The Cooper Valley has been dumped on with exceptional rainfall over the past few days. Since Boxing Day, over 700 mm has been recorded in our portion of the catchment.
Last night I was unable to collect three travellers that had booked onto the nocturnal tour because of flooding. Another two, one from Hamburg and the other from Switzerland were awe-struck by the deluge, but eventually I had to abandon the tour. Flooding, landslides and tree falls were commonplace throughout the area.
This is by far the most exciting time of the year for wildlife. A Giant Petilurid, Australia’s largest dragonfly, took refuge from the downfall, in our bathroom. The infrequently seen onychophorans or peripatus are at their most conspicuous. Tree frogs descend from their upper-story concealment in their thousands and produce such a cacophony that it is virtually impossible to be heard.
Jennifer Marohasy BSc PhD is a critical thinker with expertise in the scientific method.
Hi Neil,
So, even more rain for north Queensland! I’m in the south east and the sea and surf have been so high it is almost to the point where it will wash the flimsy fence, erected for dune protection here at Currumbin, away.
Now what is the first picture of? And of course the pic of the green tree frog is gorgeous.
The Peripatus or velvet worm. One of the first terrestrial animals to ‘walk’ (fossils of marine relatives have been found dating back 500 million years). They reside within rotting wood, leaf litter and under bark and stones in moist forests. They are carnivorous and immobilize prey with slime projected from appendages on their head.
The tree frog is the Orange-thighed (Litoria xanthomera).
What a beautiful onychophoran. I’ve always wanted to see one in the wild, but have never been lucky enough to. Thanks for the lovely photo of it.