ability to hunt? 5 While you’re watching the documentary, take notes on the following ‘Animals Around Rottnest’ table.

QUOKKAS OSPREYS PENGUINS SNAKES

THEIR ISLAND HOME (Rottnest, Carnac or Penguin)

FEATURES OF THEIR ENVIRONMENT

SURVIVAL CHALLENGES © ATOM 2018

6 QUOKKAS OSPREYS PENGUINS SNAKES

DIET What do they eat?

BEHAVIOUR OBSERVED

NOTES on other animals seen © ATOM 2018

7 Activity: Talk to the Animals

• After watching the program, design and create a brochure, video or website on one of the three islands (Rottnest, Penguin or Carnac). This will be aimed at tourists arriving on the chosen island, giving them instructions on how to interact safely and ethi- cally with the animals they will encounter on the island. It should be colourful and engaging. • The program includes footage of humpback whales and dolphins ‘playing’ together at sea, with the narra- tor noting that it’s extremely rare for different species to interact in this way. Can you find any examples of cross-species interaction that aren’t predator/prey? • Interactions like this have increased debate about whether animals are capable of experiencing human- like emotions, but this playful behaviour suggests a level of feeling between species that we simply don’t understand. Stage a formal debate in your classroom on the subject of ‘Do animals experience human-like emotions?’ with three speakers for each side of the debate presenting their case with supporting evidence. Activity: ’s Islands Rottnest Island: Kingdom of the Quokka’s expands its scope beyond the adorable quokka, it also ventures beyond Rottnest Island to explore the nearby Carnac Island and Penguin Island.

After watching the documentary, research these three islands to complete the table on the following page.

Above clockwise top left: Male Humpbacks head slap when trying to show their strength and assert their dominance over other males; The teams © ATOM 2018 trusty electric trike ferried them around the island, at times with almost 150kgs of gear; Wilson Bay is stunning and so is the arch in the north-west corner of the bay; Retrieving the drone at the base of the cliff at Wilson Bay is not for the faint hearted

Carnac Island is a 8 serpent heaven ROTTNEST ISLAND CARNAC ISLAND PENGUIN ISLAND EXTENSION

choose another WA island (e.g. Garden, Seal or Bird Island)

WHAT ANIMALS ARE FOUND ON THE ISLAND? (Try to include animals not seen on-screen)

HUMANS (Is there a local population? Is it a tourist destination?)

KEY GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES © ATOM 2018

9 Quokka joeys are starting to emerge

Activity: Visit Rottnest Island Produce a presentation or poster highlighting the fauna, flora and geographical features of Rottnest Island. This poster should include a hand-drawn map identifying where you would expect to find these features and identifying any prominent man-made structures. The six primary habitats of Rottnest Island – coastal, salt lakes, brackish swamps, woodlands, heath and settled areas – should be identified. ** Evolution and Your target audience for this presentation or poster Natural Selection are tourists planning on visiting the area. The animals found on Rottnest Island and Useful links: surrounds are no ordinary animals. • http://www.rottnestisland.com/the-island/ • http://www.rottnestfoundation.org.au/ As Rottnest Island: Kingdom of the Quokka observes, the rottnest-island/flora-and-fauna/ quokka defy ‘evolutionary theory [that] says that isolated • https://nomadsworld.com/rottnest-island/ island populations are more vulnerable to factors that lead to extinction’ while Carnac Island’s tiger snakes show ‘remarkable physiological and behavioural flexibility’ to Activity: Compare and Contrast thrive in an environment distinct from their usual habitat on the mainland. Each species represents an example of how After the presentations in the above activitiy is evolution and adaptation is critical to an organism’s suc- completed, share these with your peers. Discuss cess – or failure – in an ever-changing environment. the differences between the two presentations as a group. While the following questions and activities will be in- formed by the program, you will need to conduct some • Which poster/presentation do you think is a better research on quokkas and evolutionary theory to answer representation of the reality of Rottnest Island? them meaningfully. The below links may come in handy, • Which poster/presentation would make you more but you’ll need to complete your own research rather than inclined to visit the island, or want to solely relying on these resources.

