Fauna Survey Group

The Fauna Survey Group meets on the first Tuesday of each month at the FNCV's meeting rooms. Interests range from reptiles, amphibians, birds, mammals and faunal ecology. The Group frequently responds to calls for comments on development proposals, management plans and issues of conservation and education.

Report of the Fauna Survey Group's camp at The Otways 10th-13th June
by Stuart Daspher

The Fauna Survey Group celebrated the announcement of the expanded Greater Otways National Park by spending the June long weekend (10-13^th) at Parker Hill campsite above the mouth of the Parker River on the tip of Cape Otway. The new national park will be over 100,00 Ha in size and stretch from Anglesea in the east to Cape Otway and inland to Gelibrand, this is nine times the size of the current Otways National Park (see http://www.veac.vic.gov.au/angahookotway.htm).

Despite a dire forecast the weather over the weekend was glorious; mild, sunny and calm. The main purpose of the camps we run in the Otway Ranges is to obtain records of Smoky Mouse (Pseudomys fumeus), a native rodent that is found only in the south east corner of Australia. This enigmatic animal has only been patchily recorded from most of its known range and has not been recorded in the Otway Ranges for over 15 years leading to concerns about its continued presence in the area.

Although we failed to find any Smoky Mice on this trip an excellent weekend was had by the ten members and friends who attended the camp. Trapping rates were low with only Agile Antechinus and Bush Rat being found. However a site that last year had been home to high numbers of the introduced House Mouse this year had none, possibly an encouraging result.

Koalas as usual were in large numbers near the Parker River bridge and spotlighting on Saturday and Sunday nights revealed even more of this species as well as Yellow-bellied Gliders making their way along the Parker River valley. Frogs were also vocal after the recent rains and the Victorian Smooth Froglet was found calling above its egg masses. The mild conditions were emphasized by the catching of a Large Forest Bat on the Sunday night in a harp trap placed under the Parker River bridge. Other highlights included a small pod of Bottlenose Dolphins off the mouth of the Parker River, White-bellied Sea-eagle carrying prey back to its perch and two Southern Boobooks flushing from a Tree fern-filled gully giving rare good views of this owl flying in day light. Interesting sightings were many including an Australian Shelduck sitting on the rocks on the southern tip of the Otway coast, two rare Hooded Plovers and some wintering Double banded Plovers on the beach and a group of Sooty Oystercatchers sunning themselves on a small rock in the unusually calm sea.

We will continue our search for Smoky Mouse in this glorious part of Victoria in the coming months.