National Forest Health Strategy Not Needed…Yet
Rare species escapes fire
15 January 2007
published by the.standard.net.au
Australia — Hundreds of rare long-nosed potoroos are believed to have survived the Framlingham Forest fire.
A potoroo
Wildlife Victoria vice-president Manfred Zabinskas said only two injured potoroos had been found in the forest after the fires and both had died.
However, unexpectedly large numbers are believed to have escaped the blaze.
“Some of the locals said they saw them running out of the forest in their hundreds,” Mr Zabinskas said.
“Apparently there are A lot of them that have now gone into the adjoining farmland.”
He said many people were surprised by the amount of potoroos seen.
Long-nosed potoroos were listed as a vulnerable species in the south-west, with most population counts focusing on numbers in the Cobboboonee Forest near Portland.
