Mahogany Glider with 2 pouch young: an exciting sign of hope
Photo © Daryl DicksonDaryl Dickson, Mungarra Lodge Sanctuary
Today an exciting sign of hope was found when Department of Environment officers checked one of their post cyclone mahogany glider monitoring sites just north of Cardwell in tropical north Queensland. At first light, in a small patch of damaged remnant woodland, where remaining trees struggle to sprout new green growth, the vegetation is fighting through the tangled cyclone debris with new shoots and new life striving to recover.
This is one of the sites where a ‘den pair’ of endangered Mahogany Gliders were located by a team of international research students, led by wildlife ecologist, Dr John Winter in the aftermath of tropical cyclone Yasi. The gliders progress has continued to be monitored at this site regularly during the last 5 months. Today, while checking the health of the female mahogany glider, two tiny baby gliders were found in her pouch. A wonderful and promising discovery! – ‘Mum’ is a little lighter weight than we might ideally like to see but all three precious gliders appear to be in good health at present.
In a normal year, pouch young would be expected but under the current condition, nobody has been sure if the gliders would manage to breed this season. We still don't know just how they will cope through the remainder of the year or if they will find enough food in their depleted forests to rear their young but it would appear that they are feeling strong enough to try.
Mahogany Glider (Petaurus gracilis) May 2011
Lily Creek Site 3 (The Bull Paddock)
Observations & supplementary feeding post TC Yasi
Mahogany Glider (Petaurus gracilis) May 2011
Lily Creek Site 3 (The Bull Paddock)
Observations & supplementary feeding post TC Yasi
Mahogany Glider (Petaurus gracilis) May 2011
Lily Creek Site 3 (The Bull Paddock)
Observations & supplementary feeding post TC Yasi
Mahogany Glider (Petaurus gracilis) May 2011
Lily Creek Site 3 (The Bull Paddock)
Observations & supplementary feeding post TC Yasi
Mahogany Glider (Petaurus gracilis) May 2011
Lily Creek Site 3 (The Bull Paddock)
Observations & supplementary feeding post TC Yasi
Mahogany Glider (Petaurus gracilis) May 2011
Lily Creek Site 3 (The Bull Paddock)
Observations & supplementary feeding post TC Yasi
Mahogany Glider (Petaurus gracilis) May 2011
Lily Creek Site 3 (The Bull Paddock)
Observations & supplementary feeding post TC Yasi
The mahogany gliders are proving to be amazingly resilient little north Queenslanders. They are indeed an iconic species that truly epitomize the resilience of all the survivors of the storm.
Check out these images at Lily Creek showing how valuable data is being collected through use of supplementary feed stations and night vision capture cameras following TC Yasi 2011. Click on the image to the left.
TC Yasi 2011 Mahogany Glider
The Mahogany Glider research and monitoring program, funded by DERM, FAME & the Wildlife Preservation Society of Queensland is ongoing and aims to record the progress and assess the needs of one of Australia's most endangered mammals. It aims to provide information to assist in better planning for both disaster management and the long term survival of the Mahogany Glider – Petaurus gracilis.
In the aftermath of Cyclone Yasi, it has been hard to guess just how this embattled species would cope with the catastrophic challenge presented. The entire habitat of the mahogany glider was impacted in varying degrees, with the most severe damage occurring in the northern end of the Mahogany Glider’s range around Cardwell and to the north.
The future was looking uncertain for the Mahogany Glider prior to TC Yasi, with remaining habitat declining in extent and condition and population estimated to be only 1500 animal surviving in the wild.
Cyclone Yasi has certainly not improved the lot of this species but some positive signs are emerging that may well give us reason to have hope for the future.
Home is where the hollow is …
… it’s a long-term investment!
Did you know that Queensland is home to all six of Australia’s glider species?
… would you like to help us keep it that way?
On National Threatened Species Day, 7 September 2011, Wildlife Queensland is asking you to 'Adopt a Glider'.
More information
For more information on Wildlife Queensland's activities, call us on +61 7 3221 0194 or send us an email. |
