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.
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.
Nocturnal Animal
Guides
 Jonathan
Munro… Wild Watch AUSTRALIA
jmunro@wildwatch.com.au
Phone
& Fax (07) 4097 7408 International +61 7 4097 7408
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.
Alan Gillanders.... Alan's Wildlife Tours
alan@alanswildlifetours.com.au
Phone & Fax: (07) 4095 3784
International +61 7 4095 3784
Alan conducts a 1 1/2 hour nocturnal
animal walking tour on private land in the Waterfalls and Crater Lakes
District of The Atherton Tablelands to view Tree Kangaroos, Coppery Brushtail
Possums, Green Ringtail Possums and other natives.
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