Bore Pipes – Scrubland fauna hotels?

As we celebrate ‘National Biodiversity Month’ this coming September, we look back on some of our recent field surveys that portray just a small glimpse of the amazing ecological biodiversity, in which we come across along the way. Water quality monitoring of bore pipes in the Pilbara revealed that local fauna use them as refuges in the dry scrubland of the region. Taking the cover off a bore casing, you may be faced with a Centralian Dtella Gecko (Gehyra montium) (Pic a. and b.), the fleet footed Stoney-soil Ctenotus (Ctenotus saxatilis) (Pic c.), the Little Red Tree Frog (Litoria rubella) affectionately known as ‘dunny frogs,’ due to their preference for hanging around certain human habitations, and the large Bush Cockroach (Platyzosteria sp.) (Pic g.). So, if you ever happen to lift a bore pipe cover in an arid region of Australia, you may just be greeted by many little eyes staring right back at you!