QUOKKA, SETONIX BRACHYURUS. STATUS: VULNERABLE. Linda Oliver, Queensland. I had been watching this mother and joey for two afternoons. The joey was very hesitant to stick its head out of the pouch, but couldn’t resist taking a bite of this leaf. Thomson Bay Settlement, Rottnest Island, Western Australia. Canon EOS 7D, Canon 100-400mm, 1/60, f/4.5, ISO 100, Canon 580EXII flash, handheld, Hoya UV filter.

WHALE SHARK, RHINCODON TYPUS. A whale shark cruises past a bagan or local bait fishing boat. The juvenile whale sharks in the bay here have developed a relationship with the fishermen, where the fishermen provide offerings to the sharks before snorkellers and scuba divers jump in to swim with them. Cenderawasih Bay, West Papua, Indonesia. Canon EOS 5D Mk II, Canon EF 8-15mm fisheye, 1/250, f/13, ISO 200, two Ikelite DS161 strobes, Aquatica housing with 4″ mini dome, handheld.

LEAFY SEA DRAGAN, PHYCODURUS EQUES. STATUS: NEAR-THREATENED. Leafy sea dragons are endemic to Australia. They are usually difficult to see, as they are very well camouflaged in the seaweed. It is without doubt one of the most beautiful and delicate creatures I have ever seen. South Australia. Canon EOS 5D Mk III, Canon 16-25mm f/2.8 L, 1/160, f/8, ISO 400, Inon Z-240 strobe, Nautican housing.

PRINCESS PARROT, POLYTELIS ALEXANDRAE. STATUS: NEAR-THREATENED. Wild Life Sydney Zoo in Darling Harbour has a flock of seven princess parrots that fly free around the urban zoo. Surveying them in the wild is very difficult as they are highly nomadic; it is believed that the captive population now outnumbers those left in the wild. Wild Life Sydney Zoo, Sydney, New South Wales. Nikon D800E, Nikon AF-S Micro Nikkor 105mm 1:2.8G, 1/640, f/3.2, ISO 1250, handheld.

QUOKKA, SETONIX BRACHYURUS. STATUS: VULNERABLE. I found these two quokkas on the beach at sunset foraging for food. They were not shy towards people, no doubt used to being fed.  Coming in looking for scraps, they got so curious that later I had to clean off little nose marks they had left on my lens. Long Reach Bay, Rottnest Island, Western Australia. Nikon D90, Nikon 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6, 1/30, f/3.5, ISO 400, SB-900 flash, handheld.

CARNABY’S BLACK COCKATOO, CALYPTORHYNCHUS LATIROSTRIS. STATUS: ENDANGERED. I was returning from Lake Joondalup when I came across a group of the endangered Carnaby’s black cockatoos feeding by the side of the road. Because of habitat destruction, many birds have moved into urban Perth to look for food. Clarkson, Perth, Western Australia. Canon EOS 1D Mk III, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM, 1/1600, f/5.6 ISO 500, handheld on rest.

CARNABY’S BLACK COCKATOO, CALYPTORHYNCHUS LATIROSTRIS. STATUS: ENDANGERED. BAUDIN’S BLACK COCKATOO, CALYPTORHYNCHUS BAUDINII. STATUS: ENDANGERED. There was no wind and it was more than 30 degrees by 8am, so Baudin’s and Carnaby’s black cockatoos from the local flocks came down from the trees to the farmer’s pond for a social drink.  A few also had a quick rinse before heading off to look for food. Nannup, Western Australia. Canon EOS 1DX, EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM, 1/2500, f/2.8, ISO 200, handheld.

MOUNTAIN PYGMY-POSSUM, BURRAMYS PARVUS. STATUS: CRITICALLY ENDANGERED. Vincent Antony, Victoria. This species is threatened by habitat destruction and fragmentation, climate change and predation by feral cats and foxes, as well as threats to the bogong moth – its main food source. Mt Buller, North Victoria. Sony A77, 16mm fisheye, 1/250, f/5.6, ISO 100

GREEN AND GOLDEN BELL FROG, LITORIA AUREA. STATUS: VULNERABLE. Angela Robertson-Buchanan, New South Wales. Green and golden bell frogs were once common on the south-east coast of Australia, but populations are in a critical decline due to habitat loss, pollution, disease and introduced fish that prey on the frogs’ tadpoles. Wild Life Sydney Zoo, Darling Harbour, New South Wales. Micro Nikkor 105mm 1:2.8G, 1/80, f/7.1, ISO 2000, handheld