Kristjan Sorensen is the owner of a property situated in Speewah, approximately 30km northwest of Cairns, Queensland. The property is a residence and dedicated wildlife sanctuary, and Kristjan wishes to maintain the natural values of the property while minimizing his impact on the existing biosphere.
The property covers a 2.5 hectare block of wet tropics rainforest and features two perennial watercourses. The property is set at 460m above sea level and receives around 2-3 metres of rainfall per year.
An abundance of wildlife is found on the property including agile wallabies (Macropus agilis), red-legged pademelons (Thylogale stigmatica), striped possums (Dactylopsila trivirgata), northern brown bandicoots (Isoodon macrourus), musky rat-kangaroos (Hypsiprymnodon moschatus), giant white-tailed rats (Uromys caudimaculatus), fawn-footed melomys (Melomys cervinipes), antechinuses, scrub pythons (Simalia amethistina), small-eyed snakes (Cryptophis nigrescens), brown tree snakes (Boiga irregularis), coastal taipans (Oxyuranus scutellatus), red-bellied black snakes (Pseudechis porphyriacus), lace monitors (Varanus varius), northern tree snakes (Dendrelaphis calligastra), orange-speckled forest-skinks (Tumbunascincus luteilateralis), Boyd’s forest dragons (Lophosaurus boydii), northern barred frogs (Mixophyes schevilli), white-lipped tree frogs (Nyctimystes infrafrenatus), northern red-eyed tree frogs (Litoria xanthomera), scorpions, greengrocer (Cyclochila australasiae) and double drummer (Thopha saccata) cicadas, stick insects, centipedes and praying mantids.
A vast array of birdlife is also present including southern cassowaries (Casuarius casuarius), tawny frogmouths (Podargus strigoides), greater sooty owls (Tyto tenebricosa), nightjars, Victoria’s riflebirds (Lophorina victoriae), spotted catbirds (Ailuroedus maculosus), azure (Alcedo azurea) and forest (Todiramphus macleayii) kingfishers, brush turkeys (Alectura lathami), orange-footed scrubfowl (Megapodius reinwardt), olive-backed sunbirds (Cinnyris jugularis), red-tailed black cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus banksii), yellow-spotted honeyeaters (Meliphaga notata), spectacled monarchs (Symposiachrus trivirgatus), Wompoo (Ptilinopus magnificus) and Torresian imperial (Ducula spilorrhoa) pigeons, emerald doves (Chalcophaps indica), eastern whipbirds (Psophodes olivaceus), blue-winged kookaburras (Dacelo leachii), spangled drongos (Dicrurus bracteatus), sulphur-crested cockatoos (Cacatua galerita), large-billed scrubwrens (Sericornis magnirostra), little (Colluricincla megarhyncha) and grey (Colluricincla harmonica) shrike thrushes, golden bowerbirds (Prionodura newtoniana), northern (Rhipidura rufiventris) and rufous (Rhipidura rufifrons) fantails, dusty honeyeaters (Myzomela obscura), metallic starlings (Aplonis metallica), pale-yellow robins (Tregellasia capito), rainbow bee-eaters (Merops ornatus), star finches (Bathilda ruficauda), Australasian figbirds (Sphecotheres vieilloti), channel-billed cuckoos (Scythrops novaehollandiae), black butcherbirds (Cracticus quoyi) and noisy pittas (Pitta versicolor).
