OUCH!

Sand goanna.

A new volunteer, Allira, from Newcastle, arrived this afternoon and joined our team. The next day was probably our busiest yet. We went out as normal and dismantled our traps. Then we went to a different part of the reserve and again set up in three different vegetation areas. The other two teams were doing the same. We arrived back at camp around 3.30 and then had to go out and do the rounds again at 5.30. The specimens caught in the traps have been light but there have been some interesting ones. These include Burton's Legless Lizard (Lialis burtonis) and a young Sand Goanna.

Burton's Legless Lizard.

When I opened one of the funnel traps the lizard in it managed to escape. It ran into a clump of spinifex grass. Not thinking I tried to grab it as we hadn't measured it yet. Both hands came up with hundreds of little prickles. Soon there were little spots of blood on both hands. They were very painful and it took some time to pick the bulk of them out. That night between telemetry sessions I had a small pair of tweezers and I sat patiently picking out thorns. The advice I have been given is to wait for the rest to fester and then pick them out with a needle. I now have a healthy respect for spinifex grass.

Clumps of spinifex grass.