Over 7000 observations at Yunbenun (Magnetic) Island and some knowledge on the top three species

Congratulations to citizen scientists for achieving over 7000 observations of 1,636 species at Magnetic Island.

This project has involved 396 observers so far and 873 identifiers totalling well over 1000 people which is an extraodinory achievement for a small island. The lead observer is @valryr and top identifier is @joefish

The most observed species are Koala, Allied Rock Wallaby and Gold stripe butterflyfish

Did you know koalas were introduced to the island in the 1930s to protect them from perceived threats on the mainland. A study in 2012 estimated the island supports a population of around 800 koalas. https://parks.des.qld.gov.au/parks/magnetic-island/about/culture

Did you know the allied rock-wallaby or Weasel rock-wallaby (Petrogale assimilis) is a species of rock-wallaby found in northeastern Queensland, Australia. P. assimilis has a wide distribution in Queensland and is common within that range. The population trend seems to be stable and no particular threats to this species are known. For these reasons, the International Union for Conservation of Nature has assessed its conservation status as being of "least concern". Some factors that affect rock wallabies are climate change, which may alter the flora of their habitat, introduced predators such as dogs and foxes, degradation, loss and fragmentation of habitat, competition from introduced grazing animals and changing practices for periodic burning

Did you know that the Gold stripe butterflyfish has a habitat on silty coastal reefs, even those near the mouths of rivers and this species is able to withstand high percentages of freshwater. It is found at depths of 1 to 20 metres and they are encountered as pairs or in small groups This species is an obligate corallivore, feeding on coral polyps, but can persist in areas of relatively sparse coral growth It has been observed that this species has seemingly developed a wide diet than other corallivorous butterflyfishes, possibly in response to coral declines and that this may also account for their move into brackish water. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chaetodon_aureofasciatus

Publicado el 04 de febrero de 2023 por adam_smith3