Ausark Education in Rockingham, Western Australia | Education

Ausark Education

Locality: Rockingham, Western Australia

Phone: +61 416 973 780

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• Education
• Environmental conservation organisation

25.01.2022 Did you know that under certain conditions, snakes can go for over 6 months without any food and still be healthy? Snakes brumate over winter, which is similar to hibernating. They lower their metabolism so much that they are able to use up very little energy and are able to conserve what they have. Under normal circumstances snakes do typically have quite a slow metabolism anyway meaning that they can put on weight fairly easily (especially in captivity) and it can take a ...long time to lose that weight. Marley here has been on a diet for quite a few years as when we first adopted him he was labelled morbidly obese by the reptile vet (who thought he was a carpet python when I started taking him out to get him examined ). This diet has meant that he eats once a month only except occasionally in summer when he is more active. It has taken about 5 years for him to hopefully finally be at the weight he should be. Well confirm with the vet and then his diet may just be over Woohoo!

25.01.2022 Todays much ANTicipated mission was a huge success! We dug out and collected somewhere between 250 and 500 BULL ANTS (amazingly no one got stung in the process) for an educational display that we will be having some help to set up over the coming weeks. Well also have some footage of the dig to show you but that is also being put together. The sheer excitement/relief when the queen ant was revealed was awesome and I cant wait to share her and the rest of the colony with yo...u. It was a huge mission so a huge thanks is due to everyone who came along to todays Antfest with Perth WA Ant Fans that helped us dig up our new colony If you think ants are pretty cool and want to learn more about them, head along and join the Fb group Here is a photo of one of our other new residents that we picked up today. A gorgeous big wolf spider. Im calling her Alkina, an indigenous word for Moon. We also picked up a lot of other queens amongst the group and a centipede. A very successful day

23.01.2022 What you see here is one ridiculously lucky spider. Lucky that Elina Walsh just happened to come across her after she had somehow lost all but 2 of her legs and had become emaciated. Spiders grow by moulting out of their exoskeleton (on the outside rather than the inside) so the new one underneath can expand and harden up again. It just so happens that they are INCREDIBLE in that they can grow entire limbs within their moulting exoskeleton to replace lost limbs. That means th...at if a spider isnt finished growing and it moults, it can regain its limbs after removal. Spiders can function remarkably well with a few legs missing but when Elina posted her new little friends plight onto an online spider group for help she was met with amazement, yes, but also a lot of doubt. Many people believed the spider would die but Elina gave her water to drink by soaking cotton wool and helped her to feed on small roaches (she was very uncoordinated but determined and she always got there in the end). Then this happened! Little Peggy had enough energy for a SUCCESSFUL moult and grew back her 6 missing legs! For now they are only small but at her next moult you wont even be able to tell that she lost them. They are weaker than her other legs and more fragile but they do the job and 8 is much better than 2! Love your dedication, Elina. 3.5 weeks of intensive care! What a lucky little huntsman spider.

22.01.2022 Me: Benji-benji-benji? Look at the camera Benji: I am the night.

21.01.2022 Can you guess who/what this unexpected visitor is? . . . .... Thanks Ys Lucas for sharing! See more

21.01.2022 Nice and snug as a bug ready for the storm to hit. Stay safe during the storm, everyone. #nopossumleftbehind

20.01.2022 Consider sponsoring one of our coolest Ausark animal friends for lots of exclusive, age-appropriate, educational and fun videos, information, artwork done by the animal and more (see the infographics below)! Sponsorship is $50AUD and can be spread over a school term or a year

20.01.2022 Weve been a bit quiet as were busy about to move houses but well be back in action soon and Ill introduce you to 3 of our new little family members ;) Fingers crossed our move goes fast and without any bumps! In the meantime we are still taking bookings, conducting wildlife visits, and answering questions in comments and via PM. Also, if you ever have a nature or wildlife video/photo/story you would like to share, send it through! ^_^

19.01.2022 I mean.. if you want to eat your grape like that, I guess no one is stopping you? You be you, Benji, you nutter.

19.01.2022 The concrete base for Captain and friends new aviary is being poured See comments for progress.

16.01.2022 Have a look at yesterdays post for the differences between geckoes and skinks.

13.01.2022 Surprise! I said I had 3 new family members to introduce you to and just like me she cant keep her eyes off the animals You could say this year has been a big one so far haha Note: No, not triplets and the cockatoo isnt ours (We visited Bunbury Wildlife Park today) so two more to introduce in a later post .

