Southern Peninsula
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NEWS DESK
Call for fox watchers THE Western Port Biosphere organisation wants volunteer citizen scientists to help keep an eye on foxes. The biosphere has been given a government grant for a two-year fox “monitoring and control” project in the northern coast area of Western Port. “Our aim is to abate the predation pressure by foxes on stock, small native fauna and ground dwelling shore birds,” executive officer Cecelia Witton said. “Photo-monitoring in the first year will assess the distribution and abundance of the red fox, which will determine the most effective areas to undertake control activities in the second year,” she said. Ms Whitton said volunteer citizen scientists would be trained to ensure the success of the program. “Landholders and community groups will be empowered to build pest monitoring and management into routine farm/land management,” she said. “Volunteers from the broader community will be trained to assist landholders and to undertake fauna identification.” The training would include using and maintaining motion-sensing cameras (supplied by the biosphere). Up to four cameras may be positioned on a property depending on its size. A workshop would be held to teach volunteers how to download photos from the cameras, identify fauna and record them on the Atlas of Living Australia. Help would also be provided to a qualified fox control contractor in the
Dromana College
Open Night Thursday 19 April 2018 at 6:00pm
Tours available Tuesday mornings at 9:30am Please phone 03 5987 2805 for bookings.
‘Lessons come from the journey… not the destination’ As the highest performing secondary school of academic excellence on the Mornington Peninsula, Dromana College will continue to work tirelessly to develop and consolidate the many exemplary educational programs on offer. With outstanding facilities, a committed professional staff and a caring school community, students are challenged to explore their interests and use their talents to achieve their personal best. 110 Harrisons Road, Dromana, VIC 3936 (Entry via Old White Hill Road) T: 03 5987 2805 E: dromana.sc@edumail.vic.gov.au W: www.dsc.vic.edu.au
RESPONSIBILITY, RESPECT, INTEGRITY, PERSONAL BEST PAGE 8
Southern Peninsula News 13 March 2018
Signs to cut roadkill
Caught on camera: The Western Port Biosphere is about to start monitoring the movements of foxes. Picture: Keith Platt
second year. “The extent of involvement will be tailored to suit individuals,” Ms Whitton said. “In the long term, through coordination of biodiversity monitoring and fox control activities by citizen scientists, integrated with other stakeholder fox management, this project will contribute to a landscape scale map of all management activities, which will identify gaps in control, and determine the effectiveness of control techniques; predator/prey relationships and, the effectiveness of control activities on target species populations.” To join the Western Port Biosphere’s fox control project email admin@biosphere.org.au or call 5979 2167. Keith Platt
KANGAROOS and wallabies may be more safely crossing Mornington Peninsula roads at night thanks to a trial of electronic signs warning road users to their presence. Mornington Peninsula Shire’s traffic transport office has agreed to install temporary signs at high risk zones on Purves Road, Arthurs Seat and Jetty Road, Boneo. Similar speed indicator signs are being used for the second year running to caution motorists on the Esplanade, Mt Martha about pedestrians visiting The Pillars rock jumping site. Results of the wildlife trial will be evaluated and, if acknowledged as a success, may lead to permanent and more informative signs being installed. The Australian Wildlife Protection Council and the Mornington Peninsula Branch of the Victorian Greens pushed for the trial. “In certain areas of the peninsula, wildlife – especially kangaroos and wallabies – regularly cross roads,” Nepean Green's candidate Paul Saunders said. “This endangers the wildlife and also car users, particularly around dawn and dusk.”