Herpertofaunal Assemblage of Bold Park

Collection Highlights | Updated 1 decade ago

The project has been continuously running for 24 years and with the key objective to determine the remnant fauna of Perth’s urban bushlands.

Isolated natural bushlands in urban environments constrain many native species which have difficulties surviving with matrix of roads, gardens and open spaces that surround them.

Consequently, native bushlands provide the last refuge for many species that were once common across the Swan Coastal Plain but now exist only in these isolated remnants. Bold Park is a large and relatively unaltered natural bushland located in the inner Perth area with a high diversity of reptiles and birds.

Reptile activity peak during the spring, and again for a shorter period in early autumn when the young hatch or are born. This project follows the activity patterns of 28 species of reptile to determine their individual seasonal and annual variation in numbers and activity, and also, their response to fire.

This project has revealed a considerable year-to-year variation and that the 2000 - 2009 decade, the driest on record, has been detrimental to many species populations.

Long-term monitoring also provides information on the likely impacts of climate change and the potential for the extinction of local populations in isolated natural areas.