Piping Shrike (Gymnorhina tibicen leuconata)

The Piping Shrike has been the official badge of the South Australian Government since 1901. The state emblem generates pride and affection. Governor Tennyson in his dispatch to the Secretary of State for the Colonies said 'I herewith forward a flag with the new device upon it - the South Australian Shrike in the rising sun of the Commonwealth and hope that as it is a fine design and one which has been favourably received here ....'. (PC008, June 2003) The piping shrike is also known as the white-backed magpie. Magpies can roughly be divided into white-backed and black-backed. The white-backed magpie is largely confined to western and southern Australia. (Kaplan, 2004). There are at least four different subspecies of Australian magpie:

The Black-backed Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen tibicen) found in Queensland and New South Wales, right across the Top End and most of arid Western Australia. In the future the black-backed race may be further split into four separate races, as there are regional differences between them.

Ghost Bat (Macroderma gigas)

The Ghost Bat The ghost bat is present in Northern Australia, Western Australia, Queensland, and the Northern Territory. Ghost bats are classified as vulnerable due to the destruction of caves, human disturbance by visiting roosts in caves, and the loss of prey (which is due to a loss of they preys habitat). It is estimated that there are only 5,000 ghost bats left. The common name ghost bat is attributed to the bats white appearance when looking as it flies over head. Natural predators of the ghost bat are few. Ghost bats can be heard making excited twittering noises. Roosts can be found in caves, deep rock crevices, and old mines. Although ghost bats prefer to roost in colonies they currently only roost in small groups at best; this is due to a lack of roosting sites that support larger colonies. It is unusual for there to be a colony of more than 100 bats in one location.

Eastern Barred Bandicoot (Perameles gunnii)

The Eastern Barred Bandicoot The eastern barred bandicoot only survives in Victoria and Tansmania. There is more of a population in Tansmania, in Victoria the only known population can be found in the western basalt plains. Over one hundred years ago the eastern barred bandicoot lived in southern Australia. Unfortunately the last known sighting that region was in 1893. Domestic animals such as cat and dogs have led to the endangerment of the eastern barred bandicoot as well as the clearing of the species natural habitat by humans. The eastern barred bandicoot is a nocturnal marsupial. This animal is highly flexible in terms of nesting sites, as long as the ground is densely covered and feeding sites are nearby. Cemeteries, gardens, parks, farms, and woodlands are all common. The nest itself is made of grass and usually found in bushes where there is plenty of shelter. Eastern barred bandicoots nest alone unless it is a female weaning her young.