Greater Gliders

 

Latrobe Catchment Landcare Network alongside partners Fed Uni, Latrobe City Council, Procon Pest Control and Greening Australia are working to help preserve Greater Glider populations in the Boolarra region

Greater Gliders are Australia’s largest gliding mammal. Listed as ‘vulnerable’ nationally and as ‘threatened’ in Victoria, there are many threats to their survival, most notably the lack of continuous suitable habitat within their known areas of occupancy, and the lack of tree hollows. The 2019/2020 fire season resulted in a mass reduction and loss of viable habitat for Greater Glider populations in Victoria.

Up until early 2018, historic records of Greater Glider populations within the Victorian Biodiversity Atlas were low. However since 2018, Greening Australia have added 118 Greater Glider records within the Boolarra South area, and these records now represent some of the highest densities of Greater Gliders known in Victoria.

This project will survey this local colony to better understand the population size, range and family groups. It is being undertaken a part of the larger Strzelecki-Alpine ‘Biolink’ project, which seeks to protect and enhance important habitat corridors extending from the Strzelecki Ranges in the south to the Baw Baw and Alpine Ranges in the north. It will inform planned re-vegetation of corridors and waterways of private land holdings adjoining the 350 hectare study area and future planning scheme protections.

The project will install up to 20 next boxes with wireless, motion-triggered camera surveillance. As part of the ‘Citizen Science’ approach, selected schools will be able to log in and access the camera footage, making involvement quick, easy and convenient. The survey will be completed by Federation University with support from Greening Australia, Landcare and Latrobe City Council, who will assist the coordination of a range of citizen science and school-based programs.

Creating space for local school children and community groups to learn about the Greater Glider will develop a ‘living with wildlife’ approach and encourage positive attitudes towards biodiversity conservation.

This project is kindly funded by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning’s 2021 Community Volunteer Action Grants - Stream 2 Biodiversity On-ground Action and Stewardship.

Caroline Hammond

Network Facilitator/Project Officer

E: caroline.hammond@latrobe.vic.gov.au

P: 0472 503 088

Greater Glider Video

This video gives an overview of the Greater Glider Project, who is involved, why Greater Gliders are important and some of the research that has been happening with Federation University around the genetics of the species. A massive thank you to all the contributors and supporters as well as Scott Ronalds and his team at SV Media for producing this video.

News and Events…

  • Greater Glider Spotlighting Tour

    As part of the project, two spotlighting tours were held to during January and March 2023 in the Mirboo North region. Our guide was Brad from Procon Pest Control whom guided us about the forest looking for Greater Gilders. There was a great turn out and all attendees had a great evening. We managed to see a few gliders which was amazing! Although there has been some difficulties with arranging the tours due to continued weather conditions, it was nice to see people out and about learning about these threatened animals.

  • Getting creative with kids

    Yinnar South Primary School and Boolarra Primary School we treated to some creative workshops with Margie Mackay from Douglas & Mackay. The children made their own greater gliders using craft materials. It was a great opportunity for the children to learn about the threatened species and understand their importance in the local ecosystem.

  • Greater Glider Spotlighting Tours and Presentation

    At the end of October, the local schools of Boolarra and Yinnar South along with the Boolarra Landcare Group were invited along to a night of spotlighting. With dinner and a presentation by Drew Liepa from Greening Australia and Brad Blake from ProCon Pest Control, attendees were treated to an in depth talk on the Greater Glider. Unfortunately due to terrible weather conditions, the spotlighting part of the tour could not happen, however we are looking to reschedule this opportunity for when there is better weather.

  • School presentations on Greater Gliders

    On the 19th October 2022, our Network Facilitator/Project Officer headed out with a representative from the Latrobe City Council to present to Boolarra and Yinnar South Primary schools. The students had a presentation on what a Greater Gilder is and then had fun making their own crafted Glider! It was a great success and there were some great pieces of artwork made.

  • Hello, possums! Greater Glider population thrown a lifeline in Latrobe.

    An article written by Latrobe City Council abut the Greater Glider Project.

    Read more

  • The nest boxes are up!

    The first eight of twenty-five Greater Glider Project nest boxes were installed by Procon in the Boolarra South study area on Wednesday 20 April. Latrobe Catchment Landcare Network’s Peter Devonshire attended the event on a sunny Autumn morning, along with staff and family members from Latrobe City Council’s Environment Sustainability department, and members of the GLaWAC team.

    Federation University PhD student Cassey Briggs will survey and document the population size, range and family grouping of the colony.

    Cassey’s work will inform planned re-vegetation of corridors and waterways of private land holdings adjoining the study area and future planning scheme protections.

  • On 17th May 2022, LCLN’s Network Facilitator along with Peter Collins from Latrobe City Council trudged out to Boolarra to see the installation of another 8 nest boxes by Procon Pest Control for the Greater Gliders 🌿 It was interesting to see how the trees are chosen and the process of nest box installation 😍

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