# Herping in Witchelina, South Australia



## snake_freak (Jul 20, 2010)

Just got back from a week of mid-winter herping in Witchelina, South Australia.

Bit of info for anyone interested (Full thing available from http://www.environment.gov.au/parks/nrs/getting-involved/case-studies/witchelina.html): 

Witchelina is a vast conservation area in the arid heartland of South Australia. At just over 4,200 square kilometers, Witchelina is the largest property ever purchased for the National Reserve System through Caring for our Country. Witchelina is owned and managed as a conservation reserve by the Nature Foundation SA. 

The new reserve forms a vital habitat link from South Australia's Lake Torrens into the Northern Territory, covering almost 10 million hectares. It is part of the world's first transcontinental wildlife corridor being created through the heart of Australia's outback, between Port Augusta and Arnhem Land. 

Witchelina and the surrounding area have been hit hard by Australia's long drought, but recent rains and careful management by the Nature Foundation are seeing the property bounce back. When it rains in this arid environment, the creek beds burst with water and wildflowers such as the iconic Sturt's desert pea flourish.

Witchelina's stony plains shelter the leathery gibber dragon and its red sand dunes are home to huge burrowing frogs.

River red gum and coolibah woodlands line the normally-dry creek beds and vulnerable blue bush shrubland dots the landscape. Witchelina's 'old man saltbush' plains and acacia dune-fields provide ideal habitat for threatened small mammals such as the vulnerable dusky hopping mouse and the peregrine falcon. Arid ranges and dune fields are home to a diverse range of reptiles.

When wet, Witchelina's creeks and waterholes act as arid zone refuges for nomadic ducks, sandpipers and other waterbirds. The nationally vulnerable thick-billed grass wren finds it home in chenopod shrublands and in winter, the blue-winged parrot visits Witchelina's grasslands and woodlands from Tasmania. 

Witchelina has a long social history. The property straddles the boundaries of the Adnyamathanha and Arabunna peoples. After European occupation, Witchelina operated as a pastoral station for more than 140 years. 

Packed and ready to go:







The Johnston lab herp crew:





L to R: Chelsea (was working on bush budgies but has recently moved to the dark side :twisted: ), Me (Elapid ecology and Evol. Biology), Sarah (Genetics of Egernia stokesii social groups), Sally (Mallee tree dragon ecology). 

As any bunch of impatient herpers would do upon arrival at the homestead, we went around and flipped every bit of junk near the buildings which yielded our first finds:

The homestead 



























First finds:

Nephrurus milii



























Tiliqua rugosa:







Gehyra spp.



























Litoria rubella:











Then went out to check out some out crops.






Pretty much anywhere there were rock crevices you'd find Egernia stokesii.
















Pogona vitticeps (Someone learned very quickly not to call out "I found a beardy" whilst going for a pee, because you very quickly nearly end up with an audience):












Heteronotia binoei:







Then Sally made this awesome find in a rock crevice back near the homestead:

Antaresia stimsoni










































Then a fun drive out to one of the out stations:





















Where we found our first Tympanocryptis intima:






















...and some more Tiliqua rugosa


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## cement (Jul 20, 2010)

Nice work mate, How cold did it get at night?
Was there much water lying around?
Great photos and finds.


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## Rocket (Jul 20, 2010)

Terrific photos. 

Were you in contact with David Moyle in regards to the trip? As a student at the University of South Australia studying in the environmental science area, I regularly get to speak with him as he is a course co-ordinator and lecturer.... also the head of Nature Foundation SA. He recently gave a lecture about the processes involved in securing funds and the purchase of the property as it was an old cattle (correct me if i'm wrong) station.

As far as I know, they are preparing a group of individuals to take part in the construct of a wildlife portfolio, a task I hope to be involved in. I will be sure to tell David of your discoveries when at Witchelina.


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## snake_freak (Jul 20, 2010)

Thanks guys.

No I haven't spoken to David Moyle before. Greg Johnston (my PhD supervisor) is on the managing board for the property, so they probably know each other. My research on the elapids in the sand dunes on the property is funded by the Nature Foundation SA.

