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Meelup Regional Park
The Meelup Regional Park is a coastal regional park near the Western Australian town of Dunsborough in the state's South West region. It contains of coastline between Dunsborough and Bunker Bay (the latter in the Leeuwin-Naturaliste National Park). It features Meelup Beach and Eagle Bay, with other points of interest being Gannet Rock, Rocky Point, Castle Bay, Curtis Bay, and Point Piquet. It is an A-class reserve managed by the local government area of the City of Busselton in partnership with the Meelup Regional Park Management Committee. History The first inhabitants of the area were the indigenous Wardandi subgroup of the Noongar people, who camped in the freshwater lagoon above Meelup Beach and, as they still do today, fished for Australian salmon. The name "Meelup" is said to mean "By the location of eyes" in the Wardandi dialect of the Noongar language; it has also been said to mean "Place of the moon rising", because the full moon sometimes appears to rise out of the s ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Regional Park
A regional park is an area of land preserved on account of its natural beauty, historic interest, recreational use or other reason, and under the administration of a form of local government. Definition A regional park can be a special park district covering a region crossing several jurisdiction boundaries, or a park system of a single jurisdiction, such as a province, county, or city. By country Canada Saskatchewan There are 101 regional parks in Saskatchewan. All parks are operated by volunteer boards. Italy Regional parks in Italy are administered by each region in Italy, a government unit like a U.S. state. Ireland Distinguished from National Parks in the Republic of Ireland, which are owned and run centrally by the state's National Parks and Wildlife Service, Ireland's regional parks are managed and operated by individual local authorities in Ireland. Examples include Ballincollig Regional Park (managed by Cork City Council), Millennium Regional Park (Fingal County Co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Banksia
''Banksia'' is a genus of around 170 species in the plant family Proteaceae. These Australian wildflowers and popular garden plants are easily recognised by their characteristic flower spikes, and fruiting "cones" and heads. ''Banksias'' range in size from prostrate woody shrubs to trees up to 30 metres (100 ft) tall. They are found in a wide variety of landscapes: sclerophyll forest, (occasionally) rainforest, shrubland, and some more arid landscapes, though not in Australia's deserts. Heavy producers of nectar, ''banksias'' are a vital part of the food chain in the Australian bush. They are an important food source for nectarivorous animals, including birds, bats, rats, possums, stingless bees and a host of invertebrates. Further, they are of economic importance to Australia's nursery and cut flower industries. However, these plants are threatened by a number of processes including land clearing, frequent burning and disease, and a number of species are rare and endangered. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zantedeschia Aethiopica
''Zantedeschia aethiopica'', commonly known as calla lily and arum lily, is a species of flowering plant in the family Araceae, native to southern Africa in Lesotho, South Africa, and Eswatini. Description ''Zantedeschia aethiopica'' is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant, evergreen where rainfall and temperatures are adequate, deciduous where there is a dry season. Its preferred habitat is in streams and ponds or on the banks. It grows to tall, with large clumps of broad, arrow shaped dark green leaves up to long. The inflorescences are large and are produced in spring, summer and autumn, with a pure white spathe up to and a yellow spadix up to long.Huxley, A., ed. (1992). ''New RHS Dictionary of Gardening''. Macmillan . The spadix produces a faint, sweet fragrance. ''Zantedeschia aethiopica'' contains calcium oxalate, and ingestion of the raw plant may cause a severe burning sensation and swelling of lips, tongue, and throat; stomach pain and diarrhea may occur. Di ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Bridal Creeper
