Channel Title: Guba na Nature Refuge Channel Description: We have 2 properties in south-east Queensland Australia, which we purchased for the sole purpose of flora and fauna conservation. One property is 400 acres, located 10km west of Leyburn, Queensland Australia. This property is comprised entirely of old growth native scrub on sand soil. Our only objective with this property is to retain the native bushland and to protect it from feral animals and weed invasion. The other property is 80 acres, and includes some riparian areas on the Thanes Creek 10km east of Leyburn. This property is severely degraded, having been cleared and grazed in a thoroughly irresponsible manner. We have our work cut out restoring this property to environmental value. This channel is comprised of still photos and videos of wildlife observed on these properties near Leyburn, Queensland Australia. <video> Curious Joey~ Description: </video> <video> Poop Bandit Description: Currently in a program of removing feral cats from the nature refuge using traps baited with cat urine and feces. Apparently cat poop is an irresistible treat for the local lace monitor population; Yummy! </video> <video> Pop Description: The shy black-striped wallaby (Notamacropus dorsalis) was once widespread throughout New South Wales and Queensland, however due to habitat loss they are now only found in a small part of northern New South Wales and areas of Queensland. </video> <video> Echidna snoot Description: The short-beaked echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus) has a snout equipped with thermoreceptors and electroreceptors that help it to sense its surroundings. Echidnas also have the largest prefrontal cortex relative to body size of any mammal. Touchy-feely and with brains too ... what's not to like? </video> <video> Vale Ross Description: With immense sadness we advise that Ross has passed peacefully at his Queensland home, with faithful feline companion Pebbles on his lap, and his wife at his side. Ross defied all prognoses to achieve 10 years of cancer survivorship; time which enabled him to see his children grow to adulthood, and enjoy a life well lived. Clear skies and light winds, Ross. You are profoundly missed. </video> <video> Arid Recovery visit - bilbies Description: https://aridrecovery.org.au/ @aridrecovery9335 With thanks to cameraman Connor Footage of greater bilbies (Macrotis lagotis) at Arid Recovery Wildlife Reserve. Bilbies were once widespread across 70 per cent of mainland Australia. They were well known around Adelaide, especially in the city parklands, and were also recorded as living around Perth. By 1995 the bilby was classed as a threatened species, and was only found in arid regions. Once again, introduced feral cats and foxes pose a major threat to the bilby's survival. </video> <video> New water point - birds only Description: This season is coming in hot ad dry, with early fires and an El Niño climate pattern. In response we have set up a raised watering point just for birds - in theory anyway. We'll see how that turns out. These are a couple of captures from the first camera card collected from the new site. </video> <video> Arid Recovery visit - Western Quoll Description: @aridrecovery9335 https://aridrecovery.org.au/ with thanks to cameraman Connor Footage of a western quoll (Dasyurus geoffroii) taken during a visit to the Arid Recovery Wildlife Reserve in South Australia. Arid Recovery is an independent not-for-profit, who have been pioneering conservation science since 1997 to help threatened species thrive across the Australian outback. The 123km2 reserve is protected by a 1.8m tall fence to exclude feral cats, foxes and rabbits, which is vital to the survival of the threatened species re-introduced into the reserve. Check it out at https://aridrecovery.org.au/ Also known as the chuditch, the western quoll was once found across 70% of the Australian continent. As a result of pressures such as predation by cats and foxes, deliberate and accidental poisoning, land clearing, inappropriate fire regimes, grazing by stock and feral herbivores, illegal shooting, accidental drowning in water tanks, being hit by motor vehicles and entanglement in barbed wire fencing, the western quoll is now confined to a small south-western corner of Western Australia. There are now ongoing attempts to re-establish the western quoll in parts of its former range, including the Arid Recovery Wildlife Reserve. </video> <video> Playtime foxy Description: The nature refuge is currently undergoing cat trapping to remove feral cats. A local fox has taken interest not in the bait, but in the.. cage covers? </video> <video> Delightful Dingos Description: Dingos are a complex subject, steeped in emotive language and divisive opinions. We allow dingos to go unmolested on our property, because otherwise the kangaroo mobs graze out young trees before they have a chance and when the dingos are around, the foxes are noticeably absent: infra-red cameras tell the tale. Sources: Genome-wide variant analyses reveal