More than 300 species of Australian native animals — mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians — use tree hollows, but there has never been a complete inventory of them. Many of these species are threatened, or are in decline, because of land-use practices such as grazing, timber production and firewood collection. All forest management agencies in Australia attempt to reduce the impact of logging on hollow-dependent fauna, but the nature of our eucalypt forests presents a considerable challenge. In some cases, tree hollows suitable for vertebrate fauna may take up to 250 years to develop, which makes recruiting and perpetuating this resource very difficult within the typical cycle of human-induced disturbance regimes. Tree Hollows and Wildlife Conservation in Australia is the first comprehensive account of the hollow-dependent fauna of Australia and introduces a considerable amount of new data on this subject. It not only presents a review and analysis of the literature, but also provides practical approaches for land management.
Do you know what a tree hollow is? To you and me, a tree hollow is just a hole, cavity or tunnel in a tree or branch. But to an animal, that hollow may be a bedroom, hiding place, nursery or shelter. It is the ultimate tree house! Come and take a peek inside the amazing world of tree hollows and discover more than 340 species of incredible Australian animals that call hollows home. With colour photos of glorious gliders, darting dunnarts, minute microbats and many more, this book is full of fun facts about animals that use tree hollows as places for resting, nesting or hiding. Find out how hollows are created, why they are threatened, and meet scientists who spend their time hollow-hunting. There are also plenty of tips on how you can spot hollows yourself, help to protect the environment and encourage habitat for hollow-dependent animals. Perfect for primary-aged readers.
Much of Australia's wildlife will not survive without hollows for nesting. The complete practical guide with extensive plans. The book is ideal for your garden! With some basic carpentry skills you can build a nest box, and be rewarded by the pleasure of watching the activities of the wildlife that take up residence. Nest boxes are a great idea since they: attract wildlife back into gardens thereby introducing breeding and other enriching activities into our daily lives; may assist populations of endangered species; make an unusual gift for a nature loving friend; provide pleasure for nursing home residents; provide excellent school projects -- especially for woodwork classes. Stacey and Alan Franks have spent years researching the needs and habits of hollow-dependent fauna. The practical advice they give is based on personal observation and experience, as well as information they have gathered from other wildlife experts.
This book, the Biology and Conservation of Australasian Bats, follows from the successful 3-day forum of the same name held in April 2007 at the Australian Museum. The forum was organised jointly by the Royal Zoological Society of NSW and the Australasian Bat Society.
The rapidly increasing number of threatened flora and fauna species worldwide is one of the chief problems confronting environmental professionals today. This problem is largely due to the impact humans have had on land use through development (e.g. agricultural, residential, industrial, infrastructure and mining developments). The requirement for developers to implement measures to reduce the impacts of development on wildlife is underpinned by government legislation. A variety of measures or strategies are available to reduce such impacts, including those to reduce impacts on flora and fauna.
The forests and woodlands of Victoria’s Box-Ironbark Region are one of the most important areas of animal diversity and significance in southern Australia. They provide critical habitat for a diverse array of woodland-dependant animals, including many threatened species such as the Squirrel Glider, Brush-tailed Phascogale, Regent Honeyeater, Swift Parrot, Pink-tailed Worm-lizard and the Woodland Blind Snake. Wildlife of the Box-Ironbark Country gives a comprehensive overview of the ecology of the box-ironbark habitats and their wildlife. It covers all of the mammals, birds, reptiles and frogs that occur in the region, with a brief description of their distribution, status and ecology, together with a distribution map and superb colour photograph for each species. The book includes a ‘Where to Watch’ section, featuring a selection of national parks, state parks and nature conservation reserves as places where people can experience the ecosystem and its wildlife for themselves. Wildlife of the Box-Ironbark Country is intended for land-managers, conservation and wildlife workers, land-holders, teachers, students, naturalists and all those interested in some way in learning about and appreciating the wildlife of this fascinating and endangered ecosystem.
Millions of hectares of temperate woodland and billions of trees have been cleared from Australia’s agricultural landscapes. This has allowed land to be developed for cropping and grazing livestock but has also had significant environmental impacts, including erosion, salinity and loss of native plant and animal species. Restoring Farm Woodlands for Wildlife focuses on why restoration is important and describes best practice approaches to restore farm woodlands for birds, mammals and reptiles. Based on 19 years of long-term research in temperate agricultural south-eastern Australia, this book addresses practical questions such as what, where and how much to plant, ways to manage plantings and how plantings change over time. It will be a key reference for farmers, natural resource management professionals and policy-makers concerned with revegetation and conservation.
Many landowners are interested in the native animals that live on their farms or once occurred there. In particular they want to know why particular species are present (or absent), what they can do to encourage them to visit, and what they might do to keep them there. Wildlife on Farms outlines the key features of animal habitats—large flowering trees, hollow trees, ground cover, understorey vegetation, dams and watercourses—and describes why landholders should conserve these habitats to encourage wildlife on their farms. It shows how wildlife conservation can be integrated with farm management and the benefits this can bring. The book presents 29 example species—mammals, birds, reptiles and amphibians—that are common to a large part of southern and eastern Australia. Each entry gives the distinguishing features of the animal, key features of its required habitat, and what can be done on a farm to better conserve the species.