NATIVE FAUNA

Micro Tutorial

Deep Creek Conservation Park is the largest remaining block of wildlife habitat on the fleurieu
peninsula. It is the home to over 120 bird species from the tiny superb blue wren to the mighty
wedge tailed eagle that you may spot and easily hear within the park.

WHAT CAN YOU SPOT OVER THE NEXT 3 DAYS?

☐ Brushtail Possum
o Nocturnal marsupial
o Silver grey / dark brown/black brushy tails
o Around the size of a cat
o They live 10-12 years in the wild
o They communicate with each other with hissing and
growling/cough-like sounds
o Local here – introduced to New Zealand, considered as pests
o Often found in Eucalyptus and Sheoak woodlands
o They make nests in tree hollows or other dark confines
spaces such as hollow logs.

☐ Ring-tailed Possum
o Nocturnal marsupial
o Grey/brown fur with white patches behind the eyes and
usually a cream belly
o Around the size of a large rabbit
o They too communicate with each other with hissing and
growing/cough-like sounds
o Often feeing from foliage, flowers, fruits, shrubs and eucalypt
leaves
o They build nests from tree branches and occasional tree hollows.

☐ Western Grey Kangaroo

o They are found throughout south Australia, Western
Australia, Western Victoria and the entire Murray-Darling
basin in New South Wales and Queensland.
o It weighs 28-54 kg and its length is 0.84-1.1 m
o Lives in groups of up to 15
o They can be observed in the grasslands

☐ Short-beaked Echidnas
o Easily recognised by its sharp spines, short legs and long
snout
o Found all over Australia
o Size ranges from 40-55 cm
o Lives in forests and woodlands, heath, grasslands and arid
environments
o They break into ant and termite nests; when catching their
prey by flicking its long sticky tongue in and out
☐ Shingleback Lizard
o Its two most striking features are the short rounded tail
and the huge scaled covering its body
o The rounded tail, confuses its predators as it looks
extremely similar to its head
o The general colour varies from an all over dark brown
to patterns of light brown, cream and even yellow
o A large adult will measure over 35cm in length
o They are superbly adapted to survive the harsh arid
climate of this region
o Most of the diet is made up of vegetable matter
including foliage, berries and fruits
o They find a compatible mate and then will continue to pair up with the same partner every
spring for 20 or more years

☐ Red-bellied black snakes

o It is commonly found in woodlands, forests and
swamplands, as they are associated with streams,
rivers and creeks.
o They are very distinctive, being glossy black with a light
pick to vibrant red on the belly
o Although they are venomous and can cause significant
morbidity they generally aren’t fatal
o They grow to a length of 2.5 metres
o Give birth up to 20 live young per litter
o The red-bellied black snake eats frogs, lizards, mammals, birds and occasionally fish

☐ Australian Sea Lions

o These fascinating creatures are one of the rarest species
in the world and their entire population is estimated to be
less than 12,000.
o 85 percent live in South Australia and the other 15
percent in Western Australia.
o Females are either silver or fawn with a cream
underbelly.
o Males are dark chocolate brown with a yellow mane and
are bigger than the females.

☐ Southern Right Whale

o They are mammals, not fish.
o There is an aboriginal dreamtime story about them
called Kondole, the whale.
o In this area calves are born in June and nursing
continues in November
o They are slow moving, come very close to the shore
(often within 20 metres)
Reference:
https://australianmuseum.net.au/short-beaked-echidna

http://southernoceanretreats.com.au/about-deep-creek-conservation-park/

https://www.naturalresources.sa.gov.au/adelaidemtloftyranges/land/our-parks/schools-in-parks/deep-creek-conservation-park-education-pack

https://reptilepark.com.au/animals/reptiles/skinks/shingleback/

https://reptilepark.com.au/animals/reptiles/snakes/venomous/red-bellied-black-snake/