On Thursday 14th December 2017 South Coast NRM joined forces with Green Skills to run a field-day focussing on Goanna (Karda) Trapping with Noongar people at Balijup Fauna Sanctuary. Minang Elder Eugene Eades provided the Welcome to Country. 8 people participated in the outing. Termite mounds were inspected for evidence of past goanna egg laying. A survey of about 25% of the 11ha Sanctuary was also carried out. Forty five cage traps, kindly provided by Bush Heritage Australia, were set in the Sanctuary. Wildlife Biologist, Joe Porter, assisted by his father Max Porter and Green Skills’ Basil Schur and Tony Peterson, set up these cages two days before.
During the day one adult male Rosenberg southern heath monitor was captured just outside the perimeter of the Sanctuary. The Balijup Sanctuary project and associated Green Skiils eco restoration program is financially supported by the WA Government’s Natural Resource Management program, funded through Royalties for Regions.
Introduction to Balijup
- Checking termite mounds for evidence of goanna diggings and past egg laying
- Graeme Simpson shares his knowledge about Marri trees
- Geoffrey Dean of South Coast NRM below a Wedge tailed eagles nest at Balijup
- Joe Porter, wildlife biologist with a Rosenberg’s goanna ( Karda), later released
- Joe Porter showing techniques for capturing goannas
- The Noongar boys on the outing were fascinated by the captured Karda