Greater Glider
Nest Box Project
© Jasmine Zeleny
About this project
In 2017, Wildlife Queensland’s Queensland Glider Network (QGN) launched a project to implement a nest box installation program at Sheep Station Creek Conservation Park in Caboolture, Queensland specifically targeting southern and central greater gliders (Petauroides volans).
The aims of the project are to:
- learn more about greater glider nest box use
- create essential hollow shelters for this endangered species.
A program was developed to test the habitability of nest boxes installed using a suite of measureable installation parameters, including tree species, bark type, nest box height and orientation.
A monitoring regime was established to determine timeframes for occupation and understand any inhabitation preferences displayed by greater gliders toward particular installation treatments.
© Wildlife Queensland
Nest box installation at Sheep Station Creek Conservation Park, Caboolture.
© Wildlife Queensland
A newly installed nest box.
© Wildlife Queensland
Caught on camera! A brushtail possum occupying one of the nest boxes.
Nest box installations
To date, QGN has installed a total of 25 nest boxes in Sheep Station Creek Conservation Park.
Installation timeline:
December 2017
- Thanks to the generous donations made to Wildlife Queensland’s Greater Idea Appeal, QGN installed 18 Hollow Log Homes nest boxes.
- The project design included two nest boxes per tree (5 m and 10 m installation heights) on nine trees, including regular monitoring.
- Greater gliders were observed in nest boxes installed at 10m; no evidence of occupation by any glider species has been observed in nest boxes at 5 m.
September 2020
- Thanks to Moreton Bay Regional Council community grant funding, QGN relocated nine of the 5 m high nest boxes to other areas within the reserve to maximise nest box availability for greater gliders.
- Seven additional new Hollow Log Homes nest boxes were installed as well.
- Installation sites were chosen based on a series of spotlight surveys conducted by the QGN in 2019.
Findings
QGN teams have been monitoring the nest boxes on a monthly basis to try to understand the uptake of nest boxes by greater gliders and non-target species.
Of the 25 boxes installed, XX boxes have been occupied by greater gliders.
Ongoing activities
QGN will continue to monitor the nest boxes throughout 2022 to learn more about the use of this artificial hollow resource by greater gliders.
Nest boxes and associated monitoring programs create opportunities to facilitate community engagement while conducting a conservation program for a threatened species.
Partners & sponsors
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Supported by Moreton Bay Regional Council Community Grant