Posts from Exceptional Kangaroo Island
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Species Feature: Australian Sea-lion
Found only along the southern and western coastlines of Australia, the Australian Sea-lion (Neophoca cinerea) is one of the rarest sea-lion species in the world. Unlike their more widespread relatives, these charismatic marine mammals are endemic to Australian waters, with about 85% of the population residing in South Australia and...
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Aerial Sharpshooters: Australia’s Iconic Birds of Prey
Australia is home to a remarkable diversity of raptors (also known as birds of prey), with 18 eagle and hawk species and six falcons distributed across its varied landscapes. These birds of prey are key indicators of ecosystem health, playing vital roles in controlling prey populations and maintaining ecological balance....
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6 Must-Visit Wildlife Islands in Australia
Australia's islands boast some of the planet's most remarkable wildlife experiences, offering an unparalleled glimpse into the diversity and beauty of the country's natural heritage. From the iconic kangaroos bounding across the hilltops to rare and elusive marine species swimming in pristine waters, these islands provide a sanctuary for animals...
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12 Threatened Australian Species You Can See In the Wild
Australia is home to a remarkable array of wildlife, many of which are found nowhere else on Earth. However, numerous species are currently facing critical threats and are classified as endangered. In this article, we explore some of Australia's most vulnerable creatures that you can observe in their natural habitats....
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Best Places to See Koalas in the Wild
When it comes to Australian wildlife, there's nothing more thrilling and rewarding than witnessing them in the wild - that is, in their native habitat. Untouched and undisturbed by humans, this is where we can spend time in nature observing animals doing what they want. Observing Koalas in the wild...
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Best Places to See Kangaroos in the Wild
Experiencing Australian wildlife in their natural habitat is both thrilling and rewarding. In these untouched environments, you can immerse yourself in nature and observe animals as they go about their daily lives. One of the most iconic experiences for travelers to Australia is encountering kangaroos in the wild. Let us...
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May 3 is Wild Koala Day: 5 Reasons We Love Seeing Koalas in the Wild
With its fluffy ears and spoon-shaped nose, the Koala is one of Australia's most adored animals. In Australia you can still see Koalas in the wild, and we aim to keep it that way. The Koala is distributed across South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Queensland, however, clearing of...
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Storyteller Series: Craig Wickham from Exceptional Kangaroo Island
When Craig Wickham spots a goanna scuttling across the road, he doesn't tell his guests to get out of the way. Instead, he invites them into the bush to see where it has come from. He knows that more often than not, the reptile is slinking away from a termite...
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Explore the World of Assemblage Art with Janine Mackintosh
Janine Mackintosh spent a great deal of time on Kangaroo Island throughout the years before finally deciding to call the paradise home in 2012. “My partner Richard and I purchased a large heritage bush property in 2000 and we both wanted to learn all we could about it,” she says....
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Assist Ecologist Heidi Groffen in Kangaroo Island Dunnart Conservation
The 2019/2020 bushfires had a devastating effect on Kangaroo Island and its wildlife, with more than two-thirds of the island burnt. As a result, a large number of animal and plant species were identified as priority species for recovery efforts, and programs were quickly implemented to support the recovery. The...
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Species Feature: Koala
The Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is one of Australia's most iconic animals. They are so unique that they have their own genus as well as their own family! Where are Koalas found in Australia? Koalas are found across south-eastern Australia, which includes South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and southern Queensland,...
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Kangaroo Island birdwatching expedition with Tim Williams
Kangaroo Island is home to over 260 species of birds and, according to long-standing birding and tour guide with Exceptional Kangaroo Island, Tim Williams, it’s easy enough to find 40+ species in the first few hours while exploring within a 10km2 radius. “We have so much habitat in a very...
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Species Feature: Platypus
The Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is an iconic egg-laying mammal endemic to eastern and south-eastern Australia. Where are Platypuses (also Platypi) found in Australia? Platypuses are found in freshwater systems along the eastern and south-eastern coastline of Australia, including the island state of Tasmania. They are often sighted floating along the...
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E-biking Adventure with Craig Wickham
It’s hard to pinpoint the best part of the day of the Exceptional Kangaroo Island e-biking adventure, although the cycle along the meandering Cygnet River, with massive sugar and red gums shading the bike path, is one of Exceptional Kangaroo Island Managing Director Craig Wickham’s highlights. “The riverside cycle is...
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Take a private masterclass with Yale Norris from The Islander Estate Vineyards
Yale Norris and Jacques Lurton look upon winemaking as an art form, with Kangaroo Island as the main source of inspiration and drive. “We are both deeply connected to the land,” Yale says. “Making wine is our passion.” Yale Norris and Jacques Lurton. Image: The Islander Estate Vineyards The birth...
