This morning I had a lovely look at at a Water at/Rakali swimming along
the Pyrmont foreshore and then emerging with prey (a crab I think).
Even in the pre-dawn light the white on the tail was obvious in the
clear water. For those who don't know Sydney the google map link
below will given you an idea of the highly urban environs:
http://maps.google.com.au/maps?ll=-33.864696,151.193633&spn=0.012811,0.027165&t=h&z=16
Googling suggest there is a 1886 museum specimen from the area but
no reports since that at could find. They are present elsewhere on
the harbour - I saw one near Rodd Point on Iron Cove a few months ago.
So they may have recolonized Pyrmont from there or perhaps Balls head.
I've tried to contact Sydney City Council not because Water Rats are of
conservation concern generally - but there are no other native terrestial
mammal species left in the Sydney City LGA so presumably council would
like to retain them as a token remanent of biodiversity.
It'd be good if they were not clobbered by Brown Rat control programs
and I was thinking of suggesting they look at fox control. I've seen fox
scat near there years ago and heard of more recent sightings in the area.
Please e-mail me if you know of other sightings in the area or
know who to best contact in Sydney City Council.
Andrew
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