NATIVE ANIMALS OF MAGNETIC ISLAND

Despite its small size, Magnetic Island is a refuge for some animals that are threatened on the mainland by feral animals and clearing. These include the rock wallaby, koala and echidna. Even the brushtail possum, whose numbers are declining across its range for reasons that are still not clear, finds refuge here. The Island also supports many bat species. See the full list of Island mammals.

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Common brushtail possum

Trichosurus vulpecula
Photo: Wikipedia

Koala (Introduced)

Phascolarctos cinereus

Conservation Status:
EPBC: Endangered QLD NCA: Endangered

With its closest living relative being the wombat, the koala is found in coastal areas of the eastern and southern regions, inhabiting Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. Koalas typically inhabit open eucalyptus woodland, as the leaves of these trees make up most of their diet. This eucalypt diet has low nutritional and caloric content and contains toxic compounds that deter most other mammals from feeding on it. Koalas are largely sedentary and sleep up to twenty hours a day. If you see a koala, please keep your distance, as they are easily stressed, and may desert their young.

Photo: Tim Hempstead

Short-beaked echidna

Tachyglossus aculeatus

The short-beaked echidna has extremely strong front limbs and claws, which allow it to burrow quickly with great power. Using its pointed snout and sharp claws, it breaks into ant and termite nests and catches its prey by flicking its long sticky tongue in and out. It also catches a lot of dirt in the process and this is expelled in the droppings. As a nocturnal animal, the greatest threats to the short-beaked echnidna are cars and cats on Magnetic Island.

Photo: Australian Museum

Wallabies

Agile wallaby (Introduced)

Notamacropus agilis
Photo: Wikipedia

Allied rock wallaby

Petrogale assimilis

The rock wallaby height ranges from 60cm to 70cm. Their reliance on refuges leads to the rock-wallabies living in small groups or colonies amongst large boulders and caves that contain a maze of passageways.
Photo: Tim Hempstead

Swamp wallaby

Wallabia bicolor
Photo:

Bats and flying-foxes

Black flying-fox

Pteropus alecto

Black Flying-foxes are the largest species of flying-fox in Australia. They can fly at 35 - 40 kilometres per hour and may travel over 50 kilometres from their camp to a feeding area. They often share their camps with other flying-fox species. At dusk, individuals fly out to feed on blossom and fruits, and return to their roost at dawn.
Photo: Anders Zimny

Bare-rumped sheathtail bat

Saccolaimus saccolaimus nudicluniatus

Conservation Status:
EPBC: Vulnerable QLD NCA: Endangered
Photo: Australian Museum

Coastal sheith-tail bat

Taphozous australis

Conservation Status:
QLD NCA: Near threatened
Species and status overview
Occupying sea caves, boulder piles, rock fissures and buildings (usually within a few metres of high tide), the Coastal sheathtail-bat is thought to be threatened by habitat alteration particularly from coastal development. Roost site disturbance from human visitation is also a known threat at some sites, in some cases the loss is estimated to be up to 50%.

Eastern blossom bat

Syconycteris australis
Photo:

Eastern cave bat

Vespadelus troughtoni
Photo:

Eastern dusky leaf-nosed bat

Hipposideros ater aruensis
Photo:

Eastern horseshoe-bat

Rhinolophus megaphyllus
Photo:

Eastern forest bat

Vespadelus pumilis
Photo:

Eastern tube-nosed bat

Nyctimene robinsonii
Photo:

Gould's long-eared bat

Nyctophilus gouldi
Photo:

Inland broad-nosed bat

Scotorepens balstoni
Photo:

Little bent-wing bat

Miniopterus australis
Photo:

Little red flying-fox

Pteropus scapulatus
Photo:

Northern broad-nosed bat

Scotorepens sanborni
Photo:

Rats and mice

Black rat (Introduced)

Rattus rattus
Photo:

House mouse (Introduced)

Mus musculus
Photo:

Water rat

Hydromys chrysogaster
Photo:

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