What is the importance of tree hollows to wildlife?
Tree hollows are a valuable, and often essential, resource for many of Victoria’s wildlife species. They offer refuge from the weather and predators, and safe sites for breeding. Removal of hollow-bearing trees from an area will lead to the displacement or death of wildlife dependant on those hollows. Recent wildlife research has highlighted the importance of remnant hollow-bearing trees on private land. Two species of bats were captured and radio-tagged at their foraging site in young forest in the Strzelecki Ranges, South Gippsland. To the amazement of the researchers, who followed the bats in a plane, females of one species returned to a large Manna Gum on private land some thirteen kilometres from the point of capture and over six kilometres from the forest boundary. The single tree contained hundreds of bats of several species including mothers producing milk. The young forest in which the bats were foraging did not provide suitable hollows for females to roost although males did
