Safeguard a Bandicoot from Extinction

Here is the latest update from our Bandicoot guru Travis:

Well it was a quite dry summer at woodlands in general but we got the occasional large downpour of rain which kept things buzzing along.  The good news it wasn’t An overly Hot summer. So with enough moisture in the ground there were signs of bandicoot diggings throughout the period.  It also meant that the grasslands continued to grow and produce large quantities of seed.  The wildflowers we planted last spring have also done quite well so we look forward to spring to see the bursts of colours the flowers will deliver. 

Once again we will start off with habitat conditions at Woodlands Historic Park.  Excellent news again to report.  The rainfall has continued to hit woodlands and the grasslands have been thriving.  We have also managed to plant our 9000 wildflowers and grasses into our rabbit proof enclosure.  They are doing well with the late spring rains but are still quite small.  So we can’t wait for them to grow and we can see all the new flowers.  We will be able to harvest seeds and cuttings from these plants for future planting projects.  This injection of species will also create more lures for invertebrates to return meaning more food for bandicoots so it’s a win win situation.  Beauty and environmental impact!

Unfortunately our spring bandicoot monitoring had to be postponed due to the COVID pandemic. However with the damp soil bandicoot diggings were easy to spot all across the enclosure.  Spotlighting has become difficult with the exceptional grass growth.  But thanks to one of our wild futures corporate supports AON we were able to purchase five permanent monitoring cameras.  These cameras are solar panelled and have wifi connection so we receive the images directly to our computers.  We will eventually set up a program to encourage the public to get involved in our citizen science project where you can sift through our footage from your own devices and survey the images for us.  A great way to get involved from the comforts of home or work and do some great conservation work.  The other great news is while we have been setting up the program and trialling the cameras to make sure everything is working we have been getting plenty of images of our bandicoots.  So even though we have missed out running our trapping session the cameras are working as a way for us to see the activity on site which is fantastic.  So if your interested keep an eye out on our website and join up to check the cameras from time to time.  

Weed control continues of our invasive serrated tussock grass and will be ongoing.  But with the great return of the native species it is also starting to smother and outcompete the weeds. 

Once again great work everyone involved from Conservation Volunteers Australia, Parks Victoria, volunteers and all members of the Eastern Barred Bandicoot Recovery Team who have assisted with making this possible. Most importantly the continued financial commitment from our sponsors through this platform is essential in allowing us to protect and grow the species numbers. THANKYOU again and we look forward to your ongoing support.