Wildlife Surveys

Potoroo caught by movement sensing cameraEEG has in the past  identified many areas of valuable forest that were earmarked for clearfell logging but which were subsequently protected after the department surveys confirmed the endangered Long-footed Potoroo or the Orbost Spiny Crayfish.Yabbie trap

EEG’s earlier methods of surveying used what was called ‘hair tubes’ where a food bait was locked in a small piece of mesh and placed where the Potoroo had to brush past an ultra-sticky section of tape on the inside of a tube. The hairs were analysed by an expert who took a cross section and identified it under a microscope, could tell if it was a bush rat’s hair, a Bandicoot or a Potoroo etc. This was slow work and very hit-and-miss.

Greater GliderThis time consuming work was replaced by high-tech spy cameras, GPS eqpt and fancy computer programs. The Goongerah Environment centre (GECO) has taken over this work and has been having great success, especially with their Glider surveys.

Motion sensing cameraGECO has been holding Citizen Science Camps where they train up interested people and take groups out to spotlight, to search for rare plants, aquatic fauna, and place movement sensing cameras in key forest areas.

If you’d like to learn more or help out please contact GECO