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Take A Bushwalk On Kangaroo Island With World Echidna Expert Dr Peggy Rismiller
When you join world expert echidna researcher Dr Peggy Rismiller (OAM) for a bushwalk, it’s no ordinary stroll. “I’ve been working with Short-beaked Echidnas since 1988, so I know a thing or two about them,” she laughs. “But there is still so much I’d like to find out.” Dr Peggy...
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Exceptional Kangaroo Island: Our Story
Exceptional Kangaroo Island is one of Australia's most acclaimed eco tour operators. Established in 1986, this family-owned and operated eco tour company specialises in small group and private tours on Kangaroo Island. Craig Wickham, along with wife Janet and two children, work with a team of locals who are passionate...
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Our Favourite Member Photographs: April 2020
Rainbow Lorikeet - Echidna Walkabout Nature Tours Image credit: Echidna Walkabout Nature Tours (via Facebook: @echidnawalkabout) Recommended tour: Great Ocean Road (3D/2N) Australian Sea-lions - Australian Coastal Safaris Image credit: Australian Coastal Safaris (via Facebook: @auscoastsafaris) Featured tour: Port Lincoln Wildlife Encounters (2D/2N) Common Wombat - The Maria Island Walk...
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Our Favourite Member Photographs: March 2020
Killer Whale - Naturaliste Charters Image credit: Naturaliste Charters (via Facebook: @bremercanyonkillerwhaleexpeditions) Recommended tour: Bremer Canyon Killer Whale Expedition Eastern Grey Kangaroos - Echidna Walkabout Nature Tours Image credit: Echidna Walkabout Nature Tours (via Facebook: @echidnawalkabout) Recommended tour: Great Ocean Road (3D/2N) Emus - Australian Coastal Safaris Image credit: Australian...
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Our Favourite Member Photographs: February 2020
Kangaroo Island Kangaroo - Exceptional Kangaroo Island Image credit: Exceptional Kangaroo Island (via Facebook: @exceptionalkangarooisland) Exceptional Kangaroo Island came across a couple of local Kangaroo Islanders who seemed to be getting into the spirit of Valentine's Day! Recommended tour: Kangaroo Island In Style (2D/1N) Killer Whale - Naturaliste Charters Image...
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Support Australia's Wildlife Affected by Bushfires through Travel
The combination of the mobility of animals, ability to survive and in some cases thrive due to fires, means Australia continues to deliver compelling and immersive wildlife experiences post bushfire. One of the remarkable aspects of many eucalypt habitats across Australia affected by fire, are their ability to germinate and...
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Our Favourite Member Photographs: November 2019
Life on the Reef - Exmouth Dive and Whalesharks Ningaloo Image credit: Exmouth Dive and Whalesharks Ningaloo (via Facebook: @exmouthdiveandwhalesharksningaloo) The Ningaloo Reef provides magical marine encounters throughout the year! Recommended tour: Deluxe Whaleshark Swim (full day) - available from March 4 until August 31, 2020. Figbird with Young -...
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Q&A With Guides: Craig Wickham
Recently listed as one of the Top 5 Wildlife Guides by Outside Go magazine, Craig Wickham has always had a strong passion for wildlife conservation. Craig, along with his wife and family, has owned and operated Exceptional Kangaroo Island since 1990. We caught up with Craig recently to find out...
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Our Favourite Member Photographs: October 2019
Red-bellied Pademelons - The Maria Island Walk Image credit: The Maria Island Walk (via Facebook: @mariaislandwalk) Extinct on mainland Australia, these cute creatures are widespread in Tasmania and Maria Island! Recommended tour: The Maria Island Walk - available until April 30, 2020. Whale Shark - Exmouth Dive and Whalesharks Ningaloo...
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Our Favourite Member Photographs: September 2019
Rainbow Lorikeet - Australian Coastal Safaris Image credit: Australian Coastal Safaris (via Facebook: @auscoastsafaris) South Australia’s Eyre Peninsula region is home to a diverse range of birds, none more stunning than the Rainbow Lorikeet! Featured tour: Port Lincoln Wildlife Encounters (2D/2N) Common Wombat - The Maria Island Walk Image credit: ...
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Our Favourite Member Photographs: July 2019
Grey-headed Flying-fox - Echidna Walkabout Nature Tours Image credit: Echidna Walkabout Nature Tours (via Instagram: @echidnawalkabout_) The Grey-headed Flying-fox is one of many wildlife sightings available in the East Gippsland region of Victoria. Echidna Walkabout Nature Tours offer multiple tours which visit this region. Recommended tour: East Gippsland Wildlife Journey...
