Scratch Marks on Ghost gums. What animal?

Submitted: Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 11:43
ThreadID: 109709 Views:6174 Replies:10 FollowUps:9
This Thread has been Archived
Hi there,

I noticed on quite a few desert Ghost Gums scratch marks on the trunks.



I wonder if they come from domestic cats, just sharpening their claws - or another animal with other reasons.

Any ideas?

Cheers
Alan

Looking for adventure.
In whatever comes our way.



Lifetime Member
My Profile  My Blog  My Position  Send Message

Back Expand Un-Read 0 Moderator

Reply By: Peter T9 - Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 12:01

Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 12:01
Maybe goanna?
AnswerID: 539899

Follow Up By: Ron N - Sunday, Oct 05, 2014 at 13:10

Sunday, Oct 05, 2014 at 13:10
My money is on a goanna. They love climbing trees and they'll shoot up the nearest one in a flash as soon as they're spooked.
The scratch marks appear to be about the right distance apart for a goanna.
Cats claws are pretty close together and always needle-sharp. Goanna claws are bigger and more blunt.
1
FollowupID: 825619

Reply By: The Explorer - Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 12:02

Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 12:02
Hi

My guess is a feral cat.

Unfortunately a shortage of tree climbing native animals in wheatbelt/goldfields these days but back in times gone past possibilities may have included (depending on exact location and size of scratches) chuditch, brush-tailed phascogale and brushtail possum, though I dont think any of these scratch a tree in same manner as a cat ...just leave marks when climbing.

Cheers
Greg
I sent one final shout after him to stick to the track, to which he replied “All right,” That was the last ever seen of Gibson - E Giles 23 April 1874

Lifetime Member
My Profile  My Blog  Send Message
Moderator

AnswerID: 539900

Follow Up By: The Explorer - Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 12:05

Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 12:05
oh yeah, forgot about them, a goanna of some type is another option. Lots of them still around..

Cheers
Greg
I sent one final shout after him to stick to the track, to which he replied “All right,” That was the last ever seen of Gibson - E Giles 23 April 1874

Lifetime Member
My Profile  My Blog  Send Message
Moderator

0
FollowupID: 825547

Reply By: The Explorer - Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 12:06

Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 12:06
Leichhardt .....:)
I sent one final shout after him to stick to the track, to which he replied “All right,” That was the last ever seen of Gibson - E Giles 23 April 1874

Lifetime Member
My Profile  My Blog  Send Message
Moderator

AnswerID: 539901

Follow Up By: Rick (S.A.) - Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 12:23

Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 12:23
10/10 for that response!
0
FollowupID: 825551

Reply By: howie - Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 12:56

Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 12:56
human/constipation?
AnswerID: 539903

Reply By: Hairy (NT) - Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 13:08

Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 13:08
Drop bear?
AnswerID: 539904

Reply By: Bob Y. - Qld - Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 13:23

Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 13:23
Alan,

I'm thinking a goanna, as there's only 3 scratch marks on each side. A cat would leave more scratch marks than that, and the marks might be somewhat finer?

Otherwise, wouldn't have a clue. :-)

Bob

Seen it all, Done it all.
Can't remember most of it.

Lifetime Member
My Profile  My Blog  My Position  Send Message

AnswerID: 539906

Reply By: Ross M - Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 13:36

Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 13:36
Go ANNA Go.
Width of claws relative location of spacing of scratches. Had one hanging on it's claws above my wife while she was reading a book at on the banks of the Darling.

Other scratches will be the front to rear ie wheel base length, of the hind legs away from the front.
AnswerID: 539908

Follow Up By: Ron N - Sunday, Oct 05, 2014 at 13:20

Sunday, Oct 05, 2014 at 13:20
Ross, we were camped in caravans at a gold show at Mt Burt in the mid-1980's, and the eldest nephew had a young blue heeler.
The bluey flushed out a goanna that had been hanging around the camp, and the goanna took off at high speed into the mulga with the dog in hot pursuit.

