Biodiversity rules, OK? Western Australia has around 13,000 “higher” plant species. The southwest is most especially rich in unique, beautiful and wondrous-strange flowers. This one is WA’s floral emblem.
Mangles Kangaroo Paw – Anigozanthos manglesii – is one of “about 12” species in its genus.
I photographed this one last spring in Perth’s Kings Park – a short walk or free bus ride from the CBD of a city with more than two million human inhabitants.
Many Perth residents have no idea that they live in very probably the world’s most botanically diverse substantial city.
How many have looked closely at their state’s emblematic plant?
Humans – mostly, those who arrived since 1829 – have devastated/obliterated a great deal of the Swan Coastal Plain‘s natural splendour, but what remains is still stupendous.
Viewed from whatever perspective – tourist’s, picnicking resident’s, botanist’s – Kings Park is one of the world’s greatest urban parks.
It is just one of many surprisingly “wild” places in and near Perth; most are easily accessible to almost all, including those who do not own cars.
Over the coming months Pelican Yoga will visit a number of them, and introduce you to some of their lovelier residents – flora, mostly…but also feathered and furred beings.
Pelican Yoga will also take you to much more distant WA places, and to wonderful wild places in other lands.
For the moment, you can guess which other land’s inter-tidal zone is home to this Decorator Crab:
Still miss you on the radio, Doug, but loving this blog. Stunning photos. Thanks to your beloved for the heads-up.