Camera nest boxes – update

We’ve got some exciting news about our camera-equipped nest boxes that were built by Thurgoona Men’s Shed and installed around Thurgoona. We’ve had over 200 photos of Squirrel Gliders using the nest boxes so far, and the quality of the images is improving. The project wouldn’t have been possible without a grant from the Foundation for National Parks and Wildlife, and the Thurgoona Men’s Shed. In particular TMS member John Plummer who has spent countless hours researching and developing the concept to the point where the cameras are capable of producing high quality images enabling easy detection of Squirrel Gliders. Thanks John!

The project isn’t without it’s on-going challenges and technical difficulties, but we are confident that these nestboxes have an valuable role to play in the future monitoring of our threatened Squirrel Gliders.

Below are some early and more recent images, we hope you enjoy them!

John Plummer at the Thurgoona Mens Shed with the camera nest boxes ready for installation around Thurgoona.

One of the camera nest boxes installed along an Albury City Council managed roadside in Thurgoona.

An early poor quality image taken by one of the camera nest boxes during the testing phase (16/02/2017)

Ants were the first animals photographed in one of the camera nest box (06/12/2017)

The first image of a mammal, in this instance a Microbat (15/12/2017)

The first Squirrel Glider photo came in September 2018, over one year after the nest boxes were installed. Note the bed made from fresh gum leaves brought into the nest box by the animal (18/09/2018).