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do with you.</p><figure id="31bf"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*IT42eUUcT6QSN1Q6RaQFMQ.jpeg"><figcaption>See that massive tail?</figcaption></figure><p id="033f">Kangaroos are classified as a pest in many rural areas because they eat all the food that the farmer is hoping to feed his sheep and cattle so they are culled. Roo shooting can be carried out on land or even from the sky in hard-to-access areas. Helicopters are employed to cull mobs in national parks. (That’s a story I’ll have to write someday.)</p><p id="0773">In the wild, you’re more likely to hear koalas than see them! They make a horrendous noise when they’re mating or looking for a mate. Best not get in their way!</p><p id="3dec">Other Australian animals that move in our outer suburban environment are blue-tongue lizards, snakes, and possums. If you climb into your roof cavity, you’re more than likely to find a snakeskin shed when the snake gets too big. You’ll rarely see the actual snake.</p><figure id="1079"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*OAUtFv-oBKiuxZHk8Hi0XQ.jpeg"><figcaption>This fellow made his way onto my daughter’s bedside table Photo by Stacey Mulcahy</figcaption></figure><figure id="41a2"><img src="https://cdn-images-1.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:800/1*cehsYGu9meP5o0Prx0Kdyg.jpeg"><figcaption>The snake man removing the fellow from his comfy spot. You can see the open door to the verandah. Stacey’s photo</figcaption></figure><p id="7e09">But occasionally they’ll accidentally make their way inside especially if you leave doors open which we often do in Queensland during summer.</p><p id="bd18">Here’s one of my adventures with a blue tongue lizard.</p><p id="dca9"><i>“Last night I slept with a blue-tongue lizard. Well, not actually in bed with me, but somewhere in my room — under the bedside drawers I think. The last time a blue-tongue entered my bedroom I had to call the Reptile Man to come get him (or her) out! He was HUGE — there was no way I was going to attempt to remove him myself.”</i></p><p id="e0c7"><i>“Over two foot long (closer to three) and quite well-fed, he hid in the bottom of my wardrobe and did not want to come out. Luckily the Reptile Man had leather elbow-length gloves on because this big fella was feisty. $100 poorer, but relieved I didn’t have to sleep with him (the lizard, not the reptile man, although he was kinda cute!) Would you have slept with a blue-tongue somewhere in your room?”</i></p><p id="17fa">Obviously I have no photos of either lizard.</p><p id=

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"e1fa">Another suburban dweller is the possum. Possums like to inhabit roof cavities and run around like wild things during the night. They’ll wake the deepest sleeper from their slumber! They are territorial and even if they’re removed and taken far away to a forested area, they’ll find their way back to their original home. Nice repeat work for Peter the Possum Man.</p><p id="cc8b">So that’s just a few Australian Native Animals that I’ve had interaction with.</p><p id="e9ba">Here are a couple of really great wildlife stories of African animals. Thanks, <a href="undefined">Erika Burkhalter</a> and <a href="undefined">Ronald Smit</a>.</p><div id="d329" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/mingling-with-giraffes-on-the-south-african-savanna-735a84d002b6"> <div> <div> <h2>Mingling with Giraffes on the South African Savanna</h2> <div><h3>A magical sunset moment with the tallest mammals on earth</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*MdWDkjG0N6RYUNbLOsCijQ.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><div id="6299" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/creatures-great-and-small-944f6dca4d85"> <div> <div> <h2>Creatures Great and Small</h2> <div><h3>Eating, chilling, or having a ball</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*hNsXcN-np_Jc62_ofcMzoQ.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div><p id="ead6">And here’s <a href="undefined">Bell Dae</a>’s story of some Australian wildlife:</p><div id="b9b2" class="link-block"> <a href="https://readmedium.com/surprising-things-about-australia-and-aussies-bc636b6977b5"> <div> <div> <h2>Surprising Things About Australia And Aussies</h2> <div><h3>It’s a different planet</h3></div> <div><p>medium.com</p></div> </div> <div> <div style="background-image: url(https://miro.readmedium.com/v2/resize:fit:320/1*U5xYJUGpbNV91sjhD-WJSw.jpeg)"></div> </div> </div> </a> </div></article></body>

Not Totally Wild, But Totally Cute

At Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

This is what koalas do — sleep! All photos are mine.

