Mt Webber Fauna Survey

Just having come back from a hot fauna survey with 40+C temperatures on Mount Webber in the Pilbara, it's time to pack for going to another hot place, Miri in Sarawak Borneo. When working on traps in the rocky valleys of Mt Webber the temperatures were pushing 50 degrees.

One of the two ramps up Mt Webber with the steepest part only allowing 4WDs to go up in low 1st gear.

Looking for caves as part of the bat surveys.

Trapping sites along the ridge tops.

A nice area to survey, one of the creek systems on the plain.

One of the endemic geckos to the area, Lucasium wombeyi.

Blair, Dave and Jen, as we approach a gorge in 40C temperatures, looking for endangered Olive Pythons.

Our prize, waiting in the water for a drinking bird for breakfast.

Dave is pleased!

This python seems the have an fungal infection on the head.

A beautiful Egernia formosa caught on the rocky ridge.

A young Perentie only about 600mm long, but as an adult goanna he can grow to almost 2.5 metres.

Nice back markings.

Our camp for the survey.

The food was great (top restaurant quality), thanks to the camp manager, the ever-amazing Bob and Chicken Licken (who supplied our eggs). Chicken Licken was found a few months ago by Bob in remote area in the middle of nowhere and is now the camp mascot. It was a sad morning in camp for all of us when we thought a Perentie had got her, but she was found later enjoying the air-con on top of a wardrobe in one of the rooms.