Guurrbi's bush creatures

Guurrbi’sbush

creatures

Guurrbi Tours, Cooktownwww.guurrbitours.com

Gugaa – a pretty little Blue-winged Kookaburra.

Gabul – the carpet snake or children’s python.

Daan-gaay – a legless lizard.

Daan-gaay is born with four legs and

loses them when he gets older.

He freezes when he feels threatened.

Gulgul – the blue-tongued lizard. This lizard will fight with taipans.

Say Ahhh! The Gulgul showing off its blue tongue.

We have many types of goanna at Wangaar-Wuri. This one we call Gubuy, the tree-climbing

goanna.

Gubuy – tree-climbing goanna.

Gubuy – tree-climbing goanna

This is Guwaarga – the black tree-climbing goanna or lace monitor.

Guwaarga can grow up to 2 metres long...

…and weigh up to 20 kgs.

This lazy Guwaarga ran ahead of us on tour, then stopped

and leant against the base of this tree, as if to say, ‘You come

any closer & I’ll climb this tree!’

We know summer is on its way when we hear Wabul, the Torres Strait Pigeon.

Thiibuul – bats – near the Birth Site.Photo: Bernd Jonkmanns

Bunyjul – frill-necked lizard. He tells us when it’s going to rain.

We found this baby bunyjul near the Rainbow Serpent Cave.

There are lots of Guugu Yimithirr

stories about Bunyjul. They’re

usually the mischief makers!

Here’s a really big one we spotted on the way to the rock

art sites.

When bunyjul feels threatened he hisses and opens his frill to look bigger.

The frills are usually brightly coloured.

Here’s a happy guest overcoming his fear of lizards.

This praying mantis has taken on the colour of the rocks.

Bungga-ga – the edible grub found in the trunk of the bungga (black boy).

This photo of Burriwi, the emu, caused much joy and excitement, as we hadn’t seen Burriwi in our area for 25 years or more. Now they’re

coming back.

Walanggar – a sleepy looking death adder.

Walananggar trying to hide himself in

the earth.

He shows all his colours when threatened.

A newly-born Walangaar, just 10 cms long.

A beautiful, young female Golden Orb spider who lives near the Birth Site.

Pretty Cotton Harlequin bugs.

We often spot the beautiful Brolga amongst the cattle on the way to the rock art sites.

Duguulmburr, the small grey lizard. Also known as Little Tommy Roundhead.

He stays close to people for

protection against birds.

Photo: Kai Ostermann

Wandaar – the white cockatoo – tribal totem for the coastal Guugu Yimithirr.

Ngurraarr – black cockatoo. This is the tribal totem for the inland Guugu Yimithirr.

My tribal totem is Ngurraar – the black cockatoo..

Here’s a pretty dragonfly that lives in the Rainbow Serpent Cave.

A beautiful Australian Tarantula. The species is threatened as so many people take them for pets.

This one has just moulted. He can bite, so best admired from a distance.

Gamuru – the freshwater python – on the move to

another water hole.

A pretty little Jewel Beetle. He feeds on flowers.

Rattle ants make drumming noises to frighten predators

away. They make the noise by tapping their bottoms.

Manuya, the sand goanna. We believe his fat is good for preventing arthritis.

He stands on his back legs when searching for a mate. Photo: Mari Carmen Pineda

Gadaar – the agile wallaby.

Guybarr – red lizard – drinking from a leaf.

Willie shows you how to do this – but

don’t try it with snakes!