Gabi,+Sarah,+Riley+and+Jess

= = =Gabi, Sarah, Riley and Jess = =Keppel Falls and Lady TalbotDrive,=

**THE SOOTY OWL**
The **Sooty Owl**, is a medium to large owl found in south-eastern Australia. They have a white spotted head with white spots on the wings. They have large dark eyes. Their face is dark gray, silver or sooty black. The upper part of the owl is black and the under part is lighter. Their call is a piercing shriek. The tail is short and the legs are feathered large black talons. They are nocturnal and hide in hollow tree trunks, caves and in tall trees with heavy foliage. Rarely seen or heard they are territorial and can be found in areas with deep gullies in eucalyptus forests. They hunt in drier areas but roost and breed in the moister areas. They feed on mammals ranging from large marsupials. They occasionally eat birds and insects. Sooty Owls are territorial and remain in the same area throughout their adult lives. Sooty owls have a distinctive range of calls including typical barn owl like rasps and screams, a distinctive "falling bomb" call and an insect like twitter used during territorial confrontations.

**THE LEADBEATER'S POSSUM** the leadbeater’s possum was unfortunately around the area of kepell falls (in Marysville) when the black Saturday bush fire destroyed their habitat on Saturday the 7th February 2009. The leadbeaters possum is victoria's faunal emblem. It is restricted to small pockets of mountain ash forest near Marysville and other mountainous areas in victoria. they are rarely seen though because they are nocturnal. The leadbeater’s possum was discovered in 1867 and was named after john leadbeater’s a taxidermist from the museum of victoria. The leadbeaters possum was considered extinct in 1900; 61 years later naturalist Eric Wilkinson rediscovered a colony of leadbeaters possums.

The leadbeaters possum is 150 – 170mm long, the tail length is 145 – 180mm long and they weigh only 100 - 166 grams. They live in small colonies of up to 24 individuals they all live in the one hollow that is usually 6m to 30m high off the ground. They are very territorial and will actively defend there 10,000 to 20,000 square meters of territory.

It is an omnivore it eats insect such as moths, crickets and beetles they also eat spiders. They also enjoy the nectar, sap and gum off trees such as wattle trees and eucalyptus trees.

**BARRED GALAXIES** The Barred Galaxias is one of Australia’s most endangered freshwater fish. The fish has a bright orange/yellow base with up to 10 distinct wide black vertical bars on the side of the body. The fish is also scaleless. The Barred Galaxias was severely threatened by the 2007 and 2009 bush fires. Ash and sediment from the fires go into the water and take up the oxygen left, this kills the fish. In 2009 after the fires Barred Galaxias were immediately taken into captivity. The species is non‐migratory, has low fecundity, and is unable to bypass large strea m barriers.

**THE RECOVERY** The recovery of the Barred Galaxias is going well. Since the 2009 Victorian bushfires the Barred Galaxias has been temporarily relocated so it can reproduce and become less threatened. The areas that the Leadbeater’s possum is living in are being assessed to determine their specific needs. Habitat protection is needed for the survival and recovery of this small species. The Leadbeater’s possum was badly affected by the Victorian bushfires in 2009, it is so endangered if we do not help its survival it will be another amazing species lost. The sooty owl is another species badly affected by the bushfires. For this species to survive serious action needs to be taken. Some things that can be done is the replantation of moist and wet rainforests, protecting hollow trees and try to do this as soon as possible.