Each spring, critically endangered mountain pygmy-possums emerge from hibernation searching for bogong moths to eat.
However, the tiny moth is now also endangered and there are major concerns for the moths and the possums that rely on them as a key food source.
To search for these precious moths, Zoos Victoria’s citizen science website Moth Tracker has launched again to better understand where the moths have gone and how to protect them for the future.
Zoos Victoria senior conservation biologist Marissa Parrott said the 2.5cm moths are now beginning their 1000km migration across Australia to our alpine zone, so everyone should watch out for them and upload a photo to the Moth Tracker website if they think they see one.
The first ever sighting from Kyabram was logged this week on the grounds of Kyabram Fauna Park by park zookeeper Abbie Bennetts.
‘’I was so excited, I ran in and told everyone in the office. I turned on a tap and it crawled out onto my hand,’’ she said.
The moths once numbered in the billions, but their population collapsed by an estimated 99.5 per cent in 2017-19 due to severe drought.
“The moths are beginning their epic migration across south-eastern Australia just as the mountain pygmy-possums are waking up from their five to seven-month hibernation under the snow,’’ Dr Parrott said.
Bogong moths are found in every state except the Northern Territory and follow the light of stars and the earth’s magnetic fields to reach their alpine destination.
Dr Parrott said people might see the moths around their home or garden; resting during the day or flying overnight, and encouraged people to log the sightings.
For information on Moth Tracker, check out the website: zoo.org.au/moth-tracker