Useful links: From top: Rottnest may look lush but it is a hard place for the Quokkas • https://aquokka.weebly.com/evolution.html to survive; It’s not definitively known if this sniffing behaviour is the • https://australianmuseum.net.au/quokka/ Quokkas checking each other to see if they’re ready to mate • https://panique.com.au/trishansoz/animals/quokka. html • https://www.watoday.com.au/national/western-austral- ia/carnac-island-the-blind-snakes-the-showman-and- the-maccas-drive-thru-20131022-2vyj1.html • https://research-repository.uwa.edu.au/en/publications/ heaven-for-serpents-a-mark-recapture-study-of-tiger- snakes-notech/ • https://news.softpedia.com/news/Evolution-on- Islands-35885.shtml © ATOM 2018 • https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/ S096098221000357X/ 10 Clockwise top left: Carnac’s residents include native Australian Sea Lions; Doug Coughran AM photographs bird life, Pearse Lakes; An inquisitive Quokka

able to successfully hunt and survive on the island. Based on your understanding of evolutionary theory, is it therefore plausible that snakes might evolve to be born blind on Carnac Island? Why or why not? • One theory suggests that the tiger snakes were introduced to Carnac Island. Who is believed to have introduced them to the island, and why? • Choose an introduced species found in Australia. In pairs, compare the positive and/or negative environ- Quokkas mental impact of this species to that of the tiger snakes on Carnac Island, and discuss whether it’s reasonable • As mentioned above, the documentary states that to compare these two species. ‘island populations are more vulnerable to factors that lead to extinction.’ Why is this the case? According to evolutionary theory, what distinguishes an island popu- lation from a mainland population, and why doesn’t this Activity: Population Density appear to apply to the Rottnest Island quokkas? • According to Rottnest Island: Kingdom of the Quokka, Carnac Island, with an estimated population ‘it’s been suggested that quokkas belong to the same of around 500 tiger snakes, has ‘one of the family as tree kangaroos.’ Research tree kangaroos’ highest densities of venomous snakes on earth’ behaviour and biology and identify the similarities and according to this documentary. In this activity, differences between the two species. you will evaluate this claim mathematically. • From the program, identify any evidence of evolutionary adaptation that quokkas demonstrate on Rottnest Island • Research another region or country with a large that would provide them an advantage in this environ- number of venomous snakes. ment. How do these differentiate quokka from their • Collect up-to-date data on the following: mainland relatives (wallabies, tree kangaroos, etc.)? • the estimated number of tiger snakes on Carnac Island • the approximate area of Carnac Island Tiger Snakes • the estimate population of venomous snakes in your chosen region/country • ‘Testing has shown that the Carnac Island tiger snakes • the approximate area of your chosen region/ are genetically identical to those that live on the country mainland. So, counter to evolutionary norms, they’ve • You should be able to show how you calculated evolved physiologically but not genetically.’ Explain the area of both regions. why physiological – but not genetic – evolution is • Compare the density (in units of your choice) counter to evolutionary norms. Can you find examples of venomous snakes in each region and state a of other species demonstrating this apparent anomaly? conclusion as to the accuracy of the claim that Teacher Notes: The physiological differences between Carnac Island has one of the highest densities of Carnac Island and mainland tiger snakes is an example venomous snakes on earth. of ‘allopatric speciation.’ In a senior Biology course, • Identify any assumptions, strengths and limita- this could be used as stimulus for a broader investiga- tions associated with your conclusion to deter- tion of examples of this phenomenon and its relevance mine whether your model and conclusion were © ATOM 2018 to evolutionary theory. reasonable. • One in ten tiger snakes are blind, however they’re still 11 Activity: All in the Family Quokkas belong to the family known as macropods – also called Macropodidae or the “kangaroo family” – which include wallabies, kangaroos and wallaroos. These animals are native to Australia. The macropod family takes its name from the Greek language, meaning ‘large foot.’ But large feet isn’t the only defining feature of this family! In this task, you’ll research the properties of the macropod family, and investigate how quokkas might differ from their fellow family members.

• The macropods are named for their large feet, but • Good hearing is considered to be critical to the what are their other defining features that set them quokka’s survival as it is a nocturnal animal. Why apart from other mammals and marsupials? would hearing be important to nocturnal animals? • How many different species are found in the macro- • How do the quokka’s ears compare to other macro- pod family? Research one specific species that’s pods? Can you explain how these differences might new to you. have occurred evolutionarily? • How are the macropod’s large feet important to their survival?

