Are you interested in seeing sugar gliders up close in their natural environment? Are you keen to protect wildlife habitat near you? Do you want to help collect data about local gliders? If so, we’d love to hear from you!

The Sugar (Krefft’s) Glider Project - Montmorency Biodiversity Group has installed 400 glider boxes in Montmorency, Lower Plenty, Greenhills, St Helena, and parts of Greensborough and North Eltham. Boxes are in residential properties and on council land. We are checking the boxes on census day, where volunteers go out in pairs or small groups with a pole camera to inspect boxes from the ground. It follows some training on camera and monitor use.

It’s a wonderful opportunity to explore the local bush area and its wildlife and contribute to scientific data collection.

FAQ's

Will I get trained on using the camera?

Yes. We require all participants to attend a 1.5 hour training session prior to the event. This is likely to be on Thursday 15 October at Banyule City Council Greensborough offices.

What happens if the weather is bad?

We have the option of postponing to the following day - Sunday 19 October - if it is too wet or hot on the Saturday.

Can children and teenagers participate?

Yes. We require, however, that young people are accompanied by an adult. Children should be accompanied by a known adult. We can pair a teenager with an adult.

Will I need to use my car to get around?

Maybe. We will need some participants to use their personal car to transport their team of 2 or 3 people to different location within the suburbs. Not all participants need to have a car. Please answer the relevant question during checkout.

Could I get stung by a bee?

We have never had anyone stung by a bee during 9 years of censuses. However, there is a tiny chance it could happen. Some residents keep hives and some nest boxes have become hives themselves. If you are allergic to bee stings, please bring your EpiPen.

Will I need to use my personal phone?

No. We use pen and paper to record the results. But this might change in future years.

We provide phsyical maps of box locations. Some people may wish to use Google Maps on their phone to assist with navigation.

(Picture - Chris Cook www.chriscooknaturalist.com)