13.01.2022 The reason snakes can open their mouths so wide to swallow prey much larger than their heads is that their jaw bones are connected together by stretchy ligaments and tendons instead of being connected at the jawbone; this allows them to open their mouths to a 150 degree angle! On top of this, their mandibles (the sides of the jaw) are not fused together (like they are for humans) but also connected via ligaments, providing for an even wider mouth and the ability to move each side separate to the other. This fantastic photo of a snake yawning was taken by Aaron Grieve.

11.01.2022 So...... we were going to feed you dinner but we may wait a while ... So much for Give it up, Naveen, shes not interested.. Warning; R-rated content!

10.01.2022 Book a WILDLIFE or CREEPY CRAWLY visit with Ausark Education Dance with an excitable galah, feed a friendly possum, hold frogs, have a photo taken with a 2m long python, sit a bobtail lizard on your lap and add a couple of adorable rabbits for discussions on wildlife and conservation, pet care, introduced species and more. Suitable for all ages. 2 creepy crawlies included. OR ... Meet and learn about a variety of creepy crawlies and the backyard bug patrol as well as safety and how to care for them. Receive your own little critters to care for! Watch some of them hunt, catch, and eat their prey while you hold and feed the others Curriculum based for school groups. Message or comment below for details.

10.01.2022 Thats concerning... We have enough weeds taking over our bush as is

10.01.2022 Guess which animal did this work of art? Spoiler: This is artwork from Jasmine, our black-headed python.

10.01.2022 We had our first 6-legged visitor to the new house! Given it was night time he didnt fly off so I got some quite detailed photos. It also helped that he was HUGE While dragonfly larvae are kinda terrifying, dragonfly adults are just gorgeous, I think (though no less efficient as hunters)! As you can see here, nearly all of the dragonflys head is taken over by the sheer size of its eyes (providing it exceptional vision which helps to make it an incredible hunter). Its legs have tiny rigid spines and hooks to help it grab and hold its prey tight as it flies off, devouring the poor creature, live, as it flies.

09.01.2022 Did you know how ants develop? How incredible the hidden world is.. Adult ants (almost all female) feed larvae protein as they develop. They take care of the larvae, whereas the queen simply lays the eggs and wanders around doing her own thing.... These little ones are all still alive and were placed back with their colony to continue to develop after the photo was taken.

09.01.2022 Archie is very guilty of this. He catches my breath frequently

08.01.2022 If you are in the estate of Byford Meadows or Whitby you may have received one of these little beautys in your letterbox. So I have a CHALLENGE for you. PHOTO-SHARE-HASHTAG-PASS IT ON... Share it on your Facebook, take a photo of yours and post it here then pass it to a friend so they can do the same (preferably someone who lives local). Friends, once you receive it, share it to your profile, share a photo of you and it here and tell me who gave it to you, then pass it onto the next person. Once Benji is found I will pick 1 person who shared and helped us find Benji (so the more people you share it with the more entries!) to receive a totally FREE wildlife experience. Additionally, whoever finds Benji will also recieve a free wildlife experience for themselves or anyone else of their choosing. If you didn’t receive one feel free to print one out (it is all over our page) and do as above to enter! Now when you share, please use the hashtag #letsfindbenji The more people that are searching the more likely we are to find him so additionally to all this, AFTER we find him, anyone who can produce the photo of themselves with this can receive 20% off a wildlife experience. So please get photographing, hash-tagging #letsfindbenji and help me find my sweet little possum and get him safe and sound ASAP.

08.01.2022 Kindy kids excitedly gawking into our wolf spider enclosure to see the top of her burrow before they got to see her (fear not, they cant climb glass ;) ) during a Creepy Crawly incursion.

07.01.2022 Guess where I am

07.01.2022 A great example of competition in nature. Both the possum and the cockatoo nest in tree hollows. Unfortunately there are frequently not enough hollows to go around. If you have old trees around that are not a danger, leave them be; they are critical nesting sites for wildlife. Here a cockatoo tries to pull a ringtail possum out of the nest hollow by pulling on his tail. Understandably the possum retaliates, just missing the cockatoo. Cheeky bird.

07.01.2022 An imposter in the coop! A stare-down ensues

06.01.2022 What were you doing at 8pm last night? Haha weird question We were setting up a possum enclosure and making sure our sweet boy had enough cozy blankets for the night at our new house! Next step getting him some lovely fresh browse.... Once we have a spare moment Benjis bed will be being updated to a possum box for ease of utilising the space in his enclosure better and for him to feel more secure/more natural in a hollow-like structure. I have to make it first...in the meantime he has his big nesting box from the old house and a new layout of branches to explore and jump around on. Aaaaaaaand I have plans to LIVE-STREAM him for you due to popular demand; just let us finish moving in first and get wifi; were not even half way yet! Each animal comes with its own set of gear, equipment etc etc Sooooooon.

