Animals on Maria Island

Maria Island is an animal sanctuary. Between 1969 and 1971 a programme of wildlife recovery began and a number of species of animals were taken to Darlington. Among the marsupials introduced were Forester kangaroos, Bennetts wallabies, wombats, brush-tailed possums, ring-tailed possums, echidnas, bandicoots and pademelons. Various species of ducks, black swans, emus and Cape Barren geese were among the bird life introduced. Part of Bernacchi's Creek, near Darlington, was dammed and enclosed for the water birds.

Not far from Darlington an area of forest was fenced. There was a breeding programme for Forester kangaroos and Bennetts wallabies. As their numbers increased they were let go from the area and able to roam freely around the island.

If you visit the island, you can see many flocks of Cape Barren geese and native hens and at night, many possums and kangaroos can be seen.


Forester Kangaroos
Kangaroos are marsupials and the name kangaroo means large foot. Forester kangaroos are the largest marsupials in Tasmania and can stand two metres tall. Maria Island has a large population of Forester kangaroos. This species is facing extinction on the mainland of Tasmania. They were brought to Maria Island in the late 1960's and they are monitored and managed by Parks and Wildlife Service. The numbers of the kangaroos have increased over the the years and culling programmes have had to be undertaken.


	Bennetts Wallabies The Bennetts wallaby is like a kangaroo but smaller. They have black noses and paws and a white stripe on their upper lip. The animals that eat them are Tasmanian devils, quolls and eagles. These wallabies eat plants and different fruit. They eat during the late afternoon and evening.

Pademelons (or Rufous Wallabies)
The Pademelon is a stocky animal, with a short tail and legs. It weighs approximately 10kg and reaches a height of one metre. It ranges in colour from a dark brown to a greyish brown on top and has a red-brown belly. This animal is extinct on the mainland of Australia.

Cape Barren Geese
These birds are grey and the same size as a domestic goose. In the 1950's they were endangered and still are in the rest of Australia but not on Maria Island. They eat tussocks, herbs and grasses. They drink salt water and lay their eggs in nests which they build in the tussocks where they live. They lay about five eggs which take a month to hatch. They hatch during winter. By spring the babies can fly.

Tasmanian Native Hen
The Native hen cannot fly but is a fast runner and it can swim. When the native hen is in danger it will flick its tail, which warns the others . If being chased it will seek for grasses reeds to hide in .They use there short wings for balance, they can run up to fifty kilometres an hour. They usually eat at dawn and dusk on grasses and seed. Insects are eaten by the babies.

The Forty Spotted Pardalote
The forty spotted Pardalote is one of the smallest and rarest birds in Australia. It is only found in Tasmania and is is classified as an endangered species. It is found only in six locations in eastern Tasmania.

They live in eucalyptus trees and eat insects and sugary stuff that is produced by white gums. You need binoculars to see this bird properly.


Brush Tail Possums The Tasmanian brush tail is slightly different from the mainland species as it is larger and has a thicker coat. They sleep during the daytime and feed at night. Although their natural habitat is in the forest where they nest in tree hollows. They are about the size of a wild cat and the main colours are silver grey, black and gold. Because they live in trees, they have very sharp claws for climbing and a strong flexible tail for curling around branches. There are lots of them on Maria Island.

Please Don't Feed the Animals An unnatural diet can lead to lumpy jaw, a mouth infection in wallabies and kangaroos and usually leads to death. Other animals such as possums may develop annoying behaviour. They have been known to damage visitors' tents and bags to get more food.