St Augustin

The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.
Who lives sees much, who travels sees more.



Wednesday, April 13, 2011

A - Z Challenge - K is for Kangaroo Island



It's time I took you back to Australia. Let's take a trip to Kangaroo Island, off Adelaide in South Australia. Every season it changes. What season would you like to visit?

While some things never change - friendly people, cool breezes, uncrowded beaches and geological wonders - each season brings new life and spectacular changes in landscape colours of Kangaroo Island.

No matter what season you visit, you'll see kangaroos

Summer: December - February

As the summer approaches, wildlife retreat to bushland habitat to shelter during the heat of the day. The land is a contrast of golden pastures against summer wild flowers and the new growth of native trees.

•Kangaroos and Tammar wallabies are seen predominantly at dawn and dusk.

•Little penguins moult all their feathers at the end of the breeding season and can lose up to half their body weight.


•New Zealand Fur seals give birth to chocolate-brown pups.

•The Australian Sea-lion breeding season begins with pups born from January to June 2006.

•Heath goannas lay 10-17 eggs in the warm, stable, humid atmosphere of termite mounds, the perfect incubator.

•Koalas, wallabies and kangaroos give birth to tiny young, which are naked and blind.

Autumn: March - May

Pastures begin to green and waterways and catchments begin to flow. Autumn is a time of transition, with some rainfall gradually providing the wildlife with fresh growth to feed on.

•Glossy Black cockatoos and Little Penguins begin nesting.

•Black swans begin their courtship behaviour of wing-raising, neck-stretching and loud trumpeting.

•Fungi start to appear on damp ground and rotting wood.

Winter: June - August

Winter is spectacular with lush green countryside, flowing rivers and abundant wildlife: it's Kangaroo Island at its most appealing. Land mammals, predominantly night, dawn and dusk feeders for most of the year, frequently come out by day.

•Koalas emerge from the mother's pouch and begin to ride on her back.

•Kangaroo and wallaby joeys start to emerge from the mother's pouch and feed by her side.

•Echidnas form 'mating trains' where up to eight males will follow a female for around four weeks.

•Waders, on their migration from Siberia, begin to arrive.

•Ospreys show off to their mates in spectacular courtship fights.

•Southern right whales pass the shores on their migration from Antarctic waters to the Great Australian Bight to calve.

Spring: September - November

Spring is the season of rebirth. It is a wonderful time to see the spectacular array of wild flowers, birds and mammals.

•Wildflowers are in abundance. There are approximately 40 endemic floral species found on Kangaroo Island.

•Eucalyptus oil is in peak production. One tonne of leaf can produce up to 30 litres of oil.

•Cape Barren geese nest on top of the native iris grasses to incubate their eggs.

•Platypuses lay two eggs in a burrow up to 20 metres long.



Isn't this a beautiful place! The government has just stopped commercial fishing on the island in their effort to keep it pristine. I'm not sure if that's fair to the fishermen as they have been very careful of the environment.

16 comments:

Duncan D. Horne - the Kuantan blogger said...

Lovely final picture! I must admit Australia always looks attractive!


Duncan In Kuantan

Huntress said...

OMGosh, you live on another planet than I do...lol.

Beautiful blog. Thankx for the fantastic info and pictures.

baygirl32 said...

I've never seen a platypus, a nest 20 meters long for two eggs! they must be determined little things

Tara Tyler said...

your blog is full of so much info - places I'd love to go. Thanks!
Happy K Day =)

Ciara said...

I LOVE this blog. I'm a recovering world traveler and this gives me a fix. :) I'm dreaming of taking the kiddos to Australia one day.
I stopped in from the A-Z challenge and I'm now following you. I'll be back for more posts!

Laura Eno said...

I didn't know penguins moulted! You have so many wonderful facts - thank you!

mshatch said...

Beautiful. I love your travel-blog :)

Dawn Embers said...

Should have known... lol. Oh well, the polls are fun even though I guess wrong most of the time. And of course, some great pictures are with this post. Not to mention all the little details about the different seasons. Very interesting. Is the little birdy picture a penguin? It's so cute!

Talli Roland said...

Gosh, that sounds like a fantastic place! I must get there someday.

Ellie Garratt said...

Kangaroo Island! Wow. Those pictures make it look so special.

You always put so much thought into your posts - thank you!

Ellie Garratt

Anonymous said...

Awh so cute. It looks like a place well worth a visit. Glad the wildlife are being protected too :O)

Donea Lee said...

I'm trying to catch up on all your fabulous a-z places! Truly, if I could - I would travel 350 days a year (just taking out major holidays and my bday for the fam...) :) Kangaroo island looks like a lovely place!

Denise Covey said...

Thanks all it's lovely that I have some new visitors and followers. Glad you enjoy these posts. I'd be travelling 365 days a year too if I could.

Denise<3

N. R. Williams said...

I think I'd like to go there in your winter, which would be our hot summer. It sounds beautiful and I'm tired of snow.
Nancy
N. R. Williams, The Treasures of Carmelidrium.

Lynda R Young as Elle Cardy said...

Ha I got another one right! ;)

I've been in the vicinity of kangaroo island a few times now but haven't actually hopped on over. I'd love to one day.

Michael Di Gesu said...

What a lovely place. I love wildlife and I would adore this Island...

Denise, if I could get over the trauma of a 22 hour flight I would come and visit ... perhaps we can meet on Kangaroo Island. I can't think of a nice place.... Well, maybe Paris. It's a lot closer.