By ALANA MITCHELSON
BERWICK students have won a state-wide competition to name Zoos Victoria’s adorable new Guardian Dog puppies.
St Margaret’s School Grade 6 students suggested two of the winning names for the newest Maremma pup arrivals for the Guardian Dog Program at Werribee Open Range Zoo.
Thirty-eight schools participated in the competition, with almost 400 individual names suggested, but Gunyah and Killara were favourites.
Other winning schools ensured the third furry recruit would be named Barkley.
Inspired by the role Guardian Dogs would play in protecting bandicoots, the Berwick students put forward Gunyah, an Indigenous word meaning ‘place of shelter’ while the name Killara was submitted for its indigenous meaning of ‘always there’, just as the puppies will be there for their “bandicoot buddies”.
St Margaret’s School Grade 6 students won a visit to the Werribee zoo for an Endangered Race program. As part of this experience, students will have the opportunity to explore the native grassland ecosystem of the zoo’s predator-proof release site and meet an eastern barred bandicoot.
All participating schools also received a resource pack to help them continue learning about conservation in the classroom.
Gunyah, Killara and Barkley will take part in a five-year trial run by Zoos Victoria to determine if Guardian Dogs can protect eastern barred bandicoots from predators such as foxes and feral cats.
Up to eight Maremma Guardian Dogs will take part in the trial with each dog spending two years in a special facility at Werribee Open Range Zoo where they will be gradually introduced to sheep, eastern barred bandicoots and other native species.
There are currently six dogs in training including new recruits Barkley, Killara and Gunyah.
Zoos Victoria’s Guardian Dog project co-ordinator Dave Williams said it was difficult to select a winner.
“We were thrilled to see the effort that students had put in to researching eastern barred bandicoots and in really thinking about their native habitat and the protective traits of Guardian Dogs,” he said.
“Now that students have learnt about the eastern barred bandicoot, we hope that they will be inspired to share their knowledge and help raise awareness about this amazing local species.”
