Funding for turtles and firewise gardens
What do snake-necked turtles and firewise gardens have in common? They are both on the list of new programs to be delivered by GeoCatch this year. GeoCatch has announced the two innovative new programs have received support from the City of Busselton’s ‘You Choose’ funding program. Members of the community voted online for their favourite […]
Ringtails need your help
GeoCatch is seeking community members to lend a hand in protecting the critically endangered Nguraren (Wester Ringtail Possum) during the 2024 Ringtail Tally. The tally is a citizen science project that runs from 7th April to 4th May and anyone can be involved in collecting data. The information gathered is recorded on the WA Threatened […]
Scientific scuba divers keep watch on seagrass
Scientists from Edith Cowan University have been undertaking seagrass research in Geographe Bay and are encouraged by the latest results. The scientific scuba divers were out and about in Geographe Bay to continue with the 13th consecutive year of sampling. Each summer, scientists from Edith Cowan University join divers from the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation […]
Injured possum survival rates
How many injured possums survive when they are returned to the wild? This is a question the Western Ringtail Action Group (WRAG) is turning to experts to try and answer. UWA Senior Honorary Research Fellow Roberta Bencini was present at the February WRAG meeting to detail the findings of a three-and-a-half-year study. The research followed […]
Generations caring for the Capel River
For Capel farmer David Hutton, looking after the Capel River is more than just a passing interest. Gazing upstream, he has a deep knowledge and appreciation for the river that flows year-round and brings life through bone-dry paddocks and brown summer farmland. “The Yarragadee aquifer comes to the surface upstream and provides the water for […]
Community members discover what lies beneath the waters of Canebrake Pool
Ever wondered what sort of life is in the pools and rivers of the south west? Last week a group of lucky community members got the chance to meet with a team of Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) scientists as they conducted a River Health assessment of Canebrake Pool. GeoCatch and Nature Conservation […]
Turtle trackers take to the rivers
The snake-neck turtle is a unique and vulnerable species that inhabits freshwater wetlands and streams around the South West, and GeoCatch is looking to recruit members of the public to become “Turtle Trackers”. The Citizen Science project offers an opportunity for all members of the community to contribute to the knowledge of the southwestern snake-neck […]
Dogs’ Day Out saves possums lives
Local dog owners were praised for training their pooches to live in harmony with western ringtail possums at GeoCatch’s Possum Avoidance Training last weekend. Dogs can cause injury and death to critically endangered possums and other wildlife in urban backyards through natural curiosity and predatory drive. As part of the Festival of Busselton Vasse Vets […]
Local vets teach first aid for possums
Members of the Western Ringtail Action Group (WRAG) identified a need in the community for better training and care of Western Ringtail Possums. 51 wildlife rehabilitators from six different rehabilitation groups across the South West joined Dr. Richard Lucas from Busselton Vet Hospital and Dr. Felicity Bradshaw for First Aid for Possums, a training course […]
Hot possums: Heatwave leaves critters in distress
With the recent run of hot weather, and a predicted hotter-than-average summer ahead, critically endangered Western Ringtail Possums are needing specialist first aid in increasing numbers. Dehydration, burns to their feet, and attacks by domestic animals as they seek relief from the heat have been reported in the South West. Presenting at a recent course […]
