Seven Easy Steps to Organising a Successful Tiwest Night Stalk

Conducting your own Tiwest Night Stalk survey is easy and anyone can participate. A Tiwest Night Stalk is best performed by a small group of people working together. Get a group together and follow the steps below.

Step One: Be Informed

All the information you need to organise your Tiwest Night Stalk is right here, with your Spotters' Log to record your sightings, details on the seven simple steps you need to follow when organising your Tiwest Night Stalk, some useful tips and a reference list of useful books that may be in your local library.

Step Two: Where to Stalk

Your local government or conservation agency will be able to advise you on the best and safest places in your area where you can carry out your survey. They can also advise you about which animals you are most likely to see on your Night Stalk.

Western Australia — Department of Environment and Conservation Naturebase
Northern Territory — Parks and Wildlife
Queensland — Parks and Wildlife
New South Wales — National Parks and Wildlife
Australian Capital Territory — Parks and Reserves
Victoria — Parks; Natural Resources and Environment
Tasmania — Parks and Wildlife
South Australia — Department of Environment, Heritage and Aboriginal Affairs

Step Three: Do a Daylight Check

Check your chosen area during the day to ensure accessibility and to assess potential hazards or safety risks. Look for holes, fallen logs and branches etc. Make a note of details about the area that may be difficult to see at night (ie vegetation, habitat type and the nearness of water).

Ensure that you have prior permission of landowners to cross or enter property if necessary.

You may also want to look for signs that will indicate what animals are in the area. For example:

• Bandicoots dig conical holes when foraging for invertebrates;
• Possums may drop chewed leaves and leave scratch marks on trees; and
• An animal's scats and tracks will also be a helpful guide. (see the reference list provided).

Step Four: Choose the night and get organised

Your survey can be conducted on any night between 1 September and 16 October.

You may decide to survey your area for one night only or for two or three consecutive nights. Survey on a night of fine weather and no moon for the best results.

Organise vehicle/s, spotlight/s or torch/s, field guide/s, maps, spotters' log/s, other members of your group and volunteer parents/teachers to be available on the night.

Step Five: On the night

You will need a spotlight or powerful torch, a pair of binoculars, a map of the area, your spotters' log and any useful reference to help you identify the animals you see. Make sure you dress for the outdoors and leave only footprints behind (take your rubbish home with you). Please ensure that you are aware of, and conform with, all traffic regulations and local by-laws.

Please record the following information on your spotters' log. If you are unsure how to record the following information a sample log has been completed for you.

• The date, time and local weather and habitat conditions
• Determine the exact location of your survey

Provide the distance and direction from the nearest town/location and any other useful information (eg. name of reserve). Please be as detailed as you can in your location description so that it can be relocated.

• Measure the distance travelled

Reset the vehicle's trip meter or take note of the odometer reading at the start and finish of your survey. If walking, estimate the distance from start to finish. Record the total distance surveyed in kilometres. This will allow you (and us) to determine a density estimate for any species you find in animals per kilometre travelled.

• Drive or walk as slowly and as quietly as possible along your chosen track

This will give your spotters the best chance of sighting any animals in the area. Remember noisy behaviour will scare animals away. Also consider the safety of the animals that you encounter. Please refer to our helpful hints for suggestions to having a successful night stalk

• Identify the animals sighted to the best of your ability

Please note if you are sure, reasonably sure or guessing the identity of any species sighted. We are particularly interested in native species and any introduced feral mammal pests (fox, cat, pig, goat, rabbit, buffalo, horse, and camel etc). All animals encountered should be recorded on your spotters' log.

Step Six: Send us your results by 30 October

Return completed spotters' log by 30 October to Perth Zoo.

Fill in the online Spotters' Log.

Email an electronic copy of your spotters' log to:

nightstalk@perthzoo.wa.gov.au

Fax your spotters' log to:

(08) 9474 4113

Mail your spotters' log to:

Tiwest Night Stalk
Perth Zoo
PO Box 489
South Perth WA 6151

Step Seven: Check out the results at Perth Zoo's website

By February, you can see everyone's results at www.perthzoo.wa.gov.au/nightstalk.

--Safety--

Due to the nature of a Tiwest Night Stalk survey there is the potential of personal injury. Please consider this before deciding to participate or allowing your children to participate. Participants are responsible for their own safety.

Adult supervision is necessary if children are participating.

Dress appropriately for your local weather conditions and leave only footprints (or tyre tracks) behind. Wear sturdy shoes or walking boots. And have fun!