I emailed Jeff Folkes about the trip you mentioned as he was apparently organising it, but never heard back. Would be good to be part of this team too. Regardless I will probably be chasing snakes out there in October anyway. Chuck us a PM if your gonna be at Witchy anytime for a bit of herping. Saw heaps more herp tracks in the dunes (lizards, goannas and snakes) so it should be good when it warms up a bit.

Wait til you meet the property manager/care taker... he's a character to say the least.

Was seriously cold and wet, first time I've ever had to wear 3 jumpers... and the cold showers weren't much fun.


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## snake_freak (Jul 20, 2010)

Token grasshopper:






After all the lizard hunting we headed to the dunes where I will spend most of my time looking for Pseudonaja mengdeni. One third of the property is made up of these red sand dunes. 
































There be lions in these dunes... ant lions that is:







Sturt desert peas are everywhere on the flats bordering the dunes:






















I found this guy at the base of the dunes whilst waiting for the billy to boil.

Male Ctenophorus pictus:





















And this Pogona vitticeps a little while later:





















Two other people managed to spot some snakes but they were gone by the time I could make it over to where they were, frustrating to say the least. But as I walked over a dune crest I came across this beauty basking near a burrow... the usual biochemical cascade followed and I went in for the tail...

A 2m mulga snake, Pseudechis australis:





















Bloody tongs... notice how I'm using them like a hook. Try walking 200m back to the car with one of these! That’ll teach me to leave the bag in the car.


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## Sel (Jul 20, 2010)

Wow they are great photos, love them

That grasshopper is pretty freaky looking! haha


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## cement (Jul 22, 2010)

Nice mulga, what type of research are you doing, if I may?


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## cougars (Jul 22, 2010)

Great photos.I love exploring around old homesteads like that


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## redbellybite (Jul 22, 2010)

great pics .........and love the fact you were using the tongs as a hook ,,,personally not a fan of those grabbers ..


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## levis04 (Jul 22, 2010)

Nice work pal, great to see some pics from ya.


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## gecko-mad (Jul 22, 2010)

Awesome stuff mate, thanks for sharing.


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## jordanmulder (Jul 23, 2010)

wow awsome photo's that nephurus milli is stunning so is that stimsoni, and the pictus is gorgeous! looks like you had a good time


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## DavidNixon (Jul 24, 2010)

Fantastic photos - the mulga was a nice find!


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## Jackson (Jul 24, 2010)

Sorry to point out the obvious but you took a big gamble catching the Mulga with no protection eg gators ,hook or bag very risky with high Venom yeilds but brilliant snake & other pictures.


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## snake_freak (Jul 24, 2010)

Thanks guys for all the comments.



cement said:


> Nice mulga, what type of research are you doing, if I may?


 
I'm looking at the ecological and evolutionary significance of colour polymorphism in elapids (study species are Acanthophis antarcticus and Pseudonaja mengdeni), bit of extra info here if you're keen to check it out Zoos SA. Adelaide and Monarto Zoos. Australian Panda home.


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## burger (Aug 7, 2010)

amazing pictures. the painted dragon looks great. good looking country out there too! if you ever need someone extra when heading out there...


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## byron_moses (Aug 7, 2010)

good work mate great pics


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## MadMyke (Aug 25, 2010)

Awesome photos! Does anyone know whether the area is 2WD accessible?

Thanks very much.


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## snake_freak (Aug 25, 2010)

The property is a private conservation reserve with a full-time property manager. Definitely wouldn't make it through without a 4wd I barely got through with a 4wd in some spots.


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## MadMyke (Aug 25, 2010)

Thanks for the reply, I'll have to try and get my hands on a 4WD.


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## Jeannine (Aug 28, 2010)

*gorgeous pictures and i have sturt peas 1 minute drive from here, noticed their flash of colour as we were driving back into town after gathering some red sand the other day 

they are stunning when you see them standing out in the middle of nowhere, years ago they had different color variations you could buy in the nurseries, not sure if they took off or not but they did have some lovely colours

lots of locals here have the red ones growing in their gardens and on the side of the roads around town
*


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