The fauna report for this month focuses on the Gum Flat and Gundrys Rd areas, where mammal surveys have been carried out by the Geelong Field Naturalists Club and Friends of Eastern Otways during the last few weeks.
The Geelong Field Naturalists Club, led by Trevor Pescott, placed Elliott traps and cameras in the Gum Flats area. An adult female Eastern Pygmy Possum was captured in one of the traps, and photographed by Trevor, who was very excited to find this endearing creature. The cameras resulted in a large number of photographs – Short-beaked Echidna, Agile Antechinus, Common Brushtail Possum, Black Wallaby, Eastern Grey Kangaroo, European Rabbit, Fallow Deer and Black Rats. It is obvious that there is a lot of wildlife in the area.
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The Friends of Eastern Otways placed cameras and hair-tubes in the Gundrys Rd area. An Agile Antechinus visited some of the hair-tubes, obviously enjoying the peanut butter, golden syrup and oats that disappeared, and leaving its scats in return. Black Wallabies and a dog also visited the hair-tubes. The camera results showed Black Wallabies – one obviously carrying a baby in its pouch –and an exciting photograph of a Long-nosed Bandicoot.
Two to three Humpback Whales were sighted breaching and fin slapping at Pt Addis. There have also been reports of Southern Right Whales along the coast, and a Leopard Seal at Thirteenth Beach.
