Leadbeater's Possum found in active logging coupe

On Saturday night, WOTCH detected a critically endangered Leadbeater’s Possum in an active logging coupe (480-509-0013 ‘Desilijic'). Habitat just 100m away had already been clearfelled – well within the buffer zone triggered by this Leadbeater’s Possum detection.

Despite filing a report on Sunday, WOTCH is yet to receive any response (other than a generic receipt email) from DELWP or VicForests regarding this clearfelling of critically endangered species habitat. We have had no communication that logging has ceased in 'Desilijic' coupe.

Sadly, pre-harvesting surveys failed to detect Leadbeater’s Possum in this location despite previous records of Leadbeater’s Possum and Smoky Mouse in the same patch of forest, highlighting the need for more extensive pre-harvest surveying in logging coupes.

On top of this, the slow response to our report – which exposes logging of important Leadbeater’s Possum and Smoky Mouse habitat in Melbourne’s water catchment – is extremely disheartening.