MEDIA RELEASE: December 23 2019 See the top 5 Aussie animals that won social media in 2019 National conservation not-for-profit Bush Heritage Australia today declared the Top 5 Animals on social media for 2019! 1. Baby Echidna aka. Puggle. 11,000 likes. 2. Pink Robin. 7,100 likes 3. Spotted-tail Quoll. 3500 likes 4. Tawny Frogmouth. 3000 likes 5. Eastern Spiny-tailed Gecko. 2500 likes View and download the top images here. Bush Heritage capped off a successful 2019 with highlights including: a two million hectare expansion in its land protection impact; forging a new partnership with the Karajarri people in the Kimberley; confirming critically endangered Plains-wanderers at two reserves; and hosting a number of innovative science projects on its reserves. Bush Heritage now protects 11.2 million hectares of land through a vast network of nature reserves and partnerships in every state of Australia and the Northern Territory. In July, a new partnership in the Kimberley with the Karajarri Traditional Lands Association was inked. This is Bush Heritage’s 25th such partnership with Aboriginal people and embodies a right-way science approach. Overall there were 61 science-led projects on Bush Heritage reserves in 2019 helping to improve outcomes for Australia’s precious wildlife. These included: WA: Western Grasswrens, Malleefowl and 1 Million Trees Project: Ecological monitoring of critically endangered Western Grasswrens at Hamelin Station Reserve (Malgana and Nanda Country) to inform a future translocation project to Dirk Hartog Island Introducing LiDAR technology to capture data about Malleefowl in the Fitz-Stirling, Noongar Country. Planting the first of 1 million trees, bushes and shrubs at Eurardy Reserve, Nanda Country. QLD: roadkill studies, Night Parrot and Alwal Ongoing research into the impact of carcasses in the desert at Cravens Peak and Ethabuka Reserves in far western Queensland (Wangkamadla Country), New feral cat tracking methods deployed at Pullen Pullen Reserve, Maiawali country, to protect the Night Parrot. A Plains-wanderer was also spotted at Pullen Pullen. Exploring the relationship between the Dingo and Alwal (the Golden-shouldered Parrot) on Olkola Country in Cape York. VIC & NSW: Building climate change resilience, platypus spotting and an ‘orchid audit’ A large scale experiment to combat tree dieback at Nardoo Hills, Dja Dja Wurrung Country, saw 7000 seedlings sourced from hotter and drier climates planted across the reserve. Annual monitoring for platypus and water rats in the Murrumbidgee River took place on our Scottsdale Reserve , Ngunnawal Country, in northern NSW. Ecologists found 820 individual orchids at one of our newest reserves in central Victoria, including more than 700 Red Cross Spider Orchids (Caladenia cruciformis). SA: Plains-wanderers & Yellow-footed Rock Wallabies Three critically endangered Plains-wanderers were recorded at Boolcoomatta Reserve, Adnyamathanha and Wiljakali Country, the first time the species has been seen there since 2017. Also at Boolcoomatta, a Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby with joey in pouch was spotted, confirming that breeding had been occurring despite a prolonged drought, Bush Heritage CEO Heather Campbell said the diversity and breadth of conservation wins across the year was heartening to see, and noted that the work was made possible by Bush Heritage’s strong community of 35,000 supporters. “We’ve achieved a lot around Australia in 2019 – all to better protect our incredible native species and irreplaceable landscapes,” she said. “I’m incredibly proud of yet another stellar year for conservation at Bush Heritage and I look forward to continuing our efforts to protect the environment in 2020.” Bush Heritage also thanked its 800-strong base of volunteers for the thousands of hours of work contributed on reserves around the country. For more news from Bush Heritage reserves and partnerships click here: https://www.bushheritage.org.au/blog .