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On 5 April 2023, AWC successfully translocated 12 Eastern Pygmy Possums from Ku-ring-gai Chase and Garigal National Parks to North Head Sanctuary. The tiny possums, weighing less than a golf ball at 45 grams, underwent health checks at the national parks before being placed into travel cases for a 45-minute drive.
Executive Director of the Harbour Trust, Janet Carding welcomed the new individuals saying that these little creatures play a significant role in protecting the critically endangered Eastern Suburbs Banksia Scrub.
“As pollinators, Eastern Pygmy Possums perform the important task of moving pollen between the diverse Banksias on the headland,” Carding explained. "We are delighted to be working with AWC to strengthen the population of this species at North Head Sanctuary.”
“North Head's delicate ecosystem is home to a rich diversity of flora and fauna, and its preservation is central to the Harbour Trust's mission. Protecting these native species is so important," Ms Carding said.
During the translocation, AWC Field Ecologist, Aiden Wright, carefully removed an individual Eastern Pygmy Possum, named Wally after the threatened Wallum Banksia, from the travel case and placed it into a pre-selected nest box. Three tiny possums, including Wally, were fitted with ‘tiny trackers’ to monitor the survivorship of the species and perform health checks during the important post-release period.
AWC ecologists will follow up on the newly introduced individuals during a post-release survey in the coming months. Aiden expects they will have adapted to the new environment and commenced the process of adding new Eastern Pygmy Possums to the population.
