Welcome to the News section of the iNSiGHT Ornithology website (https://www.simoncherriman.com.au/). This blog contains updates about various things I've been up to, interesting environmental issues and observations I make regularly while going about my day. It is designed to be fun AND educational, and inspire you about our wonderful natural world. Happy reading!

Tuesday 13 October 2015

Quenda in the Media


I'm always keen to help educate others about our unique flora and fauna, especially through wildlife photography, which has been a passion of mine for some time now. Several years ago I donated a few pictures (mostly of the Baudin's Cockatoo and the Quenda or Southern Brown Bandicoot) to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Australia, to use in any media pertaining to these two beautiful native animals. Recently these images have been used in some online articles about the Quenda, which, despite being listened as a priority fauna species in south-west Western Australia, has been increasing in abundance in some parts of its range. Its capability to adapt to and take advantage of habitat in urban areas and backyards which is not necessarily composed of native vegetation seems to have allowed it to do well. Right here in the Mundaring Shire where I've spent most of my life, there has been a noticeable increase in Quenda sightings in the past 20 years, both of live animals and  road-killed ones, which, despite being a sad sight, are often an indicator of abundance. Check out this article in The Guardian and another one on WWF's website to see the images and read more about how you can get involved in the 'Quenda Count, an initiative to gather important information on these wonderful native marsupials!