Artificial nectar supplementation for vertebrates after wildfires – proof of concept

Following the 2019–2020 wildfires of Kangaroo Island, the threatened little pygmy-possum (Cercartetus lepidus) lost 88% of its range. We determined whether supplementary nectar could be delivered successfully for wildlife recovery and developed a proof of concept for Cercartetus spp. We created the Stonor feeder, which can be made cheaply, and was used by C. concinnus, brushtail possums, several bird species, and even the marbled gecko, not previously known to feed on nectar. Although the deployment of such a feeding program might assist some threatened species, whether it should be conducted needs serious evaluation, planning, and scientific investigation.