Native Wildlife

The Squirrel Glider (Petaurus norfolcensis) is a nocturnal marsupial that has a membrane between the front and back limbs that enables them to glide through the air from tree to tree. Blue-grey to brown-grey in colour, the Squirrel Glider has dark facial markings between the eyes to the midback.

Diet varies seasonally and consists of acacia gum, eucalypt sap, nectar, honeydew and manna, with invertebrates and pollen providing protein. The Squirrel Glider is currently classified as ‘Vulnerable’ under NSW legislation and as an ‘Endangered Population’ in the Wagga Wagga LGA.

The species is currently facing a number of threats including habitat loss and degradation, fragmentation of habitat, loss of hollow bearing trees, loss of understorey food resource, mortality due to entanglement on barb wire and predation by exotic predators i.e. cats, foxes and wild dogs.

The Common Wombat (Vombatus ursinus) is a sturdy nocturnal marsupial that is brown in colour, has a large block shaped head with small eyes and ears. Their sharp claws and short powerful legs make them great diggers. Wombats live in a variety habitats including forest, alpine mountains, heathlands and coastal shrublands. They can be found throughout Wagga including along the Murrumbidgee River, Willians Hill, Livingston National Park and Mates Gully TSR.

This cute marsupial can travel up to 3km in one night eating grass, shoots, roots and shrubs. During the day they can sleep up to 16 hours a day in their burrows that they dig themselves. Burrows are holes that are dug generally in well drained soils, often near creeks and gullies.

Habitat loss and competition for food with introduced species including rabbits, cattle, sheep and goats are significant threats for wombats as well as manage and vehicle strikes.

As the name suggests, the Eastern Long-necked Turtle (Chelodina longicollis) has a long neck, approximately 13cm with a shell totaling 26cm. The shell is red-brown or black on the upper side and creamy yellow on the lower side, with dark markings.

The turtles are found in freshwater habitats including wetlands, dams, and even sewerage treatment plants. They spend most of their time in the water but they can move overland in search of new waterholes and nesting areas, walking up to 1km a day. They feed on invertebrates, tadpoles and small fish, which they tear apart with their front claws.

Female turtles generally lay their eggs by digging holes in soft sand along stream banks and can lay up to 10 eggs. Turtle eggs are predated on by cats, foxes, water rats and lizards and hatchlings are often eaten by fish and birds.

Eastern Long-necked Turtles have scent glands above each leg that secrete a pungent liquid when handled or disturbed, which is used as a defensive mechanism. The most common threat to the turtle is habitat loss and other human causes such as being run over by vehicles or trapped in stormwater drains.

The Spotted Grass Frog (Limnodynates tasmaniensis) is grey-brown or olive-green back with darker olive-green to brown patches. There is often a pale cream or red longitudinal stripe along the middle of the back. There is also a cream stripe from the under-eye to the top of the arm.

Spotted Grass Frogs are mostly ground dwelling and active at night, eating insects, spiders and even small snakes. During the day they prefer to remain hidden beneath logs, rocks or debris near the edge of temporary or permanent ponds, swamps and creeks.

Mainly breeding from August to March, females lay up to 1,500 eggs that are just 1mm each. They float in a foam on top of the water, often in ponds, flooded paddocks and roadside ditches. Tadpoles then hatch from the eggs, where they remain at the bottom of the water, taking generally three to four months to develop into frogs.

Habitat loss and fragmentation is the main threat for the species.