A SURVEY of wildlife and birdlife in Plenty Gorge Park has confirmed its importance as a sanctuary in the rapidly expanding growth corridor in the northern suburbs, according to expert John Harris.
Many species that had been there 30 or 40 years ago had disappeared, but the park continued to provide habitat to threatened species that had survived, he said.
Mr Harris, president of the Field Naturalists Club of Victoria, said his group surveyed the fauna recently using traps to catch and release animals, and using remote cameras to snap others.
He said it was disappointing that the survey failed to find any brush- tailed phascogales, rat-sized carnivorous marsupials last seen in the park in 2004.
The survey showed several species of micro bats, echidnas, brush and ring tail possums, sugar gliders, frogs, platypuses, water rats and snakes.
He said participants saw a threatened species, a white-throated needletail migratory bird.
“We caught a tiger snake in the trap and had fun emptying the trap into a box to let it go,” Mr Harris said.
“The survey shows the biodiversity of the park but also was indicative of habitat on the urban fringe where species that existed there 30 or 40 years ago are no longer seen,” he said.
“Plenty Gorge Park is vital to maintaining that biodiversity in a red brick and concrete jungle that has become suburbia.”
