Our group is creating hollows for two endangered glider species, the Yellow Bellied Glider and Greater Glider.
Hollows are essential habitat and vital for many Australian species. They can take upto 80 years to form naturally and some species have not responded well to man made options like Nest Boxes. Recently a new tool, HollowHog, has been developed to create hollows in live trees. Early research suggests this better mimics natural hollow temperature and humidity control. Wollombi Valley Landcare will undertake a program during 2023 to install and study live hollows for these two endangered species, providing findings and feedback to a wider group of interested parties.
This program has been granted funding by the Wettenhall Environment Trust and will make use of an external glider expert and program partners.
Three sites have been selected based on BioNet Atlas data and recently commissioned fauna studies conducted after the 2019/20 bushfires. This includes two in Wallabadah & Upper Yango Creek Road boarding Yengo NP.
The project has been lucky to secure Maaike Hofman, an Ecology & Conservation Hons grad and Glider expert, as a consultant to advise the team on placement, behaviour and installation of hollows for the target species.
Our mid year results have been quite extraordinary. Both target species have been recorded on camera with a Greater Glider taking up one of the new hollows. The project's 20 cameras have so far recorded over 100,000 images with an additional 50k+ expected by year end. Full results, findings which include hollow design for these species, are due by the end of 2023.
Project lead: Euan Wilcox contactable through Wollombi Valley Landcare.
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