Sydney Rewilding Initiative

This week we have reintroduced our first cohort of boguls (Dharug), also known as the native bush rat (Rattus fuscipes), to the Twin Creeks reserve in northern Sydney.

This is just the first step in a series of translocations aimed at keeping this common species common, but there has been an immense amount of work behind the scenes – from baseline biodiversity monitoring and preparation of the release site, to collecting bush rat odour (which has recently been featured in the What the Duck?! podcast).

We’ve had so many volunteers helping us out along the way and would like to recognise the work of the following teams.

Release site preparation:

Toni Blackwell (team leader), Patrick Bragato, Jenna Bytheway (training lead), Toby Champneys, Hannah Christensen, Lucy Gilchrist, Laura Grant, Nic Kennedy, Bonita Mendel (team leader), Emily Simpson, Mareshell Wauchope (team leader).

Bush rat trapping and husbandry:

Toni Blackwell (team leader), Jenna Bytheway (training lead), Toby Champneys, Hannah Christensen, Laura Grant, Mattea Kelly, Nic Kennedy, Bianca McBryde, Bonita Mendel, Thomas Newsome, Alessandro Roncolato, Emily Simpson, Mareshell Wauchope (team leader).

Bush rat release:

Hannah Christensen, Caitlin Connaughton, Anna Falepau, Patt Finnerty, Laura Grant, Donna Houston, Nic Kennedy, Jessica Kiproff, Bianca McBryde, Bonita Mendel, Thomas Newsome, Breanna Thompson, Mareshell Wauchope.