Citizen Scientist for Malleefowl recovery in Victoria

VMRG is a large citizen science group of volunteers that has been collecting data on the Malleefowl breeding activity since the late 1990's. Every year from October until the end of Summer monitors visit over 1400 known nests in Victoria to record activity. This data is uploaded to a National database and is used by numerous groups including government departments to assess the number of breeding pairs and extrapolate population trends. Once extensive across much of the southern half of Australia, Malleefowl populations have been in historical decline. Malleefowl are listed as Vulnerable under the Australian Government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and Endangered in Victoria. Our data is used to identify threats. We have robust safety policies and public liability insurance. Our aim is to promote the conservation of Malleefowl and lobby for the enhancement of current Malleefowl habitat. We have two optional gatherings a year and other conservation projects aimed at improving outcomes for Malleefowl.