Whilst this blog principally refers to birdlife, it will make occasional forays into other areas of natural history and what better place to start than the amazing Musky Rat Kangaroo.
Considered by science to be the most primitive of the large Macropod (Kangaroo and Wallaby) family in Australia, it is also the smallest.
A true rainforest specialist and so an important indicator species in determining the health of the environment the Musky was regarded as late as the early 1970’s as teetering on the brink of extinction until Naturalist David Fleay discovered a wild population on the Palmerston Highway between Innisfail and the Atherton Tablelands, and also revealed that these animals were diurnal (daytime feeders) rather than nocturnal as are the majority of the tribe.
The Musky persists, albeit in low numbers, in the Mission Beach area and may be seen by a patient observer at Lacey’s Creek and Licuala with early mornings the best time to catch a glimpse of this shy, rare rainforest remnant. Look for them in clearings.
Like the Cassowary, Musky’s eat fruit and have developed the odd habit of ‘gardening’. When a particularly favoured fruit is in season, the tiny marsupials will eat their fill and then promptly bury the balance of the fruit in a nearby spot. This enables germination and so their food resources are replenished!
Adrian Walker
Adrian’s book – Birds of Mission Beach and environs is available through the Mission Beach Visitor Centre at $7.00 plus postage. To purchase call on 07 4068 7099 or email enquiry@missionbeachtourism.com
