Grampians Bioscan: Rattus lutreolus, Swamp Rat

Rattus lutreolus, Swamp Rat. Location: Australia, Victoria, Grampians National Park. Survey: Museum Victoria & Parks Victoria Grampians Bioscan, GRB 2012. Station no. 452.

The Grampians Bioscan was the second major biodiversity survey in the Bioscan series - a partnership between Museum Victoria and Parks Victoria to conduct rapid surveys of biodiversity within Victorian National Parks. Bioscans are held across a two week period and bring together Museum Victoria's scientific expertise and Parks Victoria's local knowledge and land management expertise. Bioscans provide a snapshot of faunal diversity and can result in exciting discoveries about the species inhabiting the parks. In addition to fauna surveys, Bioscans can include geology, palaeontology and botany surveys, and heritage research. Each Bioscan also includes community engagement and public relations components. Bioscans aim to enrich our understanding of the natural heritage values of Victoria's National Parks, to engage local communities, to celebrate biodiversity and to identify avenues for further research and collaboration.

The Grampians Bioscan ran from 18-19 November 2012. The team comprised 65 scientists, park managers and research volunteers representing Museum Victoria, Parks Victoria, The Entomological Society of Victoria, The National Herbarium of Victoria and the Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research. Over the twelve day period the teams surveyed 285 sites across the Grampians National Park and Black Range State Park surveying the terrestrial vertebrate fauna, terrestrial and freshwater invertebrate fauna, flora and geology as well as carrying out heritage research and running public engagement activities.