WHAT ARE BOBUCKS

The Bobuck, Trichosurus caninus or Trichosurus cunninghami is also known as the Black Possum or the Mountain Possum. As one of its names suggests, it is typically found only in mountain country of eastern Australia. It is adapted to endure the extreme cold of winter in the Great Dividing Range above the snow line. Its short ears, dark, almost black coat and large body size with "stumpy build, are adaptations wrought by Natural Selection that help to minimise loss of body heat. Evolution has thus produced animal that is able to cope with the harsh conditions of its snow-clad mountain home. Like all possums, it is a marsupial.

THE DISCOVERY!

But 18 months ago my automatic, infrared-activated cameras photographed one in a reedy creek on Westernport. What was it doing so far from its usual haunts? What's more it was not the only one. We returned a week after this historic first photograph and collected over a dozen more shots of them. There is an entire population here along the shores of Westernport that had never been hitherto reported in scientific literature.

ABOUT THE BOBUCK INFRARED CAMERA SURVEY?

This whole business has me thoroughly intrigued. A population of large marsupials so close to farms and main highways and yet unknown to science? Who'd have thought it? And in rural Gippsland, of all places. I would find out more about them and, as luck would have it, I have the means to do so. My robotic cameras can go almost anywhere and they will detect any living creature whose body has an infrared heat signature.

Where are The Gurdies?

Satellite images courtesy of Google Earth

For readers not in Australia, fire up Google Earth for the continent shown here. It's in the southern hemisphere, down at the bottom of world maps.

OK, right down at the southern end of the land mass the sea separates the mainland from Tasmania. That's Bass Strait. The mainland state looking across Bass Strait to "Tassie" is Victoria. Its capital city is Melbourne.

The coast of Victoria has two main bays : Port Philip and Westernport. Port Philip is a broad open expanse of water. It's easily big enough to admit ships and, in fact, has two ports on its shores : the Port of Melbourne at the mouth of the Yarra River at the northern end of the bay and Geelong on its western side.

Westernport is much smaller and has two large islands situated within it : Philip Island and French Island. The French explored this coast at about same time the British did. The fact that Victoria is now called Victoria and the people speak the Queen's English and not the elegant French language is but an accident of history, I suppose.

The Gurdies Nature Reserve lies on the eastern side of Westernport Bay, a few kilometres north of the small town of Grantville. Why is it called The Gurdies? I have no idea!

What sorts of creatures are these Bobucks sharing their home with? Mostly Bush Rats, Rattus fuscipes, as it turns out. A rodent native to Australia.

Where to from here?

Obviously we need to find out how widely distributed these Gippsland Bobucks are and what their population density is, within the areas where they live. Bobucks spend much more time on the ground than do their cousins, the Common Brushtail Possums, Trichosurus vulpecula. This area is infested with European Foxes, Vulpes vulpes. One major question is how do these Bobucks cope with foxes? They're down on the ground with them and conventional wisdom holds that foxes kill everything that moves. What's going on?

Habitats of South West Gippsland. There are wetlands around these parts and signs of the nearby sea are everywhere. Here are some shots of Southwest Gippsland wetlands and bird life, just to give folks the idea how different are these coastal lowlands from the high country. Yet Bobucks are here?? One question that arises is - if Bobucks, a relatively large, mainly ground living animal, can exist here for decades and yet go uncatalogued in the scientific literature, then what else might yet remain "out there", waiting to be discovered?

About Trust For Nature?

Trust for Nature is a non-profit organisation which works to protect remnant bushland - forever! Over 65% of Victoria is privately owned and 95% of this land has been cleared for agricultural purposes and urban development. Only 5% remains untouched and every year more and more of this remnant native bushland, and the native animals whose home it was, disappears. Trust for Nature encourages voluntary conservation of Australia's unique landscape by means of Land Purchase, Conservation Covenants and a Revolving Fund.

ABOUT Margo Kroyer-Pederson
Wildlife Rescue?

The Margo Kroyer-Pedersen Wildlife Shelter is named after the renowned wildlife artist who used her art to pay for the care of sick, orphaned and injured wildlife. The shelter looks after native species of all types--birds, mammals and reptiles (other than venomous snakes!). The Shelter works to raise awareness our native plants and animals to find answers to the dangers facing native fauna and flora communities.

About Landcare?

Landcare is a uniquely Australian partnership between the community, our government and business to protect and repair our environment. Landcare is made up of more than 4,000 volunteer community groups networked together to care for our country. Every day all around Australia, the Landcare movement proves that, together, we can repair and preserve our precious and unique land for future generations.

About Parks Victoria?

Parks Victoria manages national parks in Victoria and is responsible for the recreational management of Port Phillip Bay, Western Port and the Yarra and Maribyrnong rivers. As well, Parks Victoria is charged with the good management and protection of cultural heritage sites both of Australia's indigenous people and places historic to European settlement of our land. Preservation is our highest commitment and excellence in environmental management our practice.