Landcare organisation Project Platypus and Biolinks Alliance ecologist Chris Pocknee have spotted threatened squirrel gliders near Dadswells Bridge.

The discovery was part of a new Project Platypus project supported by local donors and philanthropists, including the Handbury Foundation. 

The project is also part of Biolinks Alliance’s Glideways initiative.

Dr Pocknee has extensive skills in squirrel glider identification and ecology. 

During mid-November two Project Platypus staff teamed up with Dr Pocknee to search for squirrel gliders in the Dadswells Bridge and Ledcourt areas near Stawell. 

The surveys occurred along roadsides and reserves with the assistance of thermal detecting night scopes, binoculars and cameras. 

“Squirrel gliders are very similar to the more common sugar glider, just slightly larger and with a bushier tail and a pointier nose and ears,” Dr Pocknee said.

“They are tricky to identify accurately as they are only active at night and are typically in the treetops.

“We only have about a 30 per cent chance of spotting the gliders when they are present at a site as they are quite elusive.” 

Squirrel gliders are threatened in Victoria and are known to live around the Dadswells Bridge and Deep Lead areas from previous sightings. 

However, Project Platypus manager Mark McLean said it was unknown how many squirrel gliders there were or exactly where they lived – something the project intended to address.

“Allowing us to take action to protect their current habitat and even enhance it by planting trees and shrubs that will provide food and shelter in the future is positive,” he said. 

“Finding a new location where the squirrel gliders live is very encouraging as it will enable Project Platypus to investigate further to get a better understanding of the habitat used by the gliders. 

“Every location we find will give us more information of how many gliders are in the local population, and which areas should be a focus for protection.

“The surveys also revealed many sugar gliders and possums in the area, indicating the habitat quality is generally pretty good with great potential for protecting the current glider populations.” 

Mr McLean said the project was fortunate to have the expertise of the Biolinks Alliance on board.

“They have extensive skills in glider identification and ecology, with this project being one of 10 in the Glideways in central Victoria initiative,” he said.

Project Platypus plans to continue surveys for squirrel gliders next year, aiming to identify more important habitat locations.

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