07/02/23 Reptile Walk & Talk: Yellingbo

Notes from: a Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater hosted citizen science event.
32 people, all keen to learn how to spot and ID reptiles, were out in Yellingbo Nature Conservation Area with the Friends of the Helmeted Honeyeater, learning from the expertise of Monash University researchers Jules Farquhar and Professor David Chapple. We visited a few different habitat types within YNCA where Jules and Dave talked about how these often shy creatures, including the nationally threatened Swamp Skink and Glossy Grass Skink, might be making use of the different vegetation types. It is suspected that they are. On the day, we spotted grass skinks and a Black Rock Skink (and a Wedge-tailed Eagle!). Jules emphasised the value to researchers of community observations being uploaded to the citizen science platform iNaturalist. YNCA is known for being home to the critically endangered Helmeted Honeyeater and Leadbeater's Possum, but we are very mindful of the ecosystem as a whole and that no species survives in isolation. In 2022, Chapple lab at Monash Uni will be starting comprehensive surveys for lizards and snakes throughout YNCA, and through the comparison of reptile diversity and abundance in remnant, revegetated, and disturbed sites, determine whether conservation efforts for the Helmeted Honeyeater have had a positive benefit for reptiles in the YNCA.

Publicado el febrero 11, 2023 07:58 TARDE por regnans