After a big fire, the habitat changes and we are continuing to see these changes nine years down the track. Vegetation is maturing and diversifying and possums are returning in good numbers as they feed on the plants. Possums are one of the powerful owl’s main sources of food, so as the possums thrive, the owls return. This journey of recovery will continue for many years to come. Along the way we will work to support the recovery of our environment as a whole, and certain species in particular. Monitoring deer in Wallaby Creek - We have been surveying Sambar deer populations in the Wallaby Creek catchment for 12 years. This part of the Kinglake National Park is a closed water catchment, with no access to the public, to protect water quality. It is important that deer populations do not get too high as they can impact the environment – particularly around the fringes of waterways – and the quality of the water supply. Friends of Toorourrong Reservoir have been helping with some of this monitoring and we thank them for their assistance.
From survey results so far, the deer population appears to be steadily increasing over the past eight years. It is important for us to have this kind of information to decide how to best manage the deer population. We will keep you updated on this work.