Totes for Wildlife

Totes for Wildlife highlights a local threatened species each year and, through the sale of exclusive design tote bags, raises funds for the vital conservation projects we and our partners undertake to protect them.

Over 40,000 Zoos Victoria visitors have already helped create new habitat for Helmeted Honeyeaters and Mountain Pygmy-possums through Totes for Wildlife.

This year, the Plains-wanderer needs your support.

The Plains-wanderer

The grassland dwelling Plains-wanderer (Pedionomus torquatus) is one of the world’s most unique and unusual birds - they are the only bird in their family Pedionomidae and their closest relative is a South American shorebird!

Preferring short grasslands with cover and space to forage, their colouration allows for camouflage from predators. Unlike many bird species, it’s actually the female that is both larger and more brightly coloured than males.

Now restricted largely to areas in the Northern Plains of Victoria and the Riverina in New South Wales, these birds are Critically Endangered. With loss of their specific grassland habitat continuing to threaten the long-term survival of Plains-wanderers, Zoos Victoria is working with partners to protect the future of this amazing bird.

The sale of every Totes for Wildlife bag helps protect 30 square metres of habitat for the Plains-wanderer.

Working alongside National Recovery Team partners and Trust for Nature, tote bag sales will help fund a conservation covenant on privately-owned land in northern Victoria. These covenants are forever, and ensure that grassland conditions are maintained in a way that is suitable for the land-holder and provides much needed habitat for the Plains-wanderer.

How has Totes for Wildlife helped threatened species so far?

Since 2019, more than 40,000 Totes for Wildlife bags have been purchased. Thanks to you who bought a tote bag and our conservation partners, this has resulted in:

15,000 trees being planted at Yellingbo Nature Conservation Reserve to increase available habitat for Helmeted Honeyeaters. Over 4,500 Mountain plum pines and other alpine food plants have already been planted in Mountain Pygmy-possum habitat here in Victoria, and more will be planted in the 2022 season. Tote bags sales have also funded habitat improvement works in alpine areas of New South Wales to help the Mountain Pygmy-possum recovery after the Black Summer bushfires.