Wildlife
Take the Maria Island Pledge
You are bound to meet some very special characters on Maria Island. Wombats, kangaroos, wallabies, birds and many other wild and furry creatures. It’s important that we respect these animals and their beautiful home. The community of Spring Bay have written a Pledge that we’d love you to take. It’s just a simple promise to keep Maria Island the way you found it, wild and pristine.
If you’d like to take the Pledge please go to mariaislandpledge.com.au
Most of the animals that you’ll see on the island – ringtail possums, pademelons, wombats, potoroos, snakes (yep, they can swim), lizards and frogs – are long-term, natural residents. Other species like the Forester kangaroo, Cape Barren goose and Tasmanian devil, have been introduced to the island.
You’ll not need to try to hard to spot many of the animals listed above. If your ‘must-see’ list includes a devil, plan to stay over night as they are primarily nocturnal.
Wombat (Vombatus ursinus). Image: Tourism Tasmania and Rob Burnett
If you’re a one of those kooky twitcher types, we have good news for you and your log book – Maria Island is one of the best places in Tasmania to go bird watching. All but one of the species found only in Tasmania are on the island, including the endangered forty-spotted pardalote.