Mandurah region, Western Australia Photograph by Mike Fields   Southeastern Australia Mediterranean Forests, Woodlands, and Scrub   17,800 square miles (46,000 square kilometers) -- about twice the size of New Hampshire Critical/Endangered

· Wandoo Woodland
· Special Features
· Did You Know?
· Wild Side
· Cause for Concern
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Wandoo Woodland

Due to a mild, Mediterranean climate, these dry woodlands are filled with eucalyptus trees, including the bushy wandoo, york gum, and tuart tree. Scattered throughout the woodlands is the Christmas tree--technically a mistletoe plant and the only one to grow as a tree. This parasitic plant earned its name from the brilliant orange flowers that bloom each Christmas. The forest understory contains wattles (acacias), she-oaks, and cypress pines, with peppermint and sandalwood found closer to the ground. While soil quality is generally poor, modern enhancements have enabled wheat farms to replace most of the native vegetation. But this area still harbors unusual wildlife, from rare marsupials to endangered reptiles.

Special Features

The spiky peaks of Stirling Range extend for 40 miles (65 km) through the woodlands in the eastern tip of this ecoregion. Blanketed by unusual cloud formations, this is one of few places in Western Australia where snow falls. The plant diversity seen here is incredible, with an estimated 1,500 plant species found within Stirling Range National Park. More species are found in the Stirling Range than in the entire British Isles, and 87 of these species are endemic to these mountains. Each spring, an amazing display of wildflowers can be seen, including the endemic mountain bell, the sprawling southern cross, and dryandras, a genus of wildflower found only in Western Australia.

	The unusual salamanderfish is found only in southwest Australia. It lives in isolated pools and streams that dry up entirely in summer. When this happens, the salamanderfish burrows in damp sand, uses its fat reserves for energy, and exchanges oxygen and carbon dioxide through its skin

Wild Side

Colorful western spinebills gather around flowers, using their long, curved bills to obtain nectar. But the rabbit-sized brush-tailed bettong has different tastes. This endangered kangaroo-like animal feeds exclusively on fungi and tubers. During the day, small, squirrel-like numbats hunt for termites–an unusual diet for a marsupial, while red-tailed phascogales emerge at night to nibble on plants that are toxic to livestock. Australian ringback parrots head for woodlands to feed, while elegant parrots prefer the open country. In aquatic areas, watch for black swans and western swamp turtles, Australia’s most endangered reptile. Fewer than 100 individuals are estimated to remain in the wild. Large squat turtle frogs resemble their namesakes, with stubby little legs adapted for burrowing. However, these legs are ineffective when it comes to jumping or swimming.

Cause for Concern

Most of the land here is already degraded due to agricultural development. Almost all of this ecoregion is privately owned. Feral or introduced animals, especially foxes, are also serious concerns.

For more information on this ecoregion, go to the World Wildlife Fund Scientific Report.