Of Quendas and Skinks

Unusual experiences are all in a day's work when your office is on a university campus away from the city. Greeting and side-stepping a quenda before entering the office is definitely more pleasant than dodging cars and pedestrians.

The quenda wetland is on private hospital grounds adjacent to the university and its conservation is a joint project between both institutions. The quenda (a species of bandicoot, which until fairly recently was on the threatened species list) frequents both campuses. One used to occasionally join staff for lunch in a bushy outdoor area, but he hasn't been seen him since Ross stopped bringing his banana sandwiches!

Back at home, this poor little skink came inside to explore and found himself tied up in a tumbleweed of cat fur which had gathered on the hall tiles. His appearance was that of a cottonball with legs and tail! After I spent a good ten minutes carefully disentangling each of his little legs and toes, I placed him gently outside, glad that he hadn't been stressed enough to lose his tail.