Hello and thank you for your interest in the Night Stalk program

Night Stalk is an Australiawide citizen science program sponsored by Tronox that encourages people to head out into the darkness, torch in hand, looking for native and feral species. The program is simple to participate in and data is easy to collect using the official Spotter’s Log.

Main details of the program

Night Stalk runs for 6 weeks from 1 September to 16 October every year.

Night Stalks can be done on any or every night during this period.

Night Stalks can happen anywhere around Australia.

Animal sightings and evidence of animals are recorded using an official Spotter’s Log.

Spotter’s Logs are returned to Perth Zoo via post or email.

Night Stalk data collected is collated by Perth Zoo and publicly available on our website.

Please find the following items enclosed in this information pack

4x Information sheets

Six easy steps to organising a Night Stalk

Biodiversity and Threatened Species

Conservation Action & Helping Threatened Species

List of Resources

3x A3 Night Stalk posters

1x A4 Spotter’s Log

20x A5 Spotter’s Logs/Information Sheet

25x bookmarks

20x Promotional DLs for further promotion

We look forward to receiving animal distribution information from your part of Australia that will contribute to the data collected. Thanks once again for your interest and please do not hesitate to email nightstalk@perthzoo.wa.gov.au if you have any further questions about the program.

Aside from the importance of data collection, the main goal of Night Stalk is for participants to become more familiar with the animals that live in habitats around your local area. Ultimately we hope that Night Stalkers go on to undertake some conservation action that will assist the local environment.

Six easy steps to organising a Night Stalk

Conducting your own Night Stalk is easy and anyone can participate. A Night Stalk is best performed by a small group of people working together.

Step One: Be informed Check out the Night Stalk website and read the information provided in this information pack. Learn about local species that you are likely to see and the threatened ones that are found locally that would be amazing to see. Read the reference list of useful books, apps and websites and even visit your local library.

Step Two: Where to Night Stalk Find a local natural area that you have legal access to. While we welcome Night Stalks in built up areas, you may have more chance of seeing animals in regional parks, a remnant patch of bushland, a local wetlands or even a private property that you own or have access to. If you are concerned about access it is best to check with the local council or shire.

Step Three: Do a daylight check Check your chosen area during the day to ensure accessibility and to assess any potential hazards or safety risks. You may also want to look for signs that will indicate what animals are in the area. For example: possums may drop chewed leaves and leave scratch marks on trees; and an animal’s scats (poo) and tracks will also be a helpful guide.

Step Four: Choose the night & get ready Your survey can be conducted on any night between 1 September and 16 October. You may decide to survey your area for one night only or for two or three consecutive nights. For the best results, undertake your survey during fine weather and on a moonless night.

Step Five: On the night You will need a good torch and your Spotter’s

Log. Drive or walk as slowly and quietly as

possible along your chosen track. Identify the

animals sighted to the best of your ability. All

animals encountered and even evidence of

animals seen (scratching, scats, diggings etc.)

should be recorded on your Spotter’s Log.

Step Six: Tell us what you saw and heard

Post, email or fax your results by 30 October. Tell us what you thought! Fill in the Night Stalk evaluation form online or send it to us via post, email or fax.

What is biodiversity?

Biodiversity is the variety of all life forms. All the different plant and animal species on the globe interact with each other, the earth and the atmosphere to form the web of life. The loss of a species can affect other living species and can weaken the web of life. Once a species becomes extinct, it is lost forever - and decreases biodiversity. Want to find out more? Visit www.austmus.gov.au/biodiversity

What is the biodiversity like in my local area?

To learn which native species are found in your local area visit www.environment.gov.au/erin/ert/index.html and enter your postcode or local government area into the Environmental Reporting Tool.

Why is Australia’s biodiversity threatened?

Human population growth is one of the greatest threat to biodiversity because as our population grows we need more resources, create more pollution and require more space. Climate change affects all species as they are specifically adapted to their environment – even small changes can have big repercussions. Introduced species such as foxes, cats, wild pigs and rabbits have dire effects on native species and habitat. There is no ecosystem that is untouched by at least one feral species.

Conservation Action and Helping Threatened Species

What’s being done?

Scientists all over Australia are researching our threatened species and are developing ways to help save them.

Recovery Teams are being formed. These teams prepare Recovery Plans that outline the causes of a species’ decline and what needs to be done to prevent that species from becoming extinct.