new patterns of admixture and population structure in Australian dingoes - https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mec.16998 The Conversation: https://theconversation.com/killing-dingoes-is-the-only-way-to-protect-livestock-right-nope-200905 https://theconversation.com/from-the-dingo-to-the-tasmanian-devil-why-we-should-be-rewilding-carnivores-199879 https://theconversation.com/new-dna-testing-shatters-wild-dog-myth-most-dingoes-are-pure-206397 https://theconversation.com/why-dingoes-should-be-considered-native-to-mainland-australia-even-though-humans-introduced-them-172756 </video> <video> Leucistic Wallaby Description: This lovely wild female black-striped wallaby (Notamacropus dorsalis) has a rare, natural hereditary condition called leucism - a partial loss of pigmentation which results in animals having white, mottled, or pale fur (or plumage if they are a bird, or scales if they are a reptile). Unlike albinism, leucism does not effect animals' eyes - her underlying skin and eyes remain dark coloured, and as she lives in dense tea tree scrub in a densely vegetated nature refuge, hopefully she won't experience a huge disadvantage from her unusual colour. </video> <video> Arid Recovery visit - bettongs, bandicoots and hopping spinifex mice Description: https://aridrecovery.org.au/ @aridrecovery9335 with thanks to cameraman Connor Something a little different: footage taken around a feeding station during a visit to the Arid Recovery wildlife reserve in South Australia. Arid Recovery is an independent not-for-profit, who have been pioneering conservation science since 1997 to help threatened species thrive across the Australian outback. The 123km2 reserve is protected by a 1.8m tall fence to exclude feral cats, foxes and rabbits, which is vital to the survival of the threatened species re-introduced into the reserve. Check it out at https://aridrecovery.org.au/ @aridrecovery9335 </video> <video> Safe and warm in winter Description: It's only 4C, but this little Queenslander is feeling safe and warm in his winter woollies. Black-striped wallabies (Notamacropus dorsalis) are my favourite macropods. - shy and elusive, they have a preference for forested country with dense under story - which perfectly describes this refuge. Black-striped wallabies are all but gone from their former habitat in New South Wales, and are also disappearing in Queensland as ground cover is cleared to create cattle pasture. They are listed as ENDANGERED on the schedules of the NSW Threatened Species Conservation Act because: * The population and distribution have been reduced to a critical level * They face severe threatening processes * They are an ecological specialist (they depend on particular types of diet or habitat) * They have poor recovery potential In our area, weekend-warrior style urban cowboys with 4WD, firearms and severe IQ deficits will shoot black-striped wallabies because they don't know the difference between an eastern grey kangaroo and a wallaby. Or a cow, for that matter. If it has fur and moves, they'll probably pull the trigger. Oxygen thieves. </video> <video> Pretty Mum Description: This lovely wild female black-striped wallaby (Notamacropus dorsalis) has a rare, natural hereditary condition called leucism - a partial loss of pigmentation which results in animals having white, mottled, or pale fur (or plumage if they are a bird, or scales if they are a reptile). Unlike albinism, leucism does not effect animals' eyes - her underlying skin and eyes remain dark coloured, and as she lives in dense tea tree scrub in a densely vegetated nature refuge, hopefully she won't experience a huge disadvantage from her unusual colour. </video> <video> Where have we gone? Description: What to say here? Well, I guess the universe has decided that 'we' is soon to become 'me', as an aggressive brain tumour brings to an end a wonderful era, an enduring marriage, and a life well lived. These are the dark days that mark the end of the cancer journey, and all of my time is currently wrapped around my partner. Thank you for your understanding. </video>

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Description

We have 2 properties in south-east Queensland Australia, which we purchased for the sole purpose of flora and fauna conservation.

One property is 400 acres, located 10km west of Leyburn, Queensland Australia. This property is comprised entirely of old growth native scrub on sand soil. Our only objective with this property is to retain the native bushland and to protect it from feral animals and weed invasion.

The other property is 80 acres, and includes some riparian areas on the Thanes Creek 10km east of Leyburn. This property is severely degraded, having been cleared and grazed in a thoroughly irresponsible manner. We have our work cut out restoring this property to environmental value.

This channel is comprised of still photos and videos of wildlife observed on these properties near Leyburn, Queensland Australia.

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