We’re into May already and well into the season of Djeran, with cool nights, dewy mornings and pleasant daytime temperatures. The colours around us slowly start to shift from predominantly browns to greens, and that feel will remain until at least the end of September. These conditions make spending time in the bush rather pleasant, and therefore I have been out regularly in the last month. Last week’s highlight was this inquisitive and frantically foraging Bandicoot or Quenda. With its brownish color it was fairly neutral against the leaf litter, so I desaturated the picture to remove color and increased the blacks for a contrasting fur and snout.
Published on May 4, 2016
Bandicoot in monochrome
Great shot. We recently had a pair of bandicoot move into the garden and we love them. They are vigorous gardeners too doing a good job aerating the lawn.
Thanks! They are vigorous indeed; almost like a bulldozer
What a sweet little animal. I like the black and white.
Thank you Pam!
Wonderfully crisp shot, Maurice! I’m assuming they’re a kind of marsupial filling the niche in Australia’s ecosystems that rodents do on the other continents?
Thanks Dries; you’re absolutely right as they are engineer our landscape with their diggings. Unlike rodents they unfortunately are not as numerous anymore due to habitat loss and feral predators.
I came across these gorgeous little fellows for the first time recently, at Cleland Wildlife Park, it’s such a shame they’re not as adaptable as rats.
They aren’t as adaptable indeed, but although they are fussier feeders than rats Bandicoots still seem to thrive in certain areas, such as Adelaide Hills in SA.
I have yet to see one living completely free but knowing they’re about is great.