''Asparagus asparagoides'', commonly known as bridal creeper, bridal-veil creeper, ''gnarboola'', smilax or smilax asparagus, is a herbaceous climbing plant of the family Asparagaceae native to eastern and southern Africa. Sometimes grown as an ornamental plant, it has become a serious environmental weed in Australia and New Zealand. Taxonomy Linnaeus first described this species as ''Medeola asparagoides'' in 1753. It has been reclassified in the genus ''Asparagus'' by W. Wight in 1909, or ''Myrsiphyllum'' by Carl Ludwig von Willdenow in 1808. Description ''Asparagus asparagoides'' grows as a herbaceous vine with a scrambling or climbing habit which can reach 3 m (10 ft) in length. It has shiny green leaf-like structures (phylloclades) which are flattened stems rather than true leaves. They measure up to 4 cm long by 2 cm wide. The pendent white flowers appear over winter and spring, from July to September. It is rhizomatous, and bears tubers which reach 6 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Western Ringtail Possum
The western ringtail possum or ngwayir refers to a species of possum, ''Pseudocheirus occidentalis'', found in a small area of Southwest Australia. They are a cat-sized marsupial with a stocky build, dark greyish-brown fur, pale underparts and a long prehensile tail with a whitish tip. Ngwayir forage at night through the upper canopy of trees, feeding on young leaves, flowers and fruit, especially in groves of the weeping peppermint ''Agonis flexuosa''. Breeding occurs mainly during the winter, the single juvenile emerging from the pouch after about three months. The population has declined by more than 95% since British settlement, due to clearing of habitat, fire and the introduction of the red fox ''Vulpes vulpes'', and is classified as Critically Endangered. The population in most areas has catastrophically declined or become locally extinct, but strongholds remain in the urbanised areas near Busselton and Albany. Taxonomy A description of the species was published in 18 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Western False Pipistrelle
The western false pipistrelle, species ''Falsistrellus mackenziei'', is a vespertilionid bat that occurs in Southwest Australia. The population is declining due to loss of its habitat, old growth in tall eucalypt forest which has largely been clear felled for tree plantations, wheat cultivation and urbanisation. Although it is one of the largest Australian bats of the family, the species was not recorded or described until the early 1960s. A darkly colored bat with reddish brown fur and prominent ears, they fly rapidly around the upper canopy of trees in pursuit of flying insects. Taxonomy A species of genus ''Falsistrellus'', allied to the family Vespertilionidae. A 1986 revision of morphological characters of the genus ''Pipistrellus'' separated the ''tasmaniensis'' group as the type of the new genus, the eastern false pipistrelle species ''Falsistrellus tasmaniensis'', and described this new species ''Falsistrellus mackenziei'' (western false pipistrelle). The holotype was co ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Caspian Tern
The Caspian tern (''Hydroprogne caspia'') is a species of tern, with a subcosmopolitan but scattered distribution. Despite its extensive range, it is monotypic of its genus, and has no accepted subspecies. The genus name is from Ancient Greek ''hudros'', "water", and Latin ''progne'', "swallow". The specific ''caspia'' is from Latin and, like the English name, refers to the Caspian Sea. Description It is the world's largest tern with a length of , a wingspan of and a weight of . Adult birds have black legs, and a long thick red-orange bill with a small black tip. They have a white head with a black cap and white neck, belly, and tail. The upper wings and back are pale grey; the underwings are pale with dark primary feathers. In-flight, the tail is less forked than other terns, and wingtips are black on the underside. In winter, the black cap is still present (unlike many other terns), but with some white streaking on the forehead. The call is a loud heron-like croak. Distribu ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Rainbow Bee-eater
The rainbow bee-eater (''Merops ornatus'') is a near passerine bird in the bee-eater family Meropidae. Taxonomy The rainbow bee-eater is the only species of Meropidae found in Australia and is monotypic. Its closest relative is most likely the olive bee-eater (''Merops superciliosus'') of southern and eastern Africa, but molecular phylogenetic analysis places the rainbow bee-eater as closest relative with the European bee-eater (''M. apiaster''). It was first described by John Latham in 1801. The generic name is Ancient Greek ''merops'' which means 'bee-eater' and the specific epithet is Latin ''ornatus'' 'ornate, adorned'. Description Rainbow bee-eaters are brilliantly coloured birds that grow to be in length, including the elongated tail feathers, and weighing . The upper back and wings are green in colour, and the lower back and under-tail coverts are bright blue. The undersides of the wings and primary flight feathers are rufous to copper with green edges and tipped with ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Red-tailed Black Cockatoo
