The City of Whittlesea is calling on residents to help find native, rare and significant plants and animals as part of a community biodiversity study that will help create a better understanding of our land.
In conjunction with work being undertaken by Council staff and expert ecologists, any sightings of native plants and animals by residents out for their daily exercise, will be recorded to develop a comprehensive database of the native species that call our municipality home.
Chair Administrator Lydia Wilson said this study will help us understand what species make up our local landscape and how we can best care for them. The last survey of this kind was conducted over 24 years ago, and much has changed in that time.
“The City of Whittlesea has a unique landscape with many significant flora and fauna species in the area,” Ms Wilson said.
“One of the key things we are looking for in this study are sightings of any rare or threatened species that have not been spotted in our municipality in recent times. These include animals such as the platypus, bird species such as the Freckled Duck or Barking Owl and reptiles like the Tree Goanna.
“However, plant species are just as important, so we are also looking for species such as the Creeping Grevillea or any species of orchid.”
Ms Wilson said that there is still a lot to learn about our local species and our community can play an important part in helping us fill in the knowledge gaps.
To view a gallery of some of the rare or threatened species we are looking for, or to submit your sightings of any native species you would like identified, visit engage.whittlesea.vic.gov.au.
You can submit photographs, videos, audio recordings or descriptions and can mark the location of your findings on a map up until 12 November.
