TY - JOUR
T1 - Population size, morphometrics and movement patterns of the brush-tailed mulgara (Dasycercus blythi)
T2 - is predation by mammalian predators having an effect?
AU - Read, Madison
AU - Morris, Keith
AU - Prince, Jane
AU - Sims, Colleen
AU - Mills, Harriet
AU - Lohr, Cheryl
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by the Chevron Gorgon Barrow Island Threatened and Priority Species Translocation Program, the Western Australian Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, the School of Animal Biology, University of Western Australia, and the Ray Hart Memorial Scholarship, which was awarded to Madison Read.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)).
PY - 2023/12/1
Y1 - 2023/12/1
N2 - Worldwide predation by feral cats has caused severe declines in many animal species. Prior to extinction, threatening processes typically alter species behaviour, habitat use, survival and reproductive rates. By monitoring these parameters, we may be able to determine if feral cats are a significant threatening process to a species prior to extinction. We aimed to test whether feral cats are negatively affecting the population size, morphometrics and movement patterns of mulgaras (Dasycercus blythi) on the Matuwa Indigenous Protected Area, in the arid rangelands of Western Australia. We hypothesised that mulgaras, which inhabit a cat-free environment, would have a larger home range and denser population, and be in better condition than those that inhabited an adjacent area with a suppressed density of feral cats. We trapped (n = 64), and radio-tracked (n = 19) mulgara inside and outside an 1100 ha cat-free fenced enclosure on five occasions in 2012. Treatment (i.e. inside or outside the cat-free enclosure) was a significant variable for explaining variation in mulgara density. There was no significant difference in morphometrics or the home ranges of mulgara between the sexes or treatments. Head length, pes length and weight, as well as tail width and length, were significantly different between sexes and over time, suggesting that seasonal variation influences mulgara populations more than low levels of cat predation.
AB - Worldwide predation by feral cats has caused severe declines in many animal species. Prior to extinction, threatening processes typically alter species behaviour, habitat use, survival and reproductive rates. By monitoring these parameters, we may be able to determine if feral cats are a significant threatening process to a species prior to extinction. We aimed to test whether feