You’re correct, it’s a sand gonna

A cute master snake (Drysdalia mastersii) 🐍 from the Ngarkat mallee, SA. This species is highly dependent on spinifex in this region. Increasing bushfire intensity and frequency thanks to climate change pose a big risk to the survival of this species in the region.

#WildOz

A cute little marble faced Delma (Delma australis)🦎 from Ngarkat conservation park a few months ago.

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Rainbow bee-eaters (Merops ornatus) had returned south as part of their annual migration. Enjoying the late afternoon sun on Ral Ral creek at calperum.

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The cutest little fat tailed dunnart (Sminthopsis crassicaudata) on our floodplain pitfall trapping at #calperum

A cool find on Christmas Eve. A very interesting looking bynoes gecko 🦎 (Heteronotia binoei). This individual appears to be leucistic! I’ve also attached a picture of what the regular ones in the area look like for comparison.
#WildOx

A throwback to #Borneo earlier this year. We found this stunning black-head cat snake 🐍 (Boiga nigriceps) cruising around the jungle foliage late one night on the southern slopes of Mount Kinabalu

While it might not look like there’s much out here, the moon plain holds quite a bit of diversity and can be absolutely stunning

A beautiful desert skink (Liopholis inornata) from far north South Australia.

#WildOz

It’s cool seeing just how much central bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps) can change colour. And how quickly it happens. This big fella changed from bright yellow to a dark brown in just under 2 minutes.
🦎

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One for the #Dasyurid. Releasing this cute little stripe-faced dunnart (Sminthopsis macroura) from pitfalls this morning.

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Not something you see everyday. Cannibalism in Eastern brown snakes 🐍 (Pseudonaja textilis) from a callout yesterday. The larger snake was unbothered by being caught and was left to finish his meal before being released later that day

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For those unfamiliar with ringed brown snakes here’s what they typically look like before they’re fully grown

It might be over but there’s still plenty of photos left to share from the #Calperum pitfalling session.

Despite the plain look this is an adult male ringed brown 🐍 (Pseudonaja modesta). Staying much smaller than other brown snake species, this guy just 55cm in total length.
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A rare treat in the aussie desert! 50mm (and counting) of soft soaking rain. Enough to shut most tracks and cancel fieldwork. Better get started on that data entry I guess #caleprum #wildoz #officebound

And just like that, our #Calperum pitfalling session is over. Still getting new goodies on the final night with this broad banded sand swimmer 🦎 (Eremiascincus richardsonii).

A massive thankyou to all of our wonderful volunteers for the hard work throughout the week ❤️
#WildOz

Final catch of the day, what a beauty! The apex predator Burton’s legless lizard (Lialis burtonis) wrapping up an amazing week, many thanks to @harrison-kent.bsky.social @hannah-churches.bsky.social @rebeccaarnold.bsky.social and the formidable @drdunnart.bsky.social and her team of legends!

A stunning strap snouted brown snake 🐍 (Pseudonaja aspidorhyncha) in one of our pitfalls yesterday here at #Calperum. Fingers crossed for a few more
#WildOz

Awesome! Yours is incredibly pretty, although the pattern is quite different they’re both the same species

The coolest pitfall catches yet!
One of our pits had both a common scalyfoot (Pygopus lepidopodus) and a mallee worm lizard (Aprasia inaurita). Both are quite rare in #Calperum so finding both was incredible!
#WildOz

Busy start to pitfalling here at #calperum. 104 animals and it’s just the first afternoon!

A beautiful southern mallee ctenotus (Ctenotus atlas) about to be released.
Handled under permits
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A throw back to Borneo and this adorable little green bush frog 🐸 (Philautus femoralis) on the slopes of Mount Kinabalu, Sabah

A little eastern mallee dragon (Ctenophorus spinodomus) from setting up some pit fall traps this morning.
#WildOz

Nah, it’s one of the internal tracks on calperum station in the eastern South Australian mallee.

Beautiful place to be kicking off #fieldwork for the next few weeks