For the first time in two decades, the tiny New Holland mouse has been documented in Wollemi National Park, offering fresh hope for the vulnerable species.
During ecological monitoring surveys in the northern end of the park, scientists recorded multiple sightings of the native rodent, which is nationally listed as a vulnerable threatened species.
The discovery of the New Holland mouse in Wollemi National Park was made through the world-leading Ecological Health Scorecards program. This initiative uses survey techniques - including cameras and acoustic monitoring - to comprehensively measure the health of national parks.
Often too small to clearly identify in traditional surveys, the mice were attracted through a scent lure and photographed on multiple close-range cameras across the park. The lure was a mix of peanut butter and oats, put in a tea strainer, that allows animals to smell but not eat it.
The park-wide surveys have found the species in both forests and heath habitats which burnt in the 2019-20 fires, as well as unburnt areas, which is a promising sign the environment is recovering. The mouse was last recorded in the park in 2004.
The results of the surveys will be included in the Ecological Health Scorecard for the Greater Blue Mountains. The scorecard will provide a baseline against which the health of the park can be measured in the future.
Data from the scorecard will also be used by the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service to understand how the park's health is changing over time and to make evidence-based decisions about park management.
Scorecards for the Royal National Park and Kosciuszko National Park have already been released.
