Welcome to our AWC Volunteer Community

Project Title and AWC Sanctuary

Karakamia & Paruna Camera Surveys

Project Description and Dates

The Australian Wildlife Conservancy’s Karakamia and Paruna Sanctuaries are both located within the Perth Hills near Chidlow and Gidgegannup Western Australia. Karakamia covers approximately 275 hectares of the Jarrah Forest Bioregion of Western Australia and contains a mosaic of Jarrah (Eucalyptus marginata) forest, Marri (Corymbia calophylla) woodland, Wandoo (Eucalyptus wandoo) woodland, riparian zones, and granitic heathlands and shrublands. Paruna is 1,913ha, providing home to a number of significant species including the threatened Chuditch, Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo and small mammals such as the Honey Possum, which lives in Paruna’s diverse heathlands, and the Western Pygmy Possum. Nine species of frogs have been identified at each sanctuary in previous surveys.

Several camera surveys are undertaken at Karakamia & Paruna Wildlife Sanctuaries as part of the ongoing Ecohealth and Science Programs. This includes sanctuary-wide camera arrays to confirm the continued presence and determine the occupancy of species known to occur at the sanctuaries, as well as species-specific targeted camera arrays.

Survey Period: Ongoing

Survey Hours: ~8am – 4pm (can change depending on survey)

Upcoming Surveys

Tammar Wallaby Camera Survey: August 18^th- 21^st (camera deployment)

Camera surveys involve deploying trail cameras at pre-determined sites, accessed by walking 200-500m off driving tracks through the bush (with some walk-ins 1km+). Some surveys involve lures (chicken, apples etc.), while others include additional equipment like distance markers.

With up to 60 camera sites, it can add up to ~5-8km of walking per day.

These surveys require a good level of physical activity, particularly at Paruna, where the terrain can be steep and rocky. Hiking boots or lace-up boots are recommended over slip-ons, for ankle support on the uneven terrain. The cameras are then retrieved and images downloaded and stored.

In the days/weeks following camera retrieval, the camera images are processed, with the person responsible recording information including species ID & number of animals in the photographs.

Volunteer tasks

Volunteers will work as a team lead by the Project Coordinator and AWC Sanctuary staff to carry out tasks including.

• Walking through the bush during the day
• Walking on steep/rocky terrain
• Recording data into online/paper forms
• Data entry/image download
• Using a GPS
• Deploying and retrieving trail cameras
• Image Processing
• Assisting Survey/Team Leaders with any other tasks

Things to be aware of when considering applying for this volunteer role/key requirements: 

• Physically fit to walk 5km+ distances in sometimes dense bush, steep terrain, or rocky outcrops
• Lunch breaks will be taken in the field, so please pack everything you need into the car and your back pack in the morning

AWC Provides

• Shared accommodation at Karakamia, with shared cooking and bathroom facilities
• AWC Vehicles to conduct fieldwork
• All survey equipment
• First-aid kits and Snake bandages
• Water jerry on car if needed
• Insect repellent

Volunteers Provide

Personal items:

• Backpack – carry at least 2L of water & bring lunch and snacks for each day
• Fieldwork clothing – long pants and shirt, boots, hat, sunglasses
• Warm clothing (beanie, jumper etc.)
• Linen (sheets, pillowcase, sleeping bag, towel) if staying onsite
• Food for the survey’s duration
• Mobile phone
• Toiletries
• Any personal medications

Project Coordinator Contact:

Shannon Verhagen, Field Ecologist

Shannon.verhagen@australianwildlife.org

IMPORTANT NOTES:
Recruitment Process- AWC Project Coordinators will assess volunteers’ profiles upon application (signup). Suitable candidates that meet project requirements will be contacted directly for a follow up discussion before final decisions are made. Once successful candidates have been offered a position volunteers will be assigned to the project and should expect to receive all relevant onboarding documentation soon after and before deployment. Please ensure your MyImpact profile is complete with contact details and all supporting information to provide you with the best opportunity for a successful placement.

Please note- due to the high-level of interest we receive for our volunteer opportunities we regret we cannot respond individually to unsuccessful applicants. We thank each of you for your keen interest and ongoing support.

Shift Schedules- Schedules are use as a 'sign up' and hour tracking guide only and may not always accurately reflect actual project start and finish times. Confirmed project dates and daily schedules are outlined in the project description and onboarding information with final details confirmed directly by the Project oordinator for successful applicants.