The red-tailed black cockatoo (''Calyptorhynchus banksii'') also known as Banksian- or Banks' black cockatoo, is a large black cockatoo native to Australia. Adult males have a characteristic pair of bright red panels on the tail that gives the species its name. It is more common in the drier parts of the continent. Five subspecies are recognised, differing chiefly in beak size. Although the more northerly subspecies are widespread, the two southern subspecies, the forest red-tailed black cockatoo and the south-eastern red-tailed black cockatoo are under threat. The species is usually found in eucalyptus woodlands, or along water courses. In the more northerly parts of the country, these cockatoos are commonly seen in large flocks. They are seed eaters and cavity nesters, and as such depend on trees with fairly large diameters, generally ''Eucalyptus''. Populations in southeastern Australia are threatened by deforestation and other habitat alterations. Of the black cockatoos, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Baudin's Black Cockatoo
Baudin's black cockatoo (''Zanda baudinii''), also known as Baudin's cockatoo or the long-billed black cockatoo, is a species of genus '' Zanda'' found in southwest Australia. The epithet commemorates the French explorer Nicolas Baudin. It has a short crest on the top of its head, and the plumage is mostly greyish black. It has prominent white cheek patches and a white tail band. The body feathers are edged with white giving a scalloped appearance. Adult males have a dark grey beak and pink eye-rings. Adult females have a bone coloured beak, grey eye-rings and ear patches that are paler than those of the males. Taxonomy and naming Baudin's black cockatoo was depicted in 1832 by the English artist Edward Lear in his ''Illustrations of the Family of Psittacidae, or Parrots'' from a specimen owned by the naturalist Benjamin Leadbeater. Lear used the common name "Baudin's cockatoo" and coined the binomial name ''Calyptorhynchus baudinii''. The common name and specific epithet commem ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Carnaby's Black Cockatoo
Carnaby's black cockatoo (''Zanda latirostris''), also known as the short-billed black cockatoo, is a large black cockatoo endemic to southwest Australia. It was described in 1948 by naturalist Ivan Carnaby. Measuring in length, it has a short crest on the top of its head. Its plumage is mostly greyish black, and it has prominent white cheek patches and a white tail band. The body feathers are edged with white giving a scalloped appearance. Adult males have a dark grey beak and pink eye-rings. Adult females have a bone-coloured beak, grey eye-rings and ear patches that are paler than those of the males. This cockatoo usually lays a clutch of one to two eggs. It generally takes 28 to 29 days for the female to incubate the eggs, and the young fledge ten to eleven weeks after hatching. The young will stay with the family until the next breeding season, and sometimes even longer. The family leaves the nesting site after the young fledge until the following year. Carnaby's bla ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Southern Brown Bandicoot
The southern brown bandicoot (''Isoodon obesulus'') is a short-nosed bandicoot, a type of marsupial, found mostly in southern Australia. It is also known as the quenda in South Western Australia (from the Noongar word ''). Taxonomy George Shaw described the species as ''Didelphis obesula'' in 1797. While some authorities list as few as two subspecies (''I. o. obesulus'' and ''I. o. nauticus''), there are currently five recognised species: * ''Isoodon obesulus nauticus'' - restricted to the Nuyts Archipelago * ''Isoodon obesulus obesulus'' - NSW, Victoria, SA * ''Isoodon obesulus peninsulae'' - Cape York Peninsula * ''Isoodon obesulus affinus'' - Tasmania and Bass Strait Islands * ''Isoodon obesulus fusciventer'' - southwest WA Description Southern brown bandicoots have a stocky body with a short snout and short, rounded ears. They show sexual dimorphism, with females being smaller than males. On average, males measure in total length, and weigh up to , while females measure ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
