Australian_Geographic_-_February_2016_

January. February 33

Wild Australia

with John Pickrell

Walk

on water

The comb-crested jacana

• or lily-walker – is one
  of the beneficiaries of
  the bountiful season of
  Gudjewg when it strikes
  Kakadu with intense heat,
  humidity and dramatic
  thunderstorms in the
  summer months. The
  enormous splayed feet
  of the species allows it to
  tread effortlessly on lily
  pads across the water’s
  surface, also earning it the
  name ‘Jesus Christ bird’.

By Ofer Levy

Big picture

Australian and NZ fur seal breeding
season, Kangaroo Island, South Australia.
January is peak breeding season for these two
species, which live alongside one another. Adult
bulls weighing up to 360kg wage fierce territorial battles.
Visitors can watch these displays of dominance from a safe
distance at Admirals Arch, in Flinders Chase NP.
More info: http://www.tourkangarooisland.com.au or call
Tourism Kangaroo Island on 1800 811 080

LEATHERWOOD

FLOWERING, TASMANIA

The leatherwood (Eucryphia lucida)

is an endemic, temperate rainforest

tree that produces masses of sweet-

smelling white flowers in December–

January. It’s mostly found in the moss

forests of western Tasmania, but

leatherwoods can also be seen at the

Tasmanian Arboretum in Eugenana,

near Devonport. Leatherwood flowers

are much loved by bees and beekeep-

ers for their copious nectar and the

aromatic honey that comes from them.

More info: http://www.tasmanianarboretum.

org.au or call the Tasmanian Arboretum

on 03 6427 2690

TAS

SA