Artificial refuges for wildlife

Habitat loss and degradation are some of the most devastating threats to wildlife across the globe, particularly in the wake of industrial development.

Artificial refuges for wildlife are human-made safe havens where animals can breed, hibernate or take shelter. Charles Sturt University researchers realised that there is little understanding of the science behind artificial refuges and best practice for their design and implementation for wildlife conservation.

To address this, they reviewed 224 different refuges used to conserve wildlife species and developed a series of key steps for designing, implementing and monitoring artificial refuges to maximise the chances of achieving successful conservation outcomes. Their research earned worldwide media coverage, including in the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States.

Furthermore, former Bachelor of Science (Honours) student Michael Callan, who worked on the research alongside Professor David Watson, has taken the research one step further. With support from Sustainability at Charles Sturt and Transport for NSW, Mr Callan has successfully prototyped and developed 3D printed nest boxes.

These modular nest boxes feature organic shapes and thermal properties which mimic nature, they are recyclable and bond to the host tree with a 100 per cent recycled material mounting system.

A design patent for the innovative solution has been granted and commercial production of 2,000 units was completed in Orange, NSW.