Reptiles

Species Profile: Green Tree Frog
Litoria caerulea

The Green Tree Frog is one of our most common and well known species of frog; they can grow up to 12cm long and can weigh up to 400gms in captivity. The upper surface of their body is bright lime green or dark olive green; this can change depending on their mood, environment and health. They often have a scattering of white spots along their sides and back, while the underside of their body is a creamy white colour. The females are much bigger than the males, which are much less robust.

The Green Tree Frog's distribution covers the eastern and northern parts of Australia and it prefers habitat that is cool and damp, particularly in drier arid areas of the country. Green Tree Frogs adjust well to human habitation, often taking up residence in the toilet! They eat a varied diet of spiders, lizards, other frogs, small nesting birds, crickets, lizards and - in captive environments - mice.

They breed in the wet season and summer months of the year and make use of any water source available to lay their eggs, the tadpoles before turning into frogs can reach a length of 10cm making them distinct from a lot of other species.

They can climb any smooth surface by using their bellies and the pads on their hands and fee, which will stick to the surface. They have a distinctive loud barking noise and both sexes can emit a very loud, harsh scream when picked up by predators, which scares the predator so much they often drop their prey.

The main problems faced by the Green Tree Frog are habitat loss and a type of fungus called chytrid fungus which affects the skin of the frog. This nasty species of fungus has caused the decline of a number of frog species in both Australia and South America, and researchers are currently examining the effects and treatment of this pathogen.

You can help this beautiful Australian by protecting habitat, not using pesticides around your home and garden and keeping waterways clean.

Species Profile: Green Turtle
Chelonia mydas

Green Turtles belong to the family Cheloniidae, a family that includes all but one of the large sea turtles – the Leatherback Turtle. Sea turtles are amazing animals; they predate dinosaurs and even crocodiles, and they date back to more than 100 million years ago. Of the eight species that exist in the world today, all are classified as endangered. Some species have even become so rare they are classified as critically endangered, so doing everything we can to preserve this wonderful marine species is very important.

Green Turtles are endangered in most parts of the world but are listed as vulnerable in Australia . They are distributed throughout the tropical coasts of Australia and the Great Barrier Reef , where Green Turtles appear to be the most abundant of the six species of turtle found on the reef. They exist in tropical, sub-tropical and temperate waters throughout the world .

They are a truly unique species. Their special blood chemistry allows the adults to sleep underwater for up to two hours at a time without surfacing; juveniles, however, have to develop this technique and will sleep on the surface until they have acquired that ability. When they are eating, adults will surface every ten to fifteen minutes or so to take a breath.

They are carnivorous when they are young, eating things like zooplankton, but are mostly herbivorous as adults, feeding on sea grass, mangrove fruit and leaves, algae and jellyfish. Sea turtles are around twenty to forty years old before they become mature.

The mature females nest around five times each season approximately fourteen days apart, with each clutch containing about 115 eggs. The eggs are spherical in shape and measure 4.4cm in diameter. They weigh approximately 47gm, and the incubation period is around 65 days. The temperature in each section of the nest determines the sex of the hatchling.

Green Turtles can travel thousands of kilometres to lay their eggs, as they are very fussy about beaches – so not just any beach will do! The beaches have to be the right height and the sand not too compact; if a female is disturbed when she is laying her eggs she may never return to that beach. So if you happen to come across a female laying her clutch, stand right back and keep noise to a minimum, cause as little disturbance as possible and enjoy what is truly a miraculous sight.

Out of every thousand little turtles that hatch, only one will make it to adulthood. The little hatchling will swim out to sea for roughly 72 hours, and then drift with the currents for the next ten years; these years are known as the lost years.

Green Turtles are in trouble all over the world. Some of the things you can do to help are to ensure that all rubbish is disposed of properly, stop the use of plastic shopping bags, don't drive on the beach, fill in large holes and flatten sand castles that trap and inhibit the struggle to the ocean for the breeding females and the hatchlings. Additionally, please be aware of the danger of shore lights – they disturb adult turtles and confuse the sense of direction in the hatchlings, luring both to their death.

Lobby against the use of shark nets and do not holiday in countries that condone the use of turtle meat and shell. Educate people in the fishing industry, as thousands of turtles lose their lives each year after being caught in nets and drowning; they can also sustain horrific injuries. Be “turtle-aware”, and remember – even a small contribution to this planet's health will help preserve this unique species.

Species Profile: Lace Monitors

Lace Monitors, or Goannas as they are more commonly called in Australia, are part of a family made up of over 50 species! The Monitor family ranges from Africa through Asia, Australia and the western Pacific regions, but it is right here in Australia that is their stronghold; our country is home to 26 described species.

Here, Lace Monitors like to inhabit well-timbered areas, from dry woodlands to cool temperate southern forests. This makes our many state forests, national parks and picnic grounds prime habitat for these reptiles. With their distinctive walk, they like to cruise around foraging widely on the ground for food. If disturbed, however, they will instinctively take to the tall trees for safety. When feeding, Lace Monitors are constantly flicking their long, forked tongues looking for the scent of almost anything that can be caught and eaten. They are carnivorous, and will search crevices, excavate burrows and even scope out bird's nests to find a feed. It is quite easy for these large reptiles to swallow their prey whole, but they are also fully equipped with a mouth full of long, sharp recurved teeth perfect for grasping dinner!

Lace Monitors can be easily recognised by their dark grey/blackish coloration, matched with numerous cream/yellowish spots. These spots come together to form bands encircling their body. It is quite popular for Aboriginal artists to illustrate these stunning patterns in their works. The other obvious feature they portray is their long powerful tail, which can be up to twice the length of their body! This is a very effective defensive tool and can be used to give a powerful lash. The tail also, along with the claws assists with climbing – very handy.

Breeding season initiates a series of male combat fighting. Quite a spectacle to watch, these powerful lizards engage in a chest-to-chest battle to try and win the right to breed with certain females. All monitors lay eggs, and in one clutch there can be up to 35. Most will bury their eggs in burrows, but not the Lace Monitor. These clever lizards adopt termite nests to incubate their eggs! The termites will do all the hard work, creating a natural, climate-controlled humidicrib for the eggs to develop in. Mum only needs to return just before hatching to expose the eggs so that the babies can be released from the nest.

Lace Monitors are truly one of Australia's iconic lizards, so here are a few points to remember when you see them in the wild:

• Avoid feeding Lace Monitors that you encounter in picnic areas, national parks or anywhere else they might be!
• Avoid approaching wild animals as they will feel threatened by you
• Admire and appreciate them from a distance
• Don't purchase products made from goanna skin, or any other part of them for that matter