The Elusive White-Footed Dunnart
Attempting to capture a threatened species in Bengello Biobank
Capacity building - LEP23-014-LLC02-2
The issue
The white-footed dunnart is a mouse-like carnivorous marsupial listed as vulnerable under NSW state legislation. It can be found from Tasmania to the Victorian and southern NSW coast, and lives in a variety of different habitat types. Unfortunately, habitat clearing, development and introduced predatory species such as foxes and cats have made the species increasingly threatened. There have been 11 recordings of the white-footed dunnart across Eurobodalla LGA on the NSW BioNet Atlas, and 4 potential camera captures in Bengello Biobank in October 2023. In an attempt to confirm the presence of the species in Bengello, the next challenge was to trap the elusive white-footed dunnart and see it with our own eyes!
The solution
The Biodiversity Conservation Trust (BCT), Eurobodalla Shire Council and Eurobodalla Landcare have been collaborating over the last couple of years to try to trap the white-footed dunnart in Bengello Biobank - bushland south of Broulee. After unsuccessfully capturing the animal using pitfall traps in November 2023, in December 2024 pitfall traps and Elliot traps were set-up for 5 consecutive trap nights. Volunteers from Broulee/Mossy Point Dunecare Group and Congo Landcare joined in the hot and heavy work which included digging in the 30 pit fall traps and associated lines. Unfortunately, no white-footed dunnarts were trapped during this session, however, more camera footage from October 2024 has been captured and is yet to be examined.
The impact
Whilst the white-footed dunnart avoided capture yet again, there were various other creatures which were trapped in the process including bush rats, agile antechinus, dusky antechinus, Tyler froglet, striped marsh frog, and skinks. This project also forms a fantastic collaboration with BCT, who hope to get back out trapping in Bengello in 2029. It is important to continue monitoring for species like this one, to progressively add to data which can be useful in species protection.
Key facts
- Vulnerable and elusive white-footed dunnart is threatened by habitat clearing and predatory invasive species.
- Volunteers assisted with digging and laying out pitfall traps and Elliot traps to attempt to catch the species over 5 consecutive trap nights.
- The species has been captured on camera in 2023 but so far has been unsuccessfully trapped in Bengello.