Long-nosed Bandicoot update - Glenburn

Long-nosed Bandicoot (LNB) numbers seem to have increased since the 2009 fires along the Stony Creek at Kinglake West, along the King Parrot Creek down to Hazeldene and at Toolangi.
The thick regrowth of native vegetation has probably favoured the bandicoots and provided protection from predators such as foxes and cats.
Our fauna monitoring with remote sensor cameras in these areas has turned up many photographs of the usually secretive creatures.

Long-nosed Bandicoot at Glenburn

Long-nosed Bandicoot at Glenburn

 




Recently after noticing diggings and other possible signs on a property in Glenburn we set up our cameras and were rewarded by these photographs of Long-nosed Bandicoots.

This site is on private land along a tributry of Katy's Creek in an area of native riparian vegetation. The area has been fenced off by the landowner to protect it from their cattle and to encourage natural regeneration. This has certainly paid off because as well as the bandicoot's we also photographed Swamp Wallabies, Bush Rats, Wombats, Brush-tail Possums and birds including the shy Bassian Thrush.
 
This map shows the locations where we have recorded LNB's throughout the Kinglake Ranges over the last two years.

Map showing locations of Long-nosed Bandicoots observations by UGLN

If you see a bandicoot or possible evidence please let us know by phoning 5736 0104 or email ugrecovery@gbcma.vic.gov.au

Long-nosed Bandicoot video footage

As part of the recent landcare fauna survey weekend on private bushland at Toolangi we captured the following footage of Long-nosed Bandicoots.

Click on the play (>) symbol and wait a few moments for it to load.



  You can certainly see why they are called Long-nosed Bandicoots.

                     The bandicoots long sharp claws are ideal for digging up grubs and worms.

This female looks like she has a pouch full of young.

Fauna Survey Weekend - Toolangi

Over the weekend of 23-25 November members of the Kinglake Landcare Group and local residents carried out a fauna survey at a bushland property in Toolangi.
 

Native Bush Rat

Led by Peter Homan from RMIT and the Field Naturalist Club of Victoria the volunteers carried out trapping for small mammals and bats, spotlighting for possums and gliders, bird watching and reptile searches.

Volunteers setting up the harp trap

Weighing trapped mammals

Over the weekend we were lucky enough to capture Native Bush Rats and Agile Antechinus in the Elliott Traps and five different species of small insectivorous bats in the Harp Trap including Large Forest Bat and Lesser Long-eared Bat.

 

Agile Antechinus

Spotlighting observations included Sugar Gliders, Ringtail Possums, wombats and Swamp Wallabies.

The reptile searches turned up McCoy’s Skink and Southern Water Skink and bird watching resulted in the recording of 17 species of birds including Rufous Whistler and Tawny Frogmouth.

Remote sensor cameras were also set up and we were able to get some great footage of Long-nosed Bandicoots.

Bat in the harp trap

This fauna survey event was funded by the Victorian Bushfire Appeal Fund.

All field work was conducted under a DSE issued Scientific Research Permit.

Wildlife Recovery

Our sensor cameras were recently set up on a fire affected property in Toolangi and I was able to capture these photos of the Long-nosed Bandicoot.

Long-nosed Bandicoot

Long-nosed Bandicoot

Also some amusing photo's of some more common species.

Bobuk

White-winged Chough

Swamp Wallaby

Common Wombat

Even the bus driver joined in!

Something completely Different.
Wood Splitting & Stacking
Post and Rail Fence Making
Potting Up & other nursery work
Tree planting along the boundary

32 NAB volunteers travelled to the Toolangi Garden Restoration Centre to help Jack and Narrie with their innovative community project. Fallen burnt trees were being milled to make framing timber and fencing for rebuilding. Waste logs were being split and dried for fire wood. Donated plants were being repotted into larger pots for distribution next season.

Highlights for the day were :
- Jack & Narrie's fresh scones for morning tea.
- Man V Machine wood splitting
- Fun in the potting shed.
- Patting the fat goat.
- Sharing Narrie & Jack's stories and philosophies .
- Lunch at the Toolangi Tavern.
- Beautiful sunny weather .

This guy accidentally broke a chisel on the volunteer day .
He returned the next day with a beautiful new replacement chisel for Jack.
Things like that make me feel happy.





And there's always fun in the potting shed, with the IT crown!

Janet.