Reading this newsletter, you are using your eyes. We humans are predominately a visual species. In our day-to-day existence, sight is our most major sense; we can of course use the other senses commonly ascribed to us, including hearing, touch, smell, and taste. We also possess proprioception (look it up!) and equilibrioception - our sense of balance.

But for the majority of humans, sight is the main way we understand and interact with our environment.

Other living organisms, with whom we share the planet, use their own senses to understand the same world. And it seems many species have a very different 'view' of reality to us. On one of our many long drives with Animal Ark co-worker Shannon we started listening to an audiobook on this very subject - An Immense World by Ed Young. In this he tells us we all (human or bug, catfish, or pelican) perceive or sense only a tiny part of our immense world and we do so differently. Below, not necessarily covered in the book, are a few examples of how it is believed other species sense the world.

'Umwelt' – a term used to describe the world as experienced by a different organism.

With nostrils at the end of their long trunks elephants also have a very decent sense of smell. Amongst other things, they can smell underground water, but also can quantify by odour. So, an elephant can smell not just that there is a bunch on bananas or other food nearby, but how many bananas are linked to that particular smell.

It's like having your tongue covering your whole body. If you were a catfish you could taste a pizza just by sitting on it.

It appears that iron-based receptor cells found in some birds' eyes and beaks are responsible. These cells are more sensitive to light in migratory species than sedentary ones. It seems some birds utilize both methods as required, using their eyes when light is available but on overcast days switching to another sense for directional navigation. It is also believed some birds can 'hear' the magnetic field and navigate using this as well as the other senses for navigation.

Do you have a good sense of direction? Imagine, along with normal vision, seeing 3D google maps and a compass as you moved around!

These grabbers are 101cm long, but they extend to 127cm, and 152cm for harder to reach serpents. Also fitted with Animal Ark Snake Huggers™ as standard

Usual price $230 + postage NOW JUST $184 if ordered and paid for by phone and includes free postage Australia wide.

Call 08 9243 3044 to order and pay.

See the Animal Ark online shop for our full list of snake and fauna handling equipment.

All bookings can be made through the website www.snakeavoidance.com.au

Don't miss out, some spring dates are already booking fast.

Whilst associated with slow moving habitats in our rivers, creeks, and lakes these Catfish are also tolerant of brackish waters nearer the ocean. They shelter during the day amongst submerged logs and roots and undercut riverbanks and other suitable cover. At night they emerge, hunting is aided by 4 pairs of sensory barbels. Main prey items appear to be freshwater crayfish, shrimps, invertebrates, and smaller fish.

Mass upstream migrations covering up to 8 km are known for both feeding and breeding before they retire back to shelter. Breeding occurs November, December time - a nest is built using gravel and rocks into which small individual eggs are laid. These will hatch about a week later. Lucky individuals may live for 10 years. Growing to 50cm most specimens are around half this size.

Venomous spines on the 1st dorsal and both pectoral fins help protect them from predation. Treatment consists of immersion of affected area in water as hot as the body can stand. The heat reduces the pain. Bacterial and fungal infection can result from the wound and or tissue left behind, medical attention is advised. Most incidents occur with anglers or from stepping on the fish in shallow waters.