Rewilding the Desert: saving threatened species

Australian wildlife is facing an extinction crisis, with 31% of mammals extinct or threatened. Rewilding the Desert is aiming to bring back from the brink our threatened desert wildlife, with community volunteers and expert researchers joining together. An initial BioBlitz will enable us to establish monitoring and research programs to better understand the ecological benefits and impacts of rewilding.  

In spring (September - November in our hemisphere!) the first step of our in-depth BioBlitz has begun! We commenced our fauna monitoring program at the Little Desert Nature Lodge site and the results were excellent:

• We dug in 240 buckets and erected 1,200 metres of drift fences for the pitfall trap lines.
• We spent 4 weeks catching and releasing animals in pitfall, funnel and cage traps.
• During those four weeks 567 animals were captured and released.
• 24 different species were captured, including the delightful Silky mouse and the tenacious Eastern Striped Skink (pictured).
• Detailed habitat assessments were conducted at 24 sites.
• Volunteers have contributed 1,425 hours

Conservation Volunteers Australia Rewilding Program Manager, Ben Holmes reports: ‘We are extremely grateful to everyone who braved the early mornings, late evenings and friendly Wimmera flies to collect this data. This information is vital to helping us better understand the ecosystem before we can progress to the next stage of the project.

Before we can get to the good part: rewilding (or reintroduce) locally extinct native wildlife, we need to conduct more surveys and collect more data. We also need to establish monitoring sites at our other property, the Malleefowl Sanctuary. So we still need your help to spread the word and support our efforts.

A big thank you to all the generous souls who have donated, without your support we cannot continue this critical program and help conserve Australia’s weird, wonderful and highly threatened native wildlife.