Annual Ringtail Tally 2025
Tally dates: Sunday 6th April – Sunday 4th May
Join the Annual Ringtail Tally and help protect Western Ringtail Possums
Grab your friends and family and become a citizen scientist for the annual Ringtail Tally! This exciting event invites community members of all ages to contribute to the conservation of the critically endangered Western Ringtail Possums. By participating, you’ll help gather valuable data that supports long-term conservation efforts.
What is the Ringtail Tally?
The Ringtail Tally is a community-based citizen science project that focuses on counting Western Ringtail Possums across the catchment area over one month. This event helps create a reliable database of possum sightings, which aids in tracking their population, understanding where they are found, and identifying trends over time.
The more data collected each year, the more valuable it becomes in supporting conservation decisions and ensuring the survival of this iconic species.
Why is the Ringtail Tally Important?
Each year, the data collected through the Tally plays a crucial role in providing a snapshot of the Western Ringtail Possum population. This information helps us:
Understand the distribution and abundance of possums
Guide future conservation planning and projects
Monitor trends in the possum population over time
The Tally’s impact grows every year as more participants get involved, creating a comprehensive and powerful resource for conservation.
The Tally is a great way for community members of all ages to engage in citizen science and help in the conservation of a critically endangered species. The information gained from the tally is building a reliable set of observation data that will improve our knowledge about where Western Ringtail Possums are found and in what numbers. This information is then used as a reference for population trends, future planning decisions and conservation projects. The data becomes more valuable each year the Tally is repeated.
How to Join the Ringtail Tally
Register: Sign up to participate by registering above. Download your data sheet here.
Choose a Location: Pick a location that’s easy for you to access (you must count in the same location each time).
Over the course of 4 weeks, count the possums you see in your chosen area at least once. The Tally starts on Sunday, 6th April and concludes on Sunday, 4th May.
Return your data sheet to go into the draw to win your very own possum box!
Whether you live in an urban area with a small garden, near bushland, or on a rural property, you can make a difference by counting possums in your local area.
The History of the Ringtail Tally
The Ringtail Tally was first established in 2016 by GeoCatch, in partnership with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA). What started as a local project has since expanded to include several regional partners:
Nature Conservation Margaret River
Leschenault Catchment Council
Wirambi Landcare
Oyster Harbour Catchment Group
These groups now lead the Tally in their respective communities, making it a truly regional event that spans multiple catchments.
If you need any further information please contact reception@leschenaultcc.org.au
Infographics of results from previous ringtail tally’s in the Leschenault Catchment can be found here.
The 2025 Ringtail Tally is part of our Wildlife for the Future program, in partnership with Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, and supported by WWF-Australia.
