Tree Hugger Travel

12/06/2024

Good News for less green washing... 🙌

“The European Green Claims Directive will help validate whether good performance reported is good performance practiced.”

"Putting tourism operators and traders under increased scrutiny to prove their environmental claims."

10/06/2024

🐾 Wildlife Monday: Meet the Majestic Southern Cassowary! 🌿

Endemic to Northern Queensland, the Southern Cassowary is a striking sight with its large grey casque, vibrant blue head, and red neck wattle. Known for its distinctive rumbling calls, this solitary bird thrives in the dense rainforests, feeding primarily on fallen fruit.

💯 5 Fun Facts About the Cassowary:

1️⃣ Ancient Lineage: The Southern Cassowary is one of the most ancient birds, having evolved around 60 million years ago. This makes it a living dinosaur of sorts, with roots tracing back to the time when Australia was part of the supercontinent Gondwana.
2️⃣ Deadly Claws: Cassowaries have a dagger-like claw on each foot, which can be up to 12 cm (5 inches) long. These claws can deliver powerful kicks, making the cassowary one of the most dangerous birds in the world when threatened.
3️⃣ Forest Gardeners: Cassowaries play a crucial role in rainforest ecology. They eat a variety of fruits and then disperse the seeds throughout the forest via their droppings. Some seeds even require passage through a cassowary's digestive system to germinate!
4️⃣ Impressive Speed and Agility: Despite their size, cassowaries are incredibly agile and can run up to 50 km/h (31 mph) through the dense forest. They can also jump up to 1.5 meters (nearly 5 feet) in the air and swim across rivers.
5️⃣ Dedicated Dads: After the female lays her eggs, the male cassowary takes on all parental duties. He incubates the eggs for about 50 days and then cares for the chicks for up to nine months, guiding them through the forest and teaching them how to find food.

🧬 Closest Relatives:
The cassowary's closest relatives are other members of the ratite group of birds. Ratites are large, flightless birds that share common ancestors. The cassowary's closest relatives include:

🔗 Emus: Native to Australia, emus are the largest birds in Australia and second only to the ostrich in height among birds.
🔗 Ostriches: Native to Africa, ostriches are the largest and heaviest living birds, known for their incredible speed and powerful legs.
🔗 Kiwis: Native to New Zealand, kiwis are much smaller than cassowaries, emus, and ostriches, but share the characteristic of being flightless and having a similar skeletal structure.
🔗 Rheas: Native to South America, rheas are large flightless birds that resemble ostriches but are smaller.

🔎 Have you spotted a Cassowary in the wild? Share your photos and stories with us! 📸✨ .au

03/06/2024

🐾 Wildlife Monday: Meet the Echidna! 🦔

Australia’s unique wildlife never ceases to amaze, and today we’re shining the spotlight on the fascinating Echidna. These spiny, egg-laying mammals are truly one of a kind!

💯 5 Fun Facts About Echidnas:

1️⃣ Spiny Defence: Echidnas are covered in sharp spines made from keratin, the same material as human fingernails, which they use to protect themselves from predators.
2️⃣ Monotreme Marvel: Along with the platypus, echidnas are one of the only mammals that lay eggs. The female echidna lays a single, leathery egg directly into her pouch.
3️⃣ Incredible Longevity: Echidnas can live up to 50 years in the wild, making them one of the longest-living mammals.
4️⃣ Solitary Creatures: Echidnas are generally solitary animals, coming together only to mate.
5️⃣ Super Sniffers: They have a highly developed sense of smell, which they use to locate ants and termites, their favourite foods.

🧬 All Living Monotremes:

➣ Platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus)
- The only living species in the family Ornithorhynchidae.
- Found in eastern Australia, including Tasmania.
➣ Short-beaked Echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus)
- Found throughout Australia and New Guinea.
➣ Long-beaked Echidnas (Genus Zaglossus)
- Western Long-beaked Echidna (Zaglossus bruijni)
- Sir David's Long-beaked Echidna (Zaglossus attenboroughi)
- Eastern Long-beaked Echidna (Zaglossus bartoni)
- These species are found in New Guinea.

🔎 Have you spotted an Emu in the wild? Share your photos and stories with us! 📸✨

23/05/2024

Journey into the heart of Far North Queensland’s Daintree rainforest, where ancient trees whisper secrets, exotic wildlife abounds, and nightfall unveils hidden wonders.

💯 The Good Traveller Blog 🫶 by Tree Hugger

Read about our journey in Far North Queensland where we share the wonders of the Daintree National Park by day and night.

20/05/2024

🐾 Wildlife Monday: The Emu 🐦

Endemic to Australia, the Emu is an enormous flightless bird with drooping grey shaggy plumage. Hatchlings are easily recognisable by their distinctive stripes, while juveniles and immatures are darker than adults, with more feathered necks.

These fascinating birds prefer open country, roaming in loose flocks that can range from a few birds to hundreds.

💯 5 Fun Facts About Emus:

1️⃣ Speedy Sprinters ...
Emus are incredibly fast runners, capable of reaching speeds up to 50 km/h (31 mph). Their long legs and powerful stride allow them to cover great distances quickly.
2️⃣ Unique Feathers ...
Emus have double-shafted feathers that provide excellent insulation. These feathers help keep them cool in the Australian heat and warm during cooler weather.
3️⃣ Incredible Parenting ...
Male emus are responsible for incubating the eggs and raising the chicks. After the female lays the eggs, the male sits on the nest for about eight weeks without eating or drinking, losing a significant amount of body weight.
4️⃣ Omnivorous Diet ...
Emus are omnivores and eat a variety of foods, including seeds, fruits, insects, small animals, and even other birds' eggs. They play a vital role in dispersing seeds throughout their habitat.
5️⃣ Curious Creatures ...
Emus are naturally curious and often approach humans and objects to investigate. Their curiosity helps them find food and learn about their environment.

🧬 Closest Animal Relatives:
Emus are part of the ratite group, which includes other large, flightless birds. Their closest relatives are:
• Ostriches (found in Africa)
• Cassowaries (found in Northern Australia and New Guinea)
• Rheas (found in South America)
• Kiwis (found in New Zealand)

📚 Scientific Name:
The scientific name for the emu is **Dromaius novaehollandiae**

🔎︎ Have you spotted an Emu in the wild? Share your photos and stories with us! 📸✨