Quolls, cartoons, and creative connections
This story begins beneath the floorboards of a cottage in Kayena, northern Tasmania, where a spotted-tailed quoll was caught on camera slipping through a rough-cut hole in a weatherboard wall – nesting material clutched in its mouth.
Andrew had set up a camera under his home to check for neighbourhood cats after a neighbour mentioned seeing them disappear beneath the cottage. Sure enough, the footage confirmed their visits – but what Andrew didn’t expect was the surprise appearance of a quoll.
He submitted the footage to last year’s Camera Trap Chronicles – a WildTracker exhibition for National Science Week – sparking a series of conversations, ranging from curious carnivores to a few long-held ideas we’d been hoping to bring to life in the program.
This led us to Andrew’s daughter Charlotte, who was studying animation in the Advanced Diploma of Screen and Media at North Metropolitan TAFE in Western Australia. Her class was on the lookout for a real-world client to collaborate with on a video project, just as we were looking for a fun, engaging way to introduce WildTracker to new participants. We floated the idea of a short animation, and both Charlotte and her lecturer, Travis Badge, were immediately keen.
The brief was to create a playful, accessible video that celebrates Tasmania’s unique wildlife and the pride many locals feel for our natural heritage. From our oversized masked owls – twice the size of their mainland counterparts – to our fluffier echidnas and extra-adorable wombats, the animation needed to reflect the island’s distinctive species and subspecies. Because species ID is at the heart of WildTracker, it was also crucial that the animals be instantly recognisable, with accurate features, sounds, and movements. We think the team absolutely nailed it.
“Initially, there were some ups and downs, nerves and frustration, because working on some of the scenes was harder than others,” Charlotte said. “But to get through that challenge and then receive the positive feedback from TLC, it was so rewarding. I am glad we could meet their expectations and standards.”
We sent the team a long list of species commonly captured in camera traps, not expecting them all to make it in, but were thrilled to see they did! We especially asked for the native hen, or turbo chook (a favourite of many Tasmanians), to make a starring appearance. The blur of birds dashing across the screen and their distinctive calls is spot on, something many of you will instantly recognise.
Many of the animals we monitor for are nocturnal, so the video had to include some night scenes, capturing the thrill of spotlighting after dark, when you never quite know what you might encounter. The students brought this to life using a subtle red glow, mimicking the infrared lights of camera traps and the filtered beams used in night surveys.
The result is a mini adventure through Tasmania’s wilderness and countryside. The animation has a way of making people smile, laugh, and make involuntary “aawww” noises. Another standout moment is a bandicoot foraging while the lights glow in a nearby house. It’s a small detail, but it beautifully captures the heart of WildTracker: humans and wildlife quietly sharing space, often without realising.
For the students involved, the project offered more than just a learning experience. “This collaboration with TLC is a great example of how the course is so hands-on,” said lecturer Travis Badge. “Students get the opportunity to work with ‘real’ clients, and they’ve created something they can be proud of and include in their portfolio at the completion of their studies.”
Daniel Johnson, who composed the music for the animation, also spoke about what the project meant to him: “It was a lot of fun, and I am really happy we were given the opportunity to work on this project.”
What began with a moment of curiosity – someone wondering what was living beneath their house – grew into a cross-country collaboration that reflects what conservation is really built on: not only data and science, but connection, creativity, and shared stories. Something we hope that WildTracker will be able to build on in the future.
Huge thanks to Annabel, Daniel, Kai, Charlotte and their lecturers for contributing their skills and time to WildTracker. We wish the students all the best with their continued studies and careers.
