What else is sharing your Northern Beaches home?
Living on the Northern Beaches has its perks. The sound of crashing waves, rustling leaves and gorgeous sunsets are amongst them. And a bonus is our native wildlife.
Animal sightings on the Northern Beaches are on the rise, with some interesting critters stopping by for a visit. Many of our animals have urbanised themselves along with us and protected status means they’re relatively fearless.
Wildlife sightings
Shoppers at a local Woolies got quite the surprise recently when two possums showed up on the hunt for fresh fruits and veggies. While possums are cute, they can be quite destructive. If they decide to make themselves at home in your roof cavity, it can be difficult to evict them since it is illegal to trap and relocate them. Residents must follow strict guidelines for their removal.
Beachgoers at South Curl Curl encountered a seal enjoying itself recently on the beach. The Northern Beaches Council snapped some pics of the happy sunbather. Surfers at Manly Beach got the thrill of a lifetime when they found themselves sharing the waves with a mother southern right whale and her calf. Keen to see one of these amazing creatures? Take advantage of some tried-and-true whale-spotting locations on the Northern Beaches like North Head, Long Reef Headland and Palm Beach.
Koala sightings on the Northern Beaches are rare, as they are considered an endangered animal. In January, a koala was spotted in the Belrose area, an exciting discovery for the Northern Beaches Council.
Native plants, birds, and other critters
We enjoy a healthy variety of native plants, birds, and other creatures in the Northern Beaches. One of the coolest species native to the area is the bandicoot. These pint-sized marsupials eat grubs, spiders, worms, and other garden pests, so having them around is handy. The small rodent antechinus often is mistaken for a rat but is another native marsupial that feasts on beetles, spiders, cockroaches, and even small reptiles.
And we can’t ignore our annoying neighbours, the brush turkeys. Nearly everyone up our way seems to have a story about brush turkeys wreaking havoc in their gardens. There are two popular solutions for dealing with the intrusion.
- Install chicken wire or mesh over garden beds to prevent access.
- Provide a separate mound of mulch specifically for the turkeys, maybe near your compost bin where their mess won’t bother you.
Unwanted guests
Northern Beaches residents are not always happy to see native wildlife. There are species of snakes and spiders that are quite harmful, even deadly. The funnel-web spider is highly venomous and prefers to burrow in the ground or in stumps. Reptiles like the red-bellied black snake are endemic to the Northern Beaches and venomous as well. However, snakes are more scared of us than we are of them. Make plenty of noise and you’re unlikely to encounter one.
A final word on Northern Beaches wildlife
Living in the Northern Beaches means being a responsible neighbour to our native wildlife. There are benefits to sharing our urban spaces with blue-tongue lizards, possums, and brush turkeys while staying aware of our more dangerous neighbours. Want to learn more about wildlife on the Northern Beaches?
At JDH, we live and work here, so we can advise on the best way to create a home where you can live in harmony with nature.