05.01.2022 Meet and learn about our bull ants and other fascinating creepy crawlies by booking an Ausark Education Creepy Crawly Visit for $275 anywhere in the Perth metro area! Simply send us through a message with the date you are looking at (birthdays and school incursions are very popular) to get the ball rolling These girls are so fascinating I could watch them all day . At our visits you can watch them and their other tiny friends hunt while holding and getting your photo taken with others!

05.01.2022 Here I am trying to film video and Jasmine insists on being in every frame. Lets be honest, Emily, they only came to see me. Who wants to learn about plants? Im the star.

04.01.2022 An adult motorbike frog. Im going to miss the faces of these sweet frogs when we move house in the next few weeks. Sadly the pond is being ripped out and the reedy plants removed so we will rehome any frogs and tadpoles close by so they dont get injured by the whipper snipper. Itll be interesting to see what species we will get visiting the new frog-pond I plan to set up in the new place ... Goodbye little one

03.01.2022 Haha gave me a good giggle

03.01.2022 ! Help us bounce back as a small family business by liking, sharing or if you are able, book us for a fun filled wild hour or two! Birthday parties ... School incursions primary and highschool Bushrangers, girl guides, out of school care Special events Shopping centre displays and presentations Comment below or message the page to enquire!

03.01.2022 Meet Honey and Abigail. These two sweet girls have been recently rescued from the egg industry and will be joining our education team for some of our visits. Heres a little of their past: Both girls have been discarded as spent by the egg industry who used them to lay eggs day in day out and labelled their eggs as barn-laid to be sold at the shops.... These barns have troughs around the interior of them for feed to be poured into. Unfortunately as the bottom of the barn is very thickly covered in faeces, and chickens like to scratch, these troughs frequently have food mixed with poo and even get blocked up, meaning the chickens wont get fed enough. Before their rescue these girls had never felt soil or fresh grass under their feet. The girls are so tightly packed into this unsanitary environment that they go a bit stir-crazy (as we all would) and so as chicks they cut the ends of their beaks off (badly, in Honeys case) so they they can not hurt one another badly if they peck. A little about them: Honey is in charge. She is the hen at the front of this picture. She is the most confident out of the two and always figures out how to do something first. She is the least scared and will come around easily with some dedicated TLC and will be the first joining our team once comfortable enough to do so. Unfortunately her beak-cut has been botched so we have to make her food extra special for her to be able to eat properly. Abigail (back) is more of a follower. She is quite meek but very sweet. Well give her all the time in the world that she needs to become comfortable with us to see if she is ready to join the team. If not, she can just be Honeys friend/minion. Both girls are settling in well. And their future: They do lay eggs and their eggs are either fed back to them or fed to our other animals. They are done being used and will now live out their retirement for as long as we have them. Unfortunately rescue chooks often only live another couple years as their little bodies cant take the stress of the egg laying. They are bred to lay and lay and lay and lay which is not at all natural or healthy. The sooner they stop laying the better. If you are interested in providing a retirement home for some spent chooks yourself send us a message and we can pass on details of the groups that do the rescuing and caring for until they find new homes. For as long as they live these girls have a home with us

03.01.2022 Share the following infographic on how to make a brushtail possum nest box with anyone that lives in an area where possums are found or anyone that has a problem with them being in their roof. Sharing this gets boots on the ground in protecting possums and providing alternative, safe homes for them.

02.01.2022 While more identification education would be great, the better and safer alternative would be simply leaving any snakes you find alone or calling licensed removalists if need be. Simply solution really; no matter what it is, dont try and touch, move, agitate or go near it

02.01.2022 Oh I am so excited I cant hold it in any longer! Assuming good weather tomorrow we will hopefully be digging out this colony of red bull ants. They are on private property and not in an ideal location so they are going to make their new underground castle with us so we can use them for education. Some awesome points: They are giant.... Their sting is way worse than their bite (when on display they will be being secured VERY well). There can be around 300+ in a single colony The Queen is semi-claustral, meaning she comes out of the nest to hunt. They have amazing eyesight and climb trees as lookout posts. They do not use pheromones or follow each others trails. They hunt independently. They are awesome. There may be a bit of a who will get stung first challenge going for when we go to collect them Bags not it! #worthit #bringiton #pleasedontstingmeimasuckerforpain Wish me luck!

02.01.2022 Please report any other sightings to me or any possums acting unusually or ones in the area that have shown up in the last week. If these people had known about Benji being missing we may very well have had him back now