The Night Shift Down Under
Some critters prefer to sleep during the day and hunt under a cloak of darkness. That makes it difficult to get noticed by human conservationists who sleep at night and rise with the sun. These little Aussies have figured out how to turn heads, even in the dead of night.
Be Adorable: Sugar Gliders
Sugar gliders are tiny possums native to the eucalyptus forests of Australia, Tasmania, Indonesia, and Papua-New Guinea. They also star in thousands of photo albums on the internet. Most possums make terrible pets, but sugar gliders are well behaved, friendly and of course, photogenic.
Be Loud: Tasmanian Devils
Many of us first learned about Tasmanian devils through Taz, Bugs Bunny’s ill-tempered nemesis in a series of children’s cartoons. Real Tasmanian devils are known to grunt, growl, scream and lunge at anyone that annoys them, especially during dinner time. And yet we still love them.
Tasmanian devils used to inhabit much of Australia, but lost out in a competition with dingoes for food and living space. Since Tasmanian devils eat pesky rodents and dead animals, Tasmanian farmers appreciate having them around. The Tasmanian devil’s fondness for road kill however, leaves them vulnerable to early morning commuters. Nevertheless their numbers remain strong in Tasmania.
Be Spooky: Ghost Bats
It must be rather disconcerting to suddenly notice a pale rodent with translucent wings swooping down on your campsite in the middle of the night. Ghost bats are mesmerizing, even by flying mammal standards. And yes, they are carnivorous.
Sadly, the ghost bat population has dwindled to around 5,000. Their habitat in northern Australia is shrinking because of mining and tourism, as well as competition for food from other animals.
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