> Lawrie's and Keith's mammal ticking idea isn't a new one; there are a
> few of us around (yes, that is a confession!).
True - but it's a little more 'underground' than bird twitching.
> I suppose that there should be a 'gun' standard equivalent to the '600
> club' of birders, but I don't know where you'd set the bar. The question
I've given this some thought. Let's start with some basic facts, plus a
few
wild generalisations:
* There have been about 810-815 species of birds and 380 (345-350
left after extinctions) species of
mammals recorded in Australia since Captain Cook and others came on
very early twitching trips in the 18th century.
* The 'gun' marks in birding are 600 and 700 - about 75% and 85%
respectively. Birds are on the whole dead easy to find and see
(skulkers & vagrants notwithstanding).
* A great chunk of the bird list includes vagrants and other
nefarious
inclusions. The number of vagrant mammals (constrained somewhat by
being unable to fly but for bats) is tiny.
* A disturbingly sizeable chunk of the mammal list is extinct.
(Though
taxonomists continue to push the total up with zealous splitting of
Pseudomys, Sminthopsis and Mormopterus species).
* Directly comparable 'gun' score in mammaling would be about 260 and
290
species.
I can't imagine anyone getting to the point of seeing 300+ Australian
mammal
species given the restrictions (both natural and legal) that Richard and
others have outlined - even 250+ seems out of reach. About 20-25
species
have dropped off the list in many parts of Australia since European
settlement. A different set of values is clearly required.
My suggestion is fairly arbitrary - 150 and 200 (~45% and 60%). Rohan
Clarke mentioned the sometimes mentioned mark of 100 - but I think that
might be a bit low (~30%). I'm open to suggestions .....
I should declare an interest here - that my total is 166. If my numbers
were acceptable, that would put me in the 'also ran' category for birds
(617) and mammals (166).
L.
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LAWRIE CONOLE
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Victoria 3044 AUSTRALIA. 37°44'27"S 144°56'17"E
Phone (03) 9354 2484; Mobile (0419) 588 993
E-mail: <>
Home page: http://www.users.bigpond.com/ocoineoil/
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