BEAM Mitchell Environment Group and Biolinks Alliance are partnering to do night-time spotlight surveys for Greater Gliders in the Tallarook Forest and Mt Disappointment Forest. The aim is to find where these critically endangered animals live throughout these two forests. Both forests have been affected by past logging, bushfire and planned burns, all of which are known to both kill these animals and destroy the habitat trees they need for their dens. By knowing where they are now, we can take action to protect, restore and extend their habitat, and create an effective biolink between the two forests. 

 

These surveys are part of the Murchison Gap Greater Glider Biolink project, funded by the Capricorn Foundation and the Potter Foundation, and build upon the citizen science surveys that BEAM has led over 2020-2024, in the northeastern section of the Tallarook Forest, with over 180 greater gliders found in areas that are now protected from logging as a result of the survey results.

 

All are welcome to take part in the upcoming night-walk surveys, and the next eleven surveys will be in April, May and June. 

 

The walking distance will be two to three kilometres for each night walk, but because of the frequent stopping to survey, each walk will take two to three hours. All survey routes will be on vehicle roads, but some sections may be steep, rocky or muddy. A general level of fitness for walking is advisable. 

 

Sat 3 May survey will also include using a drone with infra-red camera.

 

To book into one or more of these surveys, click on the links below:

 

6.30pm Mon 14 April - Northwestern section of Mt Disappointment Forest

6.30pm Tues 22 April - Northern section of Mt Disappointment Forest

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6.30pm Sat 3 May - Southern gullies of Tallarook plateau - includes infra-red camera drone surveying

6.00pm Tues 6 May - Northern section of Mt Disappointment Forest

6.00pm Sat 17 May - Southern slope of Mt Hickey, Tallarook Forest

6.00pm Thurs 22 May - near Mt Hickey, Tallarook Forest

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6.00pm Sun 1 June - Northwestern section of Mt Disappointment Forest

6.00pm Tues 3 June - Southern slope of Mt Hickey, Tallarook Forest

6.00pm Sun 15 June - Northern section of Mt Disappointment Forest

6.00pm Tues 24 June - Southern gullies of Tallarook plateau

6.00pm Sat 28 June - Northern section of Mt Disappointment Forest

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Photo above: Spotlighting for Greater Gliders, Tallarook Forest, 2021, by Georgia Webster.

Photo below: Greater Glider on Horan's Track, in Tallarook Forest, October 2024, by Norm Stimson.