Spotlighting
Photo: Jeremy Lee Singapore Airlines
Spotlighting is night activity which involves using
a thirty watt spotlight
to find the night animals in the rainforest.
You Can Try Nocturnal Spotlighting
Alone General Advice:
-
Be
prepared with your equipment, but rather than shining the spotlight in all
directions which tends to frighten the animals, it is best to stand still in
the dark for at least ten minutes, simply listening to the sounds of the
rainforest.
-
When
you hear a sound, such as consecutive falling leaves, it is often an
indicator of an animal moving through its habitat.
-
Spotlight
the general area from which the noise came.
-
Hold
the spotlight by your eyes, as the eye shine of the animals reflects back to
the spotlight. Thus, if the light is coming from your eye level, the
reflection will be returned to your eye level, making the animals easier to
see.
-
When
you are looking up into the tall trees, you will get a greater angle by
slightly bending your knees.
-
When
looking through binoculars, make sure you keep your eye on the animal, and
simply raise the binoculars up to your eyes, this will make it easier to
keep your focus on the animal.
-
When spotlighting, it is a great opportunity to find luminous fungi.
General Knowledge:
-
The
Lemuroid Possum has a yellow eye shine and makes a fairly loud crashing
sound when it moves from tree to tree.
-
The
Coppery Brushtail Possum has a red eye shine.
-
Chambers Wildlife Rainforest Lodges
has all the necessary spotlighting equipment for you to do an interesting
unguided night
walk.
Or......
You Can Join A
Nocturnal Spotlighting Tour
Alan Gillanders.... Alan's Wildlife Tours
spotlighting@cyberwizards.com.au
Phone & Fax: (07) 4095 3784
International: 61 7 4095 3784 Alan
specialises in
Nocturnal Animal Spotlighting
Tours to find Tree Kangaroos. |
Copyright: L. Kazmeier |
Alan conducts a nightly
2 hour
Nocturnal Animal Spotlighting Tour on
private land near Yungaburra
to view Tree Kangaroos, Coppery Brushtail Possums, Green Ringtail Possums and
other natives.
This walking tour is conducted on a working dairy farm along farm roads. You
walk along the edge of type 5b rainforest which is the preferred habitat of
Lumholtz's Tree-kangaroo.
Average sightings are 2 x tree-kangaroos, 3 x Green Ringtail Possums
and about 10 x Coppery Brushtail Possums.
Other animals seen include owls, geckoes, Red-legged Pademelons and bats both
large and small.
|
Nocturnal Spotlighting Tour: |
Duration:
1½-2 hours Start: 7.30pm
Price: single/couple $60 family $80
Extra adult add $25
3rd + child add $10 |
| Nocturnal
tour may not be exclusive |
Transport
in guests' vehicle |
Or......
You Can Hire A World Class
Professional Nocturnal Animal
Guide
 Jonathan
Munro… Wild Watch
AUSTRALIA
jmunro@wildwatch.com.au
Phone & Fax (07)
4093 9803 International
617 4093 9803
Jonathan is an experienced naturalist guide specializing
in personalised nocturnal ‘spotlighting’ tours and daytime Platypus and
other wildlife viewing in various habitats around the Atherton and Evelyn
Tablelands.
Tours are tailored to the specific requirements of individuals and groups.
Since 1997 Jonathan has conducted over 3000 forays into the highland
rainforests to observe wildlife. He owns a highland tropical rainforest preserve
recognized as having one of the largest concentrations of rare possums.
In addition to the12 species of possums, as well as rare white ringtail
lemuroid possum, that occur in the area many other species are often encountered
including Lumholtz’s Tree-kangaroos, wallabies, bettongs, bandicoots,
quolls, leaf-tailed geckos and nocturnal birds.
Jonathan has Guide Accreditation, Operator Accreditation Certificate, Qld.
Transport Driver Authorization and QT Approved Vehicle, full Insurance and
Permits for restricted areas.
Independent email references available.
 Glenn
Holmes.......
dasyornis@ledanet.com.au
Phone & Fax: (07) 4091 4364 International 61 7 4091 4364.
Glenn works as a consulting ecologist with the
Dept of Environment and Heritage, the CSIRO, various other government
bodies and private corporations. Glenn has an extensive knowledge of
rainforest ecology and has access to privately owned rainforests with excellent
Platypus, Possum and Lumholtz Tree Kangaroo
viewing opportunities. He has guided many of our
guests on successful personal spotlighting nights.
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