The Department of Planning, Industry and Environment is calling on citizen scientists all over New South Wales to help identify which species are using specially-made glossy black-cockatoo nest boxes that were installed on Gundungurra lands in the Southern Highlands in May 2020, in response to the 2019-20 bushfires.
Threatened Species Officer Lauren Hook said that anyone with a computer and internet connection would be able to help review the images captured in the boxes, and get involved in threatened species conservation through the Digivol project.
"Through the Saving our Species program, 15 nest boxes were installed across areas of high breeding activity in the Great Western Wildlife Corridor of the Southern Highlands and tablelands to see if our local glossy black-cockatoos are keen to use these nest boxes and what other species may also be using them," Ms Hook said.
"Each nest box was fitted with a remote camera to monitor effectiveness at providing breeding shelter/habitat for glossies. An incredible 75,000 images have been collected from the nest box trial and we need the help of the community to tell us what they see in some of these images."
"The nest boxes are monitored using motion sensor cameras to see if glossies or other species of wildlife are using the boxes. Listed as vulnerable, glossies are easily spotted with their distinctive red tail markings."
"This trial will answer some preliminary questions such as whether or not the nest boxes are effective for glossies in this area and what other species use them. Nest boxes are interesting and when working with threatened species we need to ensure the addition of nest boxes is serving the target species."
Glossies in the Mist has partnered with DigiVol, a collaboration between the Australian Museum and the Atlas of Living Australia, to share the photos from the nest boxes with the community and invite volunteers to assist with identifying species within them. The images are available to view at Saving our Species – Glossy Black Cockatoos.
The Saving our Species program is the NSW Government's commitment to increase the number of threatened species that are secure in the wild in NSW for 100 years. Further information is available at Saving our Species program.
