Revegetation efforts as well as the construction and placement of nesting boxes have attracted the rare phascogale to the Gereeba and Wallamba islands.
The carnivorous marsupial, known for the brushy tail that makes up to half its body length, is related to the quoll, numbat and even the Tasmanian Tiger (or thylacine). Much like their bigger cousins the phascogale is a threatened species and as a timid, nocturnal creature it’s hard to catch on camera.
Ensuring that they had ample vegetation and protected nesting boxes was essential as the phascogale is highly vulnerable to dogs and foxes. They’ll share those 20 nesting boxes with sugar gliders and ringtail possums, which should also benefit from the islands’ protected status and the lack of predators.
The marsupial’s arrival is icing on the cake for local ecologists who have been restoring the wetland on and around the islands, planting over 8,000 native trees, shrubs and grasses representing 26 different species.
This revegetation may even attract more phascogales, as despite being primarily carnivorous they are also known to eat nectar from box and ironbark flowers. These holistic approaches to revegetation and conservation are strongly encouraged by Planet Ark through initiatives such as National Tree Day.
Positive Action
- Find your local Landcare group and help maintain habitats
- Search for ‘Land for Wildlife’ groups near you
- It’s never too late to organise a National Tree Day event!
Sources
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Positive Environment News has been compiled using publicly available information. Planet Ark does not take responsibility for the accuracy of the original information and encourages readers to check the references before using this information for their own purposes.