• Like most macropods, quokka have a large, long • Why is a good sense of smell important for quokkas? tail. Why would the quokka’s tail would be useful • Research how a quokka’s nose and sense of smell for foraging for food? (Consider the quokka’s diet.) compares to other macropods. • Research the tail to height ratio of the quokka and other macropods. How do these ratios compare across the family? Explain your observations. © ATOM 2018

Useful links: • https://wildcare.org.au/species-information/macropods/ • http://www.rootourism.com/macropods.htm 12 Clockwise top left: Ben Gow fires up the camera near Little Salmon Bay; In a cave beneath Bathurst Lighthouse, Ben sets up for another shot; Penguin Island is home to about 1000 Little Activity: Island Penguins; Leighton films a juvenile Adaptation , Dyer Island

The geographical history of Rottnest Island has been dominated by changes in sea level. These changes occurred either as sea water became each, critically evaluate this statement. trapped and released when ice sheets advanced and • Using guidelines and a word limit provided by your retreated, or as the land slowly rose and fell in response teacher, write a report with evidence to support or re- to changing stresses in the earth’s crust. fute this claim, contrasting and comparing the features It is believed that Rottnest Island was separated from of each island and whether or not these features are the mainland 7,000 years ago. The sea level rose, cut- suitable to the main species found on these islands. ting the Island off from the land mass, and it is now the largest in a chain of islands (which includes Garden and Teacher Notes: As written, the above activity is quite Carnac Islands) on the continental shelf opposite Perth. complex and best suited for senior students; however, by providing scaffolding and adjusted expectations, it could Source:

Since the separation of these islands, each developed its own distinct ecosystem, with certain animals thriving on some islands but not others. According to Rottnest The male Quokkas are ready Island: Kingdom of the Quokka, ‘It would appear that once to mate and begin to follow the islands separated, nature went about dividing up the the females closely real estate equitably, giving it to the animal most suited to adapting to each environment.’ © ATOM 2018

• By researching the geological history of the islands and the adaptations evidenced by the animals found on 13 ** Food and Nutrition Much of the challenges facing the animals of Rottnest, Carnac and Penguin Island revolve around nutrition. Their access to food – whether plant or animal – or water, and accessing sufficient quantities of carbon, nitrogen and fat is key to these animals thriving or dying. Throughout Rottnest Island: Kingdom of the Quokka, we see thirsty quokkas drinking saltwater, humpback whales feeding their young with fat-rich milk, and penguins leaving their young Clockwise top left: A unaccompanied to hunt their prey. Quokka; A joey shares its mother’s food; New Zealand Fur Seals, Cathedral Rocks

Leighton films Humpback Whales

A Tiger snake waits for gull chicks to hatch Activity: Food Webs A juevinle NZ A Quokka Choose one of the three islands featured in Fure Seal, near stretches up to Rottnest Island: Kingdom of the Quokka and create Rottnest feed a food web for the animals found on the island, including birds and sea animals found in the sur- rounding ocean.

Teacher Notes: To extend this activity for older stu- dents, you might want to ask students to select one (or several) of the animals in the food web and in- vestigate where they would be likely to fit in on the mainland. As noted in the program, for example, ‘[u]nlike the quokkas on the mainland, which are at high risk from introduced predators like foxes, cats and dogs, the quokkas [on Rottnest Island] have almost none.’

Useful links: • http://wildlife.rottnestisland.com/water/habitats/ seagrass-meadows/ • http://marinewaters.fish.wa.gov.au/wp-content/ uploads/2011/03/WF-Oct2010-Page26-31.pdf © ATOM 2018

Quokkas are nocturnal 14 animals Leighton De Barros captures dawn bird life on Pearse Lakes

Images: © 2018 Sea Dog TV International Pty Ltd. PO BOX 2125, Marmion, Western Australia, 6020. W: www.seadogtvinternational.com E: [email protected] © 2018 Sea Dog TV International, Moers Media GmbH, Screenwest (Australia) Ltd, PO BOX 2125, Marmion, Western Australia, 6020. W: www.seadogtvinternational.com E: [email protected]

Thanks to Rottnest Island Authority, visit wildlife.rottnestisland.com

This study guide was produced by ATOM. (© ATOM 2018) ISBN: 978-1-76061-223-8 [email protected] To download other study guides, plus thousands of articles on Film as Text, Screen Literacy, Multiliteracy and Media Studies, visit .

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