Lake Macquarie is quickly becoming home to dozens of new Sugar Gliders.
The small marsupials have only recently been increasing in numbers in Lake Macquarie's State Conservation Areas indicating the ecosystem is thriving.
Reannan Honey, a PhD Student at the University of Technology, regularly checks up on the gliders and has installed nests and motion cameras to record their nocturnal activities. She says its the first time shes seen this species across 20 sites in Lake Macquarie.
"Understanding how the population changes based on various pressures such as bush fires and drought can help conserve the population," she says.
As part of conservation efforts, the gliders are trapped, weighed and checked for a microchip before finally being released into the wild.
Over time, this research will assist council to protect and avoid disrupting valuable populations of wildlife.
Research sites are situated in suburbs such as Morriset, Rathmines, Eleebana, Tingira Heights, Whitebridge and Dudley.
PhD Student Reannan Honey releasing a Sugar Glider in Lake Macquarie