The goanna got about 300M out from camp, and scrambled straight up a small mulga - and climbed right out on the end of a small branch, that bowed down dangerously.
The bluey thought this was all great fun, and stood below the branch, barking his head off.

Next, thing - to our utter amazement - the goanna took a flying leap - and landed square on the dogs back! - and hung on like a jockey!!

The bluey took off like a rocket, yelping his head off - and the goanna rode him like a champ for about 100 metres!

We were absolutely rolling on the ground with laughter, I've never seen anything so funny in all my life.

The goanna baled out and jumped off after about 100 metres - the dog flew back into camp, and dived under a caravan - and he never chased a goanna ever again! LOL
2
FollowupID: 825620

Follow Up By: Freshstart - Monday, Oct 06, 2014 at 10:35

Monday, Oct 06, 2014 at 10:35
100 points for the goanna!!!
0
FollowupID: 825674

Reply By: equinox - Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 18:42

Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 18:42
Thank you all for your input.
Consensus seems to be Goanna.
I wonder what it wanted up the tree?

Cheers
Alan

Looking for adventure.
In whatever comes our way.



Lifetime Member
My Profile  My Blog  My Position  Send Message

AnswerID: 539927

Follow Up By: AlbyNSW - Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 18:52

Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 18:52
Monitors will pretty much eat anything and scavenge around. Could well be looking for a birds nest as they love to eat eggs and birds
1
FollowupID: 825565

Follow Up By: Ron N - Sunday, Oct 05, 2014 at 13:46

Sunday, Oct 05, 2014 at 13:46
Goannas will eat anything that moves and a lot that doesn't. They'll scavenge carrion, they love eggs - they can catch and will eat fully-grown birds - but in a tree, they'd be after hatchlings.

I've seen a goanna sneak up to a cold campfire and swallow a chop bone (after the dog had been chewing on it), in one gulp.

The way goannas catch fully-grown birds is to lie still and wait until a bird is walking around near their tail. They swish their tail sideways at terrific speed, and knock the bird off its feet - at the same time as they pounce on the bird and grab it in their jaws.

Big bungarras are utterly fearless. We found one one day in the early 1970's, walking through the little orchard next to the house.
He was about 2.2M and he wasn't frightened of us in the least.

The brother walked up behind him to try and grab him, and the goanna pulled the tail-swish trick, trying to knock the brother down!
He was pretty vicious, he wanted to bite us at every opportunity, whenever we got close.

I've no doubt if he thought he could get us to slide down his throat, he'd have us for a meal!
0
FollowupID: 825622

Follow Up By: AlbyNSW - Monday, Oct 06, 2014 at 06:07

Monday, Oct 06, 2014 at 06:07
Alan I showed my son the pic who is a bit of an expert on reptiles but monitors ( Goannas) in particular and he only gave me a not overly convincing maybe for them being the culprit and did mention feral cat as an alternative As well
1
FollowupID: 825656

Reply By: Gone Bush (WA) - Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 21:17

Saturday, Oct 04, 2014 at 21:17
Yowie, especially if the scratches are about 10 feet off the ground.

I'm glad I ain't too scared to be lazy
- Augustus McCrae (Lonesome Dove)

Lifetime Member
My Profile  My Blog  Send Message

AnswerID: 539934

Reply By: Member - graeme W (WA) - Wednesday, Oct 08, 2014 at 22:30

Wednesday, Oct 08, 2014 at 22:30
Hi Alan. When cats scratch they normally pull downwards three or four times at least with there front paws and the bark would really be roughed up. Feral cats usually have a home range specially males and will always mark the same trees. All sorts of animals climb trees including foxes if they are hard pressed for a feed.Unfortunately there are are lots of cats in the desert and we saw a few on our recent trip to the carnarvon ranges the reason there are so few medium and small mammals left now. Goanna is my guess.

Cheers Graeme
AnswerID: 540115

Follow Up By: Slow one - Thursday, Oct 09, 2014 at 06:51

Thursday, Oct 09, 2014 at 06:51
Graeme,
foxes probably climb trees because they are a member of the cat family.
0
FollowupID: 825858

Sponsored Links