C4RE Mammal Muster
We want to extend a special thanks to all those dedicated citizen scientists who joined us for our second Citizens for Refuge Ecology (C4RE) Camp on Yuggera Country at our Koala Crossing Nature Refuge.
Dubbed the Mammal Muster, this camp was all about surveying for our furry friends, which in ecology world is often less about finding animals and more about collecting scat. Apart from getting our hands dirty with scat collection, we participated in spotlighting and bat acoustics surveys as well as monitoring the 40 nesting boxes throughout the property. We learned how to survey for Quolls and Koalas, setup camera trap surveys and how to analyse our findings.
With the help of thirty dedicated citizens and experts in the field, we we were rewarded with some furry friend sightings both during the day and spotlighting at night.
Collectively we found fifteen mammal species – three exotic, twelve native – including two species not recorded on the property before – the Kuril and the squirrel glider. The Quoll still remains elusive – for now.
Thanks to the Citizens for Refuge Ecology, The University of Queensland and the Chief Scientist Citizen Science Grant program for allowing the success of these camps!