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| There is an abundance of wildlife to see on the Grasshoppers tour.
We often spot Koalas & Kookaburras and in the season from April to
October it's not unusual to see the shy but remarkable Duckbill Platypus. |
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The Laughing Kookaburra (pictured left) is the largest member of the
Kingfisher family and is a stocky bird at about 46cm long. Its racous
call inspired its 'laughing' nickname and is made to advertise
ownership of territory. The birds mainly live on insects, mice, small birds & small snakes.
Female Kookaburras lay from 2 to 4 eggs in the nest which is usually in
a hole in a tree. The young Laughing Kookaburras often stay with their
parents for several years. |
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One of the favourite animals to spot on the Grasshoppers tour is the Koala.The
Koala is a marsupial, which means that its young are developed in the
female's pouch. They reach a maximum length of about 76cm (2.5ft) &
have a maximum lifespan of about 20 years. The Koala has large furry
ears and a short stout body covered with thick grey fur. Its legs are
short with large feet and five toes on each. Each toe has a strong
claw.
The female bears young one at a time. The young Koala is
kept in the female's pouch for about 6 months, after which the female
carries it on her back until it is half grown.
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| Koalas are found only in the Eucalyptus forests of eastern Australia
& feed only on the leaves of certain species of the tree. They are
very lethargic animals often remaining in the same tree for days.Koalas
were formerly killed for their soft, thick fur but are now, thankfully,
protected by law in Australia |
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During the season between April & October it's not unusual
to spot the shy but remarkable Duckbill Platypus on the Grasshoppers
tour
The Platypus is an egg-laying mammal native to
eastern & southern Australia and also Tasmania. It has a bill that
resembles a duck's bill & is actually an elongated snout that's
about 6cm long and covered with soft leathery skin & sensitive
nerve endings. The bill is used for detecting prey & stirring mud
on the bottom of rivers to uncover worms, shellfish & insects on
which it feeds.
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The platypus' body is usually 30 to 40cm long,
the flattened tail measures 15cm. It's feet are webbed and the body and
tail are covered with a thick layer of soft woolly fur. Adult males
have a hollow horn'like spur on the inner side of the hind leg from
which venom is ejected & may be used as a weapon of defence.
The
Duckbill Platypus is very shy and therefore difficult to spot. They are
excellent swimmers and divers and they live in long winding burrows
which are usually dug by the females in the banks of rivers and creeks.
The female usually lays 1 to 4 eggs at a time.
The hunting of Platypus is forbidden by law. |
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Wildlife 