GeoCatch – Ringtail Tally 7 Years in the Making

Grab a friend or the whole family and join Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions Regional Ecologist, Geoff Barrett, as we share insights from 7 years of local Western Ringtail Possum survey data.

Presentations include:

• Ringtail Tally Results over 7 surveys: Where are ringtails found and in what numbers? Geoff Barrett Regional Ecologist, DBCA.
• Become a citizen scientist in your own backyard. How to become involved in 2021 Tally: Nicole Lincoln, GeoCatch.
• Spotting possums in urban areas. Step outside and view a real live Western Ringtail Possum: Nicole Lincoln, GeoCatch.

The Ringtail Tally was established by GeoCatch in 2016, in partnership with Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA). The Tally aims to improve our knowledge and awareness of critically endangered Western Ringtail Possums living in urban areas. Citizen scientists are engaged to record sightings of possums in their local area over a 4 week period during April to May. The results are shared with the wider community in the form of an infographic, community information night and recorded on the DBCA Western Ringtail Possum Database.
The information gained from the Tally is building a reliable set of observation data that will improve our knowledge about where Western Ringtail Possums are found and in what numbers. This information is then used as a reference for population trends, future planning decisions and conservation projects. The data becomes more valuable each year the Tally is repeated.