The primary focus of this trip was to examine turtle parasite
biodiversity on the Kimberley Plateau of Western Australia. Prior to this expedition
no reports of internal turtle parasites from the Kimberley existed in the literature.
The expedition was assisted greatly by Dr. Nancy Fitzsimmons of the University
of Canberra and Dr. Tony Tucker of the Mote Marine Laboratory (USA). Nancy and
Tony let us tag along on their expedition and provided great advice and invaluable
logistical assistance.
Although the water in the Kimberley was cold it was also clear,
providing a unique opportunity for us to catch almost all of our turtles by hand.
Vasyl and Scott donned wetsuits and snorkeled after both Emydura australis
and Chelodina burrungandjii. This may be the most enjoyable single thing
we have done as part of the project. Not only did we catch turtles we saw numerous
fish and had several close but friendly encounters with the freshwater crocodile,
Crocodylus johnstoni. The crocs would often shoot out of the dark Pandanus
roots when we least expected, often leading to a startled inhalation of water!
The Gibb River road took its toll on two tires and our sanity.
Scott’s wife Maggie went along and still complains that her internal organs
have been permanently shifted by the constant bouncing of the road. However, the
road led us to some of the nicest scenery we have found in Australia.
Before and after the Kimberley we did a bit of collecting near
the Daly, Victoria and Adelaide Rivers of Northern Territory. The presence of
salt water crocodiles (Crocodylus porosus) put an end to our snorkeling
days but a night by a big fire at the Coolibah Crocodile Farm provided a different
form of entertainment.
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A fruit bat colony |
Intertidal zone near Darwin |
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A Darwin chiton |
Magpie-Lark is a very common bird in Darwin |
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Vasyl wrestles a python! |
Lilly in a billabong |
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Aboriginal Australians use these ants for medicinal purposes |
Praying mantis has a great camouflage |
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A large spider from our camp on Daly River |
Rainbow lorikeet is one of the most colorful birds in Australia |
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View from the Victoria River Roadhouse |
Masked Lapwing are frequently seen around camp sites |
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Brumbys (wild horses) |
During dry winter a few remaining wetlands attract numerous birds |
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Lake Argyle, WA |
Archer fish |
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A busy wasp |
Kimberley sunset |
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Vasyl and the Wyndham croc! |
Chelodina burrungandjii |
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Australian gallinules having breakfast |
Rainbow Bee-eater |
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Flowers clinging to the rock near Kununurra |
Very few plants are blooming during dry winter in noerthern Australia |
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No one has been able to explain how this tree got its name! |
A small preying mantis pretending he is fearsome and has big eyes |
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A slumber party |
A familiar scene on the Gibb River Road |
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Scott and Vasyl at work in the bush |
Small falls in the Mitchell River National Park |
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Some of most unusual bee colonies we've seen |
Varanus mertensi |
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Aboriginal art, Mitchell River National Park |
An anatomically correct male kangaroo! |
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Cucaburras are always ready for a cover page shot |
Nature's alarm clock: Sulphur-crested Cockatoo in the Kimberley near
Mitchell Falls |
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Mitchell Falls |
A palm forest on the Kalumburu Road |
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One big ranch! |
Scott collecting aquatic vegetation |
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Blooming tree near Mitchell Falls. Help with species name would be appreciated |
Keeping warm in the tropics |
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It’s a tough job, but……. |
These cliffs are former reefs |
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I dare you to snorkel here! |
Vasyl and Scott with a freshie |
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They say I am not biting humans. Wanna try? |
Free bonus in a motel room in Fitzroy Crossing |
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Another representative of motel vertebrate fauna in Australia (it is
not made up!) |
Megacephalic Emydura australis |
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Hope geologists have a good explanation of these regular cracks |
Vasyl tries to trap the wily Australian arboreal turtle! |
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The end of snorkeling |
They call them castles of desert for a reason |
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Poor Australian moms... |
Brolga, one of Australian crane species |
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Stone curlews are not uncommon in towns |
Australian pelican is impressive |
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Australian Brush-turkey building its famous nest |
