nomadcam's Journal

I have begun loosely calling this project the "burrowing Crayfish in Roadside Areas Around Yarra ranges" or CRAAY for short!

After making contact with Yarra Ranges Council they undertook a short study to try and determine the species of Burrowing Crayfish. Traps were provided by the Arthur Rylah Institute (ARI) and deployed for a few weeks along Nation Road in Selby (https://www.yarraranges.vic.gov.au/EE-Newsletter/Sept-2022/Burrowing-Crayfish-Survey). While one individual was caught it has not yet been able to be identified from the pictures.

Di Crowther from ARI indicated that these burrows were almost certainly not Engaeus urostrictus. The short list of likely candidates came down to Engaeus tuberculatus (which can inhabit both wet beds and banks), Engaeus victoriensis and Engaeus curvisuturus. All of which are classified as Endangered.

The more I look the more I find! Now approaching 100 observations of Burrowing Crayfish chimneys located in the roadside table drains on just the roads I've managed to walk along with limited time, there needs to be more effort to document the extent of these populations. Night time surveys have been conducted in the wet weather in an attempt to catch them walking around outside their burrow, with no success yet.

Having observed these burrows for a number of years, there are a number of threats to this habitat that have been observed from vehicle traffic and grass cutting through to table drain clearing and road upgrade paving works. These little burrowers have really got it stacked against them.

They can't be protected if they are not know about, so I put out a request that if you're out walking to glance down at the table drain and keep an eye out for any mud chimneys and upload them with the tags "roadside drain" and another the street name, along with the observation field "Sign" set to "Burrow".

Thanks for your assistance...

In 2019 a community forum was held in Kallista discussing Burrowing Crayfish in general and the Dandenong Ranges Burrowing Crayfish specifically. It was hosted by the Yarra Ranges Council and was presented by Diane Crowther from the Arthur Rylah Institute.

We were taken into the National Park and shown the difference in burrows between E. tuberculatus on the creek banks and hillsides and E. urostrictus in the wash of the headwaters of the creek. Since then I've been on the lookout for the mud chimneys when out walking in the forest.

During the last couple of years we've done a lot of walking around the local roads. It was a bit of a surprise when I first saw a mud chimney alongside the road in the table drains. It doesn't seem like an ideal habitat, but the more I looked the more I saw. And I guess it shouldn't be too surprising as the drains are emulating the creeks, streams and waterways they call home.

It seems interesting that some of the burrows seem to be higher up on the roadside drains embankment, while others are down at water level, in the wash, of the table drain. Emulating the arrangement seen in the forest a few years ago with the Tubercle and Dandenong Ranges Burrowing Crayfish.

I'm not sure what species of Engaeus these burrows belong to, and it'd be good to see some research interest that could shine a light. It seems that these populations are particularly vulnerable to disturbance and habitat destruction from road use and maintenance activities.

In the meantime, as I continue to walk the local streets, I'll record sightings of these mud chimneys as I come across them...