Camera Trapping Colloquium

Are you one of the many people in the WA wheatbelt using a remote camera for wildlife management?

If so, the very first International Camera Trapping Colloquium might be just for you!

The Australasian Wildlife Management Society in collaboration with the Invasive Animals CRC and partners are hosting the Camera Trapping in Wildlife Management and Research Colloquium at the ANZ Lecture Theatre, Taronga Zoo, Sydney Australia, 13-14 September 2012.

A Chudich in eucalyptus woodland habitat, Beverley WA. Mike Griffiths & Phil Lewis WWF

The event is aimed at showcasing camera trapping technology and bringing together researchers and field ecologists to increase learning potentials.

Recent reserach applications for remote cameras will be investigated and tested during the Colloquium, which is good news for many wheatbelt species currently being monitored.

Populations of Black-flanked Rock Wallabies, Western Spiny-tailed Skinks and Malleefowl are being monitored by the community through Wheatbelt NRM's Healthy Bushland project.

Two WA people working in the region with remote cameras are presenting material at the Colloquium, WWF's Mike Griffiths (working with Phil Lewis on Citizen Science) and Murdoch University's Caron Macneall (on monitoring wildife allong corridors in the wheatbelt).

We wish Mike and Caron well over in Sydney and look forward to hearing more about camera trapping into the future.

If you want more info on camera trapping, check out new research findings at out 'Reports and Publications' page.

2012 Korrelocking BioBlitz!

This year Wheatbelt NRM is organising a BioBlitz in the Korrelocking Townsite, 230km east of Perth, to raise awareness of the need for increased management of remnant vegetation across the Western Australia's Wheatbelt.

The aim of the BioBlitz is to identify as many species as possible in a 24hr period (between 1pm Sat 22nd & 1pm Sun 23rd September 2012) and have fun while we're doing it!

Participants at the 2003 Moningarin BioBlitz

Spring in Korrelocking presents a chance to observe a diverse and functional ecosystem in action - a chance to appreciate the resilience of natural ecosystems to current practices.

After lunch on Sunday we will tally the lists and announce the total number of species that are found - then we begin the process of planning with the community how they wish to manage the bushland into the future.

So join us and experience your own wheatbelt adventure - visit  the Wheatbelt NRM website for additional camping and registration information.

Cheeky Cave Chuditch

Chuditch (also known as Western Quolls or native cats) are a rare and unusual sight in the wheatbelt, but thanks to Wheatbelt NRM's Healthy Bushland project, we are starting to uncover some of the secrets of where and when chuditch are active in the Wheatbelt.

This footage above was captured by Mike Griffiths, who placed a remote camera in a rocky cave near Boyagin Nature Reserve in the Shire of Beverley.

Remote cameras are digital video cameras inside a waterproof case, connected to a motion sensing device. When animals pass by the senor, the camera is triggered and the video begins recording. The black and white movie is produced by the infra-red lights used by the cameras during the evening hours.

Remote cameras have been placed in bushland all across the wheatbelt to assist with understanding which animals are found where.

In this case, a chuditch was recorded using this rocky cave to forage for food such as insects and small animals.

Chuditch's use caves, hollow logs and other shelter (even rooves of houses!) as a den, emerging in the evening to look for food.

Litters are born between May and September, and stay in the mothers pouch for about nine weeks.

Home ranges in WA can be between 55 - 120 hectres in size and are vigorously defended.

Chuditch are threatened by injury from vecicles, predation by foxes and raptors and illegal shooting (chudich are particularly keen on eating chickens - if they can get them!).

Because of these threats, Chuditch are listed on the EPBC Act (1999) as Vulnerable - which means they are a protected species.

If you think you have seen a chuditch or want to know how you can encourage them in your area, contact Wheatbelt NRM on info@wheatbeltnrm.org.au or leave a post.