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16 Tuesday, 11 February, 2020
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Bandicoots back By Taylah Eastwell
MEEPPA's Peter Worsnop, Clare Worsnop and Thomas Hennessy in the Mount Evelyn bushland where bandicoots have been spotted. 204237 Picture: TAYLAH EASTWELL age like their native Australian counterparts, the ecological significance of the bandicoot should not be underestimated. “Because they dig into the soil for their food they create holes that new seeds and grasses can drop into. These will germinate because the soil is aerated (from their diggings) which creates the next generation of plants that are good for the environment,” Clare said. Fauna Researcher for MEEPPA and Zoology Student, Thomas Hennessy, told the Mail it was extra special to have this species in Mount Evelyn considering three species of the bandicoot have already been wiped out in Australia. “We call them ecological engineers. If they
die the ecosystem dies a little too because it no longer has its little engineers to turn over the soil,” Thomas said. MEEPPA’s next steps are to determine the number of bandicoots living locally and to continue working alongside Yarra Ranges Council and Melbourne Water to ensure the area is protected. They also plan to educate the community on why caring for animal habitats is important. “We want everyone to get to see these animals in the wildlife where they belong and share the joy, not in a zoo or museum,” Claire said.
A camera spots a bandicoot. Picture: COURTESY CLARE WORSNOP
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A 14-year fight to regenerate Mount Evelyn bushland has paid off in the sweetest way, following evidence of the rare long-nosed bandicoot thriving in local scrub. With assistance from Melbourne Water, volunteers of the The Mount Evelyn Environment Protection and Progress Association (MEEPPA) have worked tirelessly over the years removing overgrowths of ivy, blackberry and honeysuckle bushes around Olinda Creek and Mount Evelyn Recreation Reserve. Areas of bushland have been replenished through weeding and the planting of native flora, which has been extraordinary in getting various native animals to return to the area over time. But when MEEPPA members went out to continue restoring bushland on an ordinary day in December last year, they were pleasantly surprised to sight multiple diggings distinct to the long-nosed bandicoot. MEEPPA President Clare Worsnop told the Mail it was extremely rare to find bandicoots living so close to suburbia. “It’s not common to find them in an area so close to suburban houses because they are vulnerable to dogs, cats, foxes and cars. They need lots of coverage,” Clare said. With the first sighting in 60 years occuring in August 2018, MEEPPA volunteers have been busy restoring select areas of the forest with dense shrubs and wiregrass, perfect for shy bandicoots to hide amongst. The areas are currently being monitored by infrared wildlife cameras to get an idea of how many bandicoots are calling Mount Evelyn home. “Before the white man came, they were all over the place. But with housing, buildings and farming our landscape and bushland has been modified enormously to the detriment of these creatures. To find that they have come back and we seem to have a healthy little population here in Mount Evelyn is very exciting,” Clare added. While the pointy-eared critters may not have made the cut to be featured on our coin-