Feral animal control is carried out in many areas. Perth Zoo has a very successful Native Species Breeding Program, which breeds threatened species

like Numbats, Dibblers and Western Swamp Tortoises for release into the wild. Perth Zoo’s fundraising program Wildlife Conservation Action (WCA) provides funds to support

threatened species in the wild.

What can you do?

Things you can do yourself Drive carefully. Many animals are killed by cars

while foraging near or crossing roads and tracks.

Take your rubbish home. Small animals can become caught in plastic bags or fishing line, resulting in injury or death. Items like bubble gum, used bandaids and pieces of aluminium foil can get caught in their digestive systems.

Avoid feeding native animals in your area. Animals can become dependent on food left out by people, which in most cases is not part of their natural diet.

Grow your own habitat by planting native trees, shrubs and plants in your garden to help feed the ‘locals’.

Protect and conserve a remnant area of native bush on or near your property.

Create a fauna friendly garden. Go on a Night Stalk!

Things you can do ‘in the wild’ Do not touch anything. Things you might think

unimportant such as dead trees or logs are vital to the ecosystem, so it’s best just to leave everything in its place.

If you find an injured animal, call Wildcare 9474 9055 or a local wildlife carer in your state for advice.

Leave only your footsteps whenever you visit any natural area, national park, wetlands, regional park or reserve.

Things you can do in the community Encourage your local council to protect remnant

vegetation or join a community group that is active in on-ground recovery actions.

Volunteer at your local wildlife department or wildlife rescue organisation.

Organise a Night Stalk!

List of Resources—Books

Mammals Steve Van Dyck and Ronald Strahan (2008), The Mammals of Australia, 3rd edition. (New Holland Publishers, Sydney).

Peter Menkhorst and Frank Knight (2001), A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia (Oxford University Press, Melbourne).

Neville W Cayley (1987), What Mammal is that? (Angus and Robertson Publishers, Sydney).

Terence Lindsey (1998), Green Guide: Mammals of Australia (New Holland Publishers, Sydney).

Barbara Triggs (1996), Tracks, Scats and Other Traces: A Field Guide to

Australian Mammals (Oxford University Press, Melbourne).

Birds Ken Simpson and Nicholas Day (2004), Field guide to the birds of Australia, 6th edition. (Penguin Books, Ringwood).

Michael Morcombe (2003), Field guide to Australian birds, 2nd edition.(Steve Parish Publishing, Archerfield).

Peter, Pat and Raoul Slater (2003), The Slater field guide to Australian birds, revised edition (New Holland, Frenchs Forest).

Graham Pizzey and Frank Knight. (2007), The Graham Pizzey and Frank

Knight field guide to the birds of Australia, 8th edition (HarperCollins,

Sydney).

Reptiles and Frogs

Steve Wilson and Gerry Swan (2008), A complete Guide to the Reptiles of Australia, 2nd edition (New Holland Publishers).

Harold Cogger (2000), Reptiles and Amphibians of Australia (Reed New

Holland, Frenchs Forest). This publication contains keys to all

Australia's reptiles and frogs.

General information on Australian fauna

List of Resources—Websites and Apps

Government information about biodiversity

Australia – www.environment.gov.au/erin/ert/index.html

Western Australia – http://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/plants-and-animals/animals

New South Wales – www.environment.nsw.gov.au/threatenedspecies/index.htm

South Australia – www.environment.sa.gov.au/Knowledge_Bank/Information_data/

Biological_databases_of_South_Australia

Tasmania – www.parks.tas.gov.au/wildlife/wildlife.html

Australian Government (Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade) – www.dfat.gov.au/facts/

flora_and_fauna.html

Australian Museum – www.austmus.gov.au/biodiversity/factsheets.htm

Wikipedia – en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fauna_of_Australia

Australian Fauna – www.australianfauna.com/australiananimals.php

Unique Australian Animals – australian-animals.net/

Biodiversity Hotspots – www.biodiversityhotspots.org/xp/Hotspots/australia/Pages/

default.aspx

Climate Watch – www.climatewatch.org.au/

The Michael Morcombe

eGuide to the Birds of

Australia Lite (free)

Cane Toad (free)

More Australian Wildlife

Lite (free)

Perth Zoo (free)

Field Guide to Victorian Fauna

(free)

DangerOz ($1.99)

The Michael Morcombe

eGuide to the Birds of Aus-

tralia ($31.99)

Frog Log Tasmania ($0.99)

A Bird in the Hand Tasmania

($1.99)

Australian Wildlife ($1.99)

Australia Wildlife Guide

($10.49)

BirdSight Australia ($1.99)

WA Snakes ($1.99)

Apple and Android apps