ROUND THE BEND CONSERVATION CO-OPERATIVE
A residential conservation community in the Bend of Islands, Victoria
Fauna
The diversity of habitats on the Co-operative support an equally diverse range of fauna.
Overall a total of 166 native and twelve introduced species have been recorded on or immediately adjacent to the Co-op. The native species include 126 species of birds (one Endangered, six Vulnerable and two Near-Threatened), 20 species of mammals (three Vulnerable), 13 species of reptiles (one Vulnerable) and 7 species of amphibians (one Vulnerable).
A broad range of invertebrates have also been recorded. Identified species include 34 Butterflies, 24 Dragonflies, 30 Lacewings and 350+ Moths.
There are a number of threatened species such as Brush-tailed phascogale, Grey-headed Flying-fox (winter visitor that comes some nights to feed on the flowering Ironbarks), White-throated Nightjar (breeding summer migrant from New Guinea), Powerful Owl, Common Dunnart, Spotted Quail-thrush, Grey Goshawk, Lewin’s Rail and Swift Parrot.
Many insects are also extremely rare.
The dry, sparse Box-Stringybark Woodland on our property is the preferred habitat of the Brush-tailed Phascogale and specific management strategies have been developed to conserve this species on the Co-op.
The Powerful Owl requires in excess of 1000 hectares to survive and the Co-op provides important hunting and roosting habitat within the home range of at least one breeding pair resident within the Bend of Islands.
Invertebrates
The diversity of invertebrates is indicated by the following examples of some of the rare records documeted on the Cooperative:
Mantis Fly, Austromantispa trevori. Second Victorian record.
Southern Riffle Darner, Notoaeschna sagittata First published record for Yarra Catchment.
Beaded Lacewing, Austroberothella sp. Second Australian record.
Antlion Lacewing, Myrmeleon pictifrons
First Victorian record.