Community Wildlife Survey
(2010)

Thank you for taking the time to fill out this NSW Community Wildlife Survey questionnaire for 2010 and marking the map with your wildlife sightings. This survey will update and extend the findings of the 2006 survey we conducted.

This survey concerns several different species of wildlife in New South Wales, Australia. Specifically it is about the current and past extent of the distribution of these animals. Before the survey starts, we ask for your home location if you did not complete the 2006 survey or you need to update your details.

Species distributions

The first part of the Community Wildlife Survey ask if the various species we are targeting occur in your local area, how often you have seen them in the last two years, and if the species is a pest (in your area). These questions just require a tick the box answer.

The species are:

• Koalas
• Red and Grey kangaroos (both Western Greys and Eastern Greys)
• Flying-foxes (sometimes called fruit bats)
• Feral cats, i.e. domestic cats living in the wild
• Emus (a common bird species)
• Bush stone curlews (a vulnerable bird species)
• Barking owls (a vulnerable bird species)
• Cane toads (an invasive species). We are keen to know whether they have spread in the last two-three years, i.e. since our 2006 survey.
• Wombats. We are especially keen to determine the extent of wombats in north eastern NSW.

Flying foxes & kangaroos

The second part of the survey asks for more detail about flying-foxes and kangaroos.

At a glance, all large flying-foxes look similar, but there are subtle differences. We have provided photos to help you distinguish among the three species - Grey-head Flying Fox, Black Flying fox and Little Red Flying fox. If you aren't sure which species you have seen when completing the survey just tick the not sure box.

We are also trying to find out where flying-foxes feed, where their camps exist, and in what season they are present.

We are trying to establish the extent of the kangaroo population to assist in their management.

Your animal sightings

The third part consists of two maps which should be centred near your home. Use these maps to mark the locations of your animal sightings.

• The first map is for recent sightings (up to 2 years ago); and
• the second map is for previous sightings (more than 2 years ago).
• You can move and zoom the map to view the locations of your house and wildlife sightings. For all species seen; for flying fox camps; and for wombat burrows record the locations where you saw them. As these animals regularly move around we only require the positions to be accurate to about a kilometre.
  For best viewing of the map, your browser window needs to be either big or maximised. Just prior to moving onto the map page you will be reminded that a large browser window size is desirable. These web pages will not change your window size, that is best left to your preference.

Finally there is a page that allows you to enter any comments you have about the survey. We appreciate you taking the time to complete the survey.

Sounds of owls, curlews & cane toads

The barking owl, the bushstone curlew and the cane toad have really distinctive calls.

• The curlew has a long shrill tone, which can be repeated by other curlews.
• The barking owl sounds like a small yappy dog, hence its name. There can be a few barking owls calling at the same time.
• The cane toad has been described as similar to a low power but noisy motor bike.

You can hear recordings of these sounds on this page. These calls will help you easily identify if that bird species or cane toad is in your area.

We have had reports that the sounds do not play on some computers. Further some browsers do not correctly load the sound page. To help with these problems there are 3 different methods to hear each sound. Warning the sound web page may ask to download some sound controls. It may not be necessary to download new controls if there already is a workable sound application installed on your computer.

Finally

• We will not provide your personal details to anyone else. For more information read our privacy statement.
• There are links in the survey to support material which is displayed in a different window. After viewing the support material you can return to the survey by closing the information window, or re-selecting the survey from the active windows on your computer desktop. The "BACK" button on the information pages cannot return you to the survey.
• After finishing the survey you may like to view some of the Wildlife Survey results which is here on this web site.

Privacy statement

When you submit this survey, you are providing information to the NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change & Water (DECCW). You can find out more about how DECCW handles the personal information it collects online by reading our corporate privacy policy. Your consent to our collection and use of your personal information in accordance with this policy is required for this survey. The information we are asking you to provide is limited to

• the town or suburb of your home
• your postcode
• the locations where you have seen various wildlife species
• your knowledge and observations concerning the listed wildlife species.

If you participated in the 2006 survey your answers in this survey will be linked to your answers in the 2006 survey to provide us with ongoing information.

When we report details from this research no individual will be able to be identified. The actual data collection for this survey is being hosted by a secure external site - www.ConservationResearch.com.au. However this site will only have a coded link for your details. All collected data will be securely forwarded to DECCW for matching and processing. The data collected will then be deleted and removed from the external site.

Further information

This survey is part of a project and was designed by the Biodiversity Wildlife Survey team in the Scientific Services Division of the NSW Department of Environment, Climate Change & Water.

Further information on the environment in NSW and threatened species can be obtained from

• the DECCW website - http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/ ;or
• our threatened species website - http://www.threatenedspecies.environment.nsw.gov.au/ ;or
• the Department's Environment line (phone) 131 555 [inside NSW] or 02 9995 5000; or
• by email - environment@environment.nsw.gov.au .