Latest news with #NSWBiodiversityConservationTrust
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Incredible time lapse footage captures 'week-long feast' in Aussie bush
A couple have captured an 'incredible' scene on a time lapse camera purposefully placed on their rural property. The sped-up footage shows numerous native animals, including honeyeaters, bats and one chunky brushtail possum, enjoying a 'week-long feast' on a uniquely Aussie plant in Dunbogan, south of Port Macquarie in New South Wales. A total of 10 different species were caught on camera visiting a conservation area on Andy and Nette McCoubrie's land to munch or suckle on the thousands of tiny cream flowers on three tall Xanthorrhoea spikes. 'A variety of hungry visitors, including honeyeaters, gliders, insects and bats, gathered to feed and pollinate nearby grass trees,' the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust posted online on Wednesday. In the video, a young squirrel glider can be seen staring right at the camera as it clutches one of the spikes, while another bent and drooped to the ground after a hungry possum climbed to the top. 'The time lapse footage was taken with loaned monitoring equipment from our Land Libraries project and highlights just how vital this species is to the local ecosystem, especially after fire.' The Xanthorrhoea's ability to 'resprout and quickly produce flowers after a fire makes them a lifeline for animals living in burnt areas', the organisation said. White-cheeked honeyeater Two squirrel gliders — an adult and juvenile Little wattlebird Noisy friarbird Grey-headed flying fox Common brushtail possum White-throated treecreeper Lewin's honeyeater Rainbow lorikeet Eastern blossom bat The presence of the eastern blossom bat, also known as a common blossom bat, has especially excited the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust. The small nectar feeding bat is reddish-brown in colour and features a very long, thin tongue that has a brush-like tip. They are listed as vulnerable in NSW, according to the state's Office of Environment and Heritage. 🦎 Aussie photographer captures gecko's 'rarely documented' behaviour 🏝️ Push to eradicate unlikely invasive pests destroying tourist island 🦈 Incredible encounter of rare shark filmed near Aussie island: 'Amazing' 'As their name suggests, blossom bats specialise in blossoms! The extra-long papillae on their tongue, act like the bristles of a paintbrush to aid in the uptake of nectar,' conservation biologist Clancy Hall said in an article posted by the Sunshine Coast Council. 'Their fur also has a unique structure that increases its pollen-carrying capacity. Like their larger megabat relatives, blossom bats perform a very important role in pollinating our native plant species. 'Although there is still a lot to be learnt about the social behaviour of blossom bats, we know that they lead a fairly solitary life and will vigorously defend their feeding grounds.' Do you have a story tip? Email: newsroomau@ You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and YouTube.
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Aussies urged to adopt surprising garden advice after storms: 'Resist the urge'
Australia's east coast has been hammered by weather extremes throughout the last two weeks, with intense winds causing widespread damage to homes, backyards and nature. While our instinct may be to immediately clean up the mess made by storms, there's one significant reason it might be an idea to leave it be. Environmentalists in NSW say that, actually, "debris is great to leave on the ground" in some cases because "it benefits wildlife". Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, ecologist Colleen O'Malley, with the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust, explained why our native species thrive under these conditions. O'Malley urged those in the state to "resist the urge" where it's safe to do so. While that may not be the case in many suburban homes, on larger properties it may an easy feat. "We know cleaning up fallen tree litter sometimes can't be avoided in order to reduce wildfire risk or to prevent fences being damaged, but where possible it is beneficial to leave it alone," she told Yahoo. O'Malley explained threatened woodland birds including brown treecreepers, hooded robins, and grey-crowned babblers flourish while foraging for insects among leaf litter and fallen branches. Warning to Aussie drivers after tiny roadside discovery Aussies urged to make one 'critical' backyard change Woman's 'fantastic' garden solution to controversial problem Many frogs, skinks, and dragons rely on leaf litter and crevices in fallen timber for shelter from predators and as hunting grounds for prey, she added. But that's not all. Nutrient cycling is another key benefit of leaving fallen branches and leaf litter in situ. Fungi, bacteria and invertebrates break down woody material and accelerate the process of creating nutrient-rich humus as well as aerating the soil through the decomposition process. "Leaf litter and fallen branches also protect soils against erosion, trap seeds and provide ideal growing conditions, and deter the spread of weeds that prefer bare ground to colonise," O'Malley said. Murray River region Senior Landholder Support Officer, Kev Chaplin, shared a recent example of the benefits. He recalled a local landholder on the western edge of the Snowy Mountains found an antechinus mum and her 10 hungry babies in a newly fallen dead tree. "If the landholder had removed dead trees from the landscape this native carnivorous marsupial group could have been lost," he said. "Luckily, they were able to move the family to an existing nearby tree hollow and mum was observed tucking into nine fat wood grubs before moving on to a different tree." Fallen branches and logs contribute to moisture retention in the soil, reducing erosion and helping sustain plant life, another added bonus. This organic matter encourages fungi and microorganisms, which play a key role in nutrient cycling. Rather than seeing storm mess as waste, it should be recognised as an important part of the natural habitat that supports wildlife and maintains ecological balance, O'Malley said. Love Australia's weird and wonderful environment? 🐊🦘😳 Get our new newsletter showcasing the week's best stories.
