Latest news with #Leadbeater's
Sydney Morning Herald
4 days ago
- Science
- Sydney Morning Herald
There were no known sightings of this critically endangered animal outside Victoria. Now it's in NSW
A critically endangered Leadbeater's possum – previously thought to be extinct in NSW – has been discovered in Kosciuszko National Park, to the delight of ecologists. The discovery of the sole possum near the Yarrangobilly Caves indicates the presence of a colony of the tiny creatures, which weigh just 125 grams. The historic find was made last Monday during a review by threatened-species officers from the NSW environment department of almost 1 million images from wildlife cameras as they surveyed for the critically endangered smoky mouse. The cameras had been in the field for a year and the possum photos were taken last October. Dr Fred Ford, the senior threatened-species officer who made the discovery, said: 'It was amazing to see that distinctive bushy tail waving among the rows of images on the screen – it jumped right out at me.' The find came after a ground and aerial culling program removed 9036 wild horses from Kosciuszko National Park between November 2021 and April 30 this year. It is the first NSW sighting recorded since European settlement. Leadbeater's possums, which are critically endangered, were thought in the 1940s and 1950s to be extinct in Victoria before a small population was discovered in mountain ash forest near Marysville in 1961. Ecologist Professor David Lindenmayer from the Australian National University, who has spent decades studying the animals, said they favoured habitat with tall trees for nesting and wattle understorey for food sources. 'How exciting it is to live in a country where new discoveries are being made,' Lindemayer said. 'This discovery highlights the importance of large national parks for biodiversity.'
The Age
4 days ago
- Science
- The Age
There were no known sightings of this critically endangered animal outside Victoria. Now it's in NSW
A critically endangered Leadbeater's possum – previously thought to be extinct in NSW – has been discovered in Kosciuszko National Park, to the delight of ecologists. The discovery of the sole possum near the Yarrangobilly Caves indicates the presence of a colony of the tiny creatures, which weigh just 125 grams. The historic find was made last Monday during a review by threatened-species officers from the NSW environment department of almost 1 million images from wildlife cameras as they surveyed for the critically endangered smoky mouse. The cameras had been in the field for a year and the possum photos were taken last October. Dr Fred Ford, the senior threatened-species officer who made the discovery, said: 'It was amazing to see that distinctive bushy tail waving among the rows of images on the screen – it jumped right out at me.' The find came after a ground and aerial culling program removed 9036 wild horses from Kosciuszko National Park between November 2021 and April 30 this year. It is the first NSW sighting recorded since European settlement. Leadbeater's possums, which are critically endangered, were thought in the 1940s and 1950s to be extinct in Victoria before a small population was discovered in mountain ash forest near Marysville in 1961. Ecologist Professor David Lindenmayer from the Australian National University, who has spent decades studying the animals, said they favoured habitat with tall trees for nesting and wattle understorey for food sources. 'How exciting it is to live in a country where new discoveries are being made,' Lindemayer said. 'This discovery highlights the importance of large national parks for biodiversity.'
