Would you like to help search for Leadbeater’s Possum in the wild and be part of a long term ecological monitoring project run by Professor David Lindenmayer of the Australian National University? Then we could use your help with some stag watching evenings this summer.

In this program volunteers are taken out to one of the 166 ANU research sites across the Central Highlands forests.  Each volunteer is given a “stag tree” (old, possibly dead and decaying tree that has formed nesting hollows) to watch for 30 minutes before and after dusk. As the forest darkens you sit quietly and hope to see or hear a glider or possum appear from one of the hollows on your stag.  At the end everyone comes out of the forest to record and discuss what they have seen. Often further spotlight surveys are conducted.  Hopefully you will be very lucky and see a Leadbeater’s Possum!  Find out below how you can get involved!

Join the 2021 Summer Stag Watching Program!

Volunteers for these events are required to walk in and out of dense vegetation and/or burnt forest sites, sit quietly under a large stag tree for up to an hour as the sun sets, then walk back out of the bush after dark. Your observations of any wildlife activities heard and/or seen in/on/or around your stag tree will be recorded by the ANU ecologist on the night.  All training and instructions are provided on the night.

For more details and information on meeting locations and what to bring etc view this year’s information: Stagwatching Flyer for summer.