Protect Earth's last wildernesses, $5 per acre

Hello to all our supporters, and thank you once again for assisting us to achieve our goals.

We have written a lot on our large-scale Western Deserts landscapes, and by the next report we hope to have some very exciting news from that way. But Forever Wild also has a magnificent property in the tropical savannas of Northern Australia, This property is incredibly diverse, a mix of ancient savannah woodland, and large ephemeral wetlands and creeks. Fire and rain are the major ecological processes in this part of Australia. When the Wet Season arrives, usually in December or January, the shallow lakes fill and black swans arrive to breed. 

The invertebrate life is at its most spectacular at this time of year. Insects normally confined to the tree canopy or living in their juvenile stages become active as they search for mates, including giant stick insects nearly 20cm long! Brightly colored moths and small beetles crowd the lights at the main buildings at night, creating a feast for the geckos. Some larger ones appear too, and we collected (and released) the Rhinocerous Beetle in the photo a few days ago. He made a great ruckus while we tried to get photos and eventually we had to be content with a short video and a few screenshots.

It is incredibly rewarding to watch the Wetland reserve burst to life with the onset of the warm, tropical rains. These animals, great and small, share our Earth with us. They too have a right to life on this planet, and we must do everything we can to create landscapes where all species can live together. 

Happy New Year and best wishes from the Forever Wild team in Australia.