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Our Favourite Member Photographs: May 2019
Buffalo - Lords Safaris Image credit: Lords Safaris (via Facebook: @lordssafarisnt) Lords Safaris encountered some Buffalo out on the Mary River floodplain, north of Kakadu National Park in the Northern Territory. These tours are conducted using airboats, which offer great access to a diverse range of wildlife including Saltwater Crocodiles,...
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Our Favourite Member Photographs: April 2019
Here are some amazing April images across the Australian Wildlife Journey group! Flinders Ranges Sunrise - Arkaba Conservancy Image credit: Brooke Saward (via Instagram: @worldwanderlust) The Flinders Ranges region of South Australia is famous for its stunning landscapes as well as it's wildlife diversity. As part of the Arkaba Walk...
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Koalas In Funny Positions
May 3 is Wild Koala Day! A day to celebrate Koalas living in the wild! It is also about protecting their forests and planting new forests to replace what has been taken by land clearing and over-development. Koalas are undoubtedly one of the most adorable animals on the planet and...
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Our Favourite Member Photographs: March 2019
Take a look at some of our favourite posts from our members in March 2019: Short-beaked Echidna - The Maria Island Walk The Short-beaked Echidna is found across Australia, including Tasmania and surrounding islands. A tour group completing the Maria Island Walk recently came across this one who was taking...
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Australia's Top 10 Most Beautifully Coloured Birds
Australia is home to a some of the world's most iconic birds - 828 individual species, according to a 2008 study (Christidis and Boles). Some Australian birds are known for their audible abilities; some for their size, and others for their spectacular colourings. Let's take a look at what birds...
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Our Favourite Member Photographs: February 2019
Take a look at some of our favourite posts from our members in February 2019: Orca - Naturaliste Charters Image credit: Michael Haluwana (via Instagram: @aeroture_aus) Naturaliste Charters get you face-to-face (literally!) with Orcas in the Bremer Canyon region of Western Australia! The season operates from January through to April,...
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Help Australia's Marsupials by Taking a Tour!
Wildlife-based tourism is growing rapidly as more people travel the world. However, not all animal experiences are created equal. It’s widely agreed that the only sustainable and ethical experiences are those where humans simply observe animals going about their daily lives in their natural habitat – no touching, no feeding,...
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Australia's Most Amazing Aquatic Adventures
Australia is surrounded by water brimming with a vast variation of marine species and home to a large number of creeks and rivers that coil their way around the vast land. There is no other country in the world where – if you wanted to – you could can swim...
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Australia's Top 11 Quirkiest Birds
Australia is teeming with fabulous quirky birds – birds with extraordinary songs, birds that break eggs with stones, birds that run like the wind, and birds that dance like no one is watching (ironically, these birds are dancing precisely to be watched). “Some Australian birds have evolved to have amazing...
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Facts You Didn't Know About Kangaroos!
Kangaroos are macropods and there are over 50 species of macropods (a general term for kangaroos, wallabies, pademelons, potoroos and bettongs) found in Australia – and a few more in Papua New Guinea. Most macropods have hind legs that are bigger than their forelimbs, big feet and a muscular tail....
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How to Help Conserve Australia's Birds on Your Next Trip
From the flightless Emu and paternal-nesting Southern Cassowary to the raucous Laughing Kookaburra and screeching pink and grey Galah, Australia’s 800 or so bird species are as varied, unique and intriguing as the environments they inhabit. With close to half of Australia’s bird species found nowhere else on Earth, sightings...
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Best Places to see Australia's Amazing Northern Migratory Birds
Australians are well-known for their capacity to travel on long-haul flights to all corners of the Earth, such is the geographical necessity of living in the antipodes. So, it’s fitting then, that the journey’s end for some of the planet’s most fascinating northern migratory bird species is Down Under. Visitors...
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Lizard Spotting on Safari across Australia
From Saltwater Crocs to the world’s most venomous snakes, Australia houses more reptile species than any other country on the planet. With more than 600 known species distributed throughout Australia, lizards are the most diverse – and arguably underrated – members of the group. Everywhere you go in Australia you...
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Species Feature: Short-beaked Echidna
The Short-beaked Echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) is one of Earth’s oldest mammals, believed to have shared Earth with the dinosaurs, up to 110 Million years ago! The Short-beaked Echidna, Long-beaked Echidna (Zaglossus) and Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus), make up the only three monotremes. Monotremes are egg-laying mammals which, similar to birds and...
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Species Feature: Kangaroo Island Kangaroo
The Kangaroo Island Kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus) is a sub-species of the Western Grey Kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus). As a result of a prolonged period of isolation from mainland Australia, the Kangaroo Island Kangaroo is noticeably different from other Western Grey species. Due to the Kangaroo Island landscape, this species have...