The Southern Brown Bandicoot has been hunted into extinction by dogs and other predators in most of its former stamping grounds on the Mornington Peninsula. It survived at what is now known as "the Pines" because this flora and fauna reserve was used for agricultural research. The agricultural researchers kept down the numbers of feral animals like foxes, rabbits and cats, as farmers are required to do. Bandicoots thrived in this environment. When Vic Parks took the area over, it failed to maintain this vital community and ecological service. Hence, the Pines were quickly overrun with feral predators. "Within a year," says bioilogist and naturalist Hans Brunner, "all the bandicoots had disappeared." Ecologists tried to protect the Pines from being transected by the Peninsula Link freeway but did not succeed. Instead they were able to negotiate for money to be allocated by the Frankston Council to install a preadator-proof fence around the Pines, for the principle purpose of recreating a protected area for bandicoots. These works were stalled for ages, despite several urgent requests by Hans Brunner and numerous others aware of the situation. Then he was told that, since there were no bandicoots left, the money might be spent on something else. He was aghast. The money had been negotiated by citizens for a specific purpose; how could it be rerouted like that? The current word about the money, according to Councillor Colin Hampton, is that it is still available, but has not been released for the bandicoot protecting, predator-proof fencing. Meanwhile the bandicoot is nationally threatened. It is amazing that Frankston council seems unwilling to lift a finger to bring this useful and fascinating creature back from the brink. What on earth is the political cause of this tragic paralysis?
Why the Southern Brown Bandicoot, as an obligate and most prolific digger,
must be re-introduced in the Pines Flora and Fauna Reserve.
The benefits of diggings as stated by Patricia Fleming etal, Murdoch
University, WA.
1. Diggings increases soil turnover. Diggings by bandicoots alter plant community
composition and structure.
2. Diggings trap rainwater and enhance water infiltration.
3. Diggings capture bio-matter and affect nutrient cycling.
4. Diggings add fungal dispersal and recruitment.
5. Diggings enhance seed dispersal and plant recruitment.
The absence of diggings:
1. The absence of diggings will cause tree mortality and tree die-off.
2. The absence of diggings will inhibit all of the above ecological, and beneficial
processes.
My conclusion:
There is an urgent need to reintroduce digging mammals such as bandicoots in the Pines
in order to re-establish healthy ecosystem processes.
Hans Brunner
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