Plants of Kojonup

Mal Graham, over sees Kojonup Reserve for Bush Heritage, has an ongoing survey and monitoring program there. As part of this program Mal and his team established a total of 25 permanent pitfall traps in five different vegetation communities. In addition, they set cage traps, 'Elliott' traps (baited with a peanut butter and oat mix for small to medium-sized animals) and undertook ground searches and bird surveys over three days.

This survey didn't produce many individual animals due to the cool temperatures, but never-the-less three new species were recorded for the Reserve. The southwest carpet python and a new population of a declared rare plant are significant discoveries. Both are listed species under the Western Australian Wildlife Conservation Act.

The other new species, the skink dark morethia, was not unexpected but had not been recorded before. Also recorded were a rare land snail, the skink western bobtail, the common brushtail possum, western grey kangaroo and western brush wallaby.

The bird survey revealed many woodland species including the red-capped, scarlet and western yellow robins, jacky winter and regent parrot, all of which are classified as declining species. Bush Heritage has not listed these as significant species for Kojonup Reserve before.

As the surveys continue it is likely that more new species will be discovered.

Mal Graham with southwest carpet python
PHOTO: GREEN CORPS