On the outskirts of Brisbane, on the river, is a beautifully shaded sanctuary for Koalas and Kangaroos amongst other Australian animals. It’s my favourite place to take overseas visitors and if you’re coming to Brisbane, I can totally recommend it. I’m actually much closer to Australia Zoo which is a misnomer because there are many non-Australian animals kept in captivity. I’m not a fan. And it’s expensive. Tigers, cheetahs, giraffes, elephants and rhinoceroses, I imagine, are not cheap to feed nor are they Australian.

Not only does Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary have koalas and kangaroos but also many types of Australian birds I have never seen in the wild. The main attractions are feeding the kangaroos and having your photo taken holding a koala. Be warned. They are heavy and they eat a lot of juicy eucalypt leaves so it’s possible they will pee on you.

Koalas only eat one specific type of eucalypt leaves so when fires ravage the bush, they kill and maim thousands of koalas as well as destroying their food source decimating the koala population. Diseases such as chlamydia are also wiping out dozens of koalas in their native environment. They are not always gentle creatures in the wild. Even if you’re trying to help one get off the highway, they’ll fight and scratch you to pieces. Leather gloves are a must but who drives around with long leather gloves in their car?

Kangaroos in the wild can be belligerent too. Even if they’re injured and you’re trying to rescue them. At Lone Pine Sanctuary, they are friendly because the visitors are feeding them. When they’ve eaten enough, they’ll jump away using their back legs and strong tail and want nothing to do with you.

Kangaroos are classified as a pest in many rural areas because they eat all the food that the farmer is hoping to feed his sheep and cattle so they are culled. Roo shooting can be carried out on land or even from the sky in hard-to-access areas. Helicopters are employed to cull mobs in national parks. (That’s a story I’ll have to write someday.)

In the wild, you’re more likely to hear koalas than see them! They make a horrendous noise when they’re mating or looking for a mate. Best not get in their way!

Other Australian animals that move in our outer suburban environment are blue-tongue lizards, snakes, and possums. If you climb into your roof cavity, you’re more than likely to find a snakeskin shed when the snake gets too big. You’ll rarely see the actual snake.

This fellow made his way onto my daughter’s bedside table Photo by Stacey Mulcahy

The snake man removing the fellow from his comfy spot. You can see the open door to the verandah. Stacey’s photo

But occasionally they’ll accidentally make their way inside especially if you leave doors open which we often do in Queensland during summer.

Here’s one of my adventures with a blue tongue lizard.

“Last night I slept with a blue-tongue lizard. Well, not actually in bed with me, but somewhere in my room — under the bedside drawers I think. The last time a blue-tongue entered my bedroom I had to call the Reptile Man to come get him (or her) out! He was HUGE — there was no way I was going to attempt to remove him myself.”

“Over two foot long (closer to three) and quite well-fed, he hid in the bottom of my wardrobe and did not want to come out. Luckily the Reptile Man had leather elbow-length gloves on because this big fella was feisty. $100 poorer, but relieved I didn’t have to sleep with him (the lizard, not the reptile man, although he was kinda cute!) Would you have slept with a blue-tongue somewhere in your room?”

Obviously I have no photos of either lizard.

Another suburban dweller is the possum. Possums like to inhabit roof cavities and run around like wild things during the night. They’ll wake the deepest sleeper from their slumber! They are territorial and even if they’re removed and taken far away to a forested area, they’ll find their way back to their original home. Nice repeat work for Peter the Possum Man.

So that’s just a few Australian Native Animals that I’ve had interaction with.

Here are a couple of really great wildlife stories of African animals. Thanks, Erika Burkhalter and Ronald Smit.