Title: Out in the Bush
Author: Alan Kwok
Category: Cool Science (Day in Science project)


Ever seen those people driving around in National Parks and Reserves? Wonder what they are doing? This morning, I am out with Tanya Leary from the National Parks and Wildlife Services of NSW and Nick, a fellow volunteer. Tanya is involved with conducting plant and animal surveys to provide information about what we have in our parks, and also to provide advice for the management of our reserves in Sydney.

A bearded dragon lizard.

We are up nice and early for trip out to Mulgoa, at the foot of the Blue Mountains. We arrive there near on 6am, after a 4:30am wake up call. Tanya greets us enthusiastically for someone who has had to get up this early for the past month. We hop into the big ute, and off we go. First we stop to check a couple of the small mammal traps left out over night. "I see it!” calls Nick.

Who are you looking at?

We trudge towards the base of the tree, where the cage sits. It is pitch black. "Nup, nothing" calls Tanya, whilst we investigate a nearby tree. Nick spots something – a bearded dragon about 25cm long. We all crowd around the tree, eyeing this reptile whose claws are dug firmly into the bark. Tanya gently picks it up. We gather around. So here are a few lunatics, at 6am, peering at this puzzled creature in the middle of nowhere. The lizard is very cold. Lizards, like snakes and other reptiles, cannot make their own body heat. They are ectotherms. They must sit in the sun, or on hot rocks, to get their body temperature up. At the moment, it is too cold to move.

A blue tongue lizard.

After a while of photographing, the lizard squirms. It is scaly and dry – much like sandpaper. “He’s getting warmed up in my hands… and annoyed,” comments Tanya. “I better let him go.”

The sun is rising quickly. The next thing we have to do is check the Eliot traps. These small rectangular metal traps are used to catch small mammals as well as lizards. We have to get any animals out of the trap
quickly before they cook in the sun.

Another blue tongue lizard. My tongue is longer than yours!

"Something I should warn you two," says Tanya. "One of you might have to get on your hands and knees to reach the traps." Nick and I point at each other. After a short talk, I volunteer.

We jump out of the ute and head toward the dense bush. Tanya gives me a briefing, handing me several hessian bags and some bait. “The traps are every ten metres, where the pink tape is. There’ll be twenty straight ahead, then turn right and head for another 100 metres. I’ll meet you in the clearing. Good luck!”

So here I am, facing the unusual green of the Australian bush. It is chilly, the sun is just behind me, and the ground is wet from last night’s rain. Every ten metres, I stop and check a trap. It does not take long to get something – ah, only a mouse. Mice have a tendency to pee... It's not a nice smell to say the least! Well, I drop him into the sack and move to the next one. The bush here is very thick, and I creep slowly down a steep wet hill that is covered in plants and shrubs. I catch a few more mice. After a while all I smell is mouse pee and peanut butter from the bait!

Somehow, I lose the trail of the flagging tape I should be following. I trudge up a small slope. I hear a rustling, and then a loud THUMP. “Nick?” No reply. THUMP... THUMP... I can see no one... And then I realise what is making those noises – A swamp wallaby. Eventually, I finish checking all the traps and turn to head back. Which way is it? I have taken longer than normal, and Tanya and Nick are getting anxious. And so am I. “ALAN?” I hear Nick call. Sounds like he is miles away. He calls again. I swear it came from the opposite direction this time!

“YEAH?” I yell. They don't hear me. I start jogging while I remember which way the call came from. After a few minutes, I find them. Safe! We have a break for a cup of coffee and some fruit cake. Ah, it is nice to rest your feet.

On the way to the next spot, we check another small mammal trap. We find a large blue-tongue lizard. Tanya lifts it up carefully. Its beautiful body is smooth underneath and quite smooth on top. It does not seem to mind, probably because it has found a nice warm object to sit on. But do not try this at home. Most blue tongues will bite when annoyed, and they do not let go very easily. They can hold on for over half an hour, much to your discomfort. If that is not enough, their tails can fall off. Tanya places the blue-tongue back into the bushes, and we head off.

It is getting toward noon, and we had better do the Reptile search. What we are doing here is counting all the different types of reptiles we see – snakes (didn’t see one!), lizards, skinks. There is nothing much out today. It is too cold, and clouds cover the sun. Our search loses enthusiasm. We walk through the bush, admiring the beauty of nature. We pass the small nests of green ants who defend their nest with their huge orange mouthparts. We spot the old nest of a male Bowerbird. The males build an elaborate nest on the ground, and litter it with items of a particular colour to attract a female. This bird seemed to like blue objects - the ground was littered with blue berries, feathers, and plastic.

At 1 o’clock, this field trip comes to an end, and we all head back to civilisation. It is great to get out to the bush, away from the bustling world of people. Australia's natural world is unique, amazing, and inspiring. I hope in years to come, I can still do what I have done on this day without hearing the roar of cars and smelling the fumes of the city. If I can't, then we have lost a special part of Australia that we can never get back.

Originally published in
A day in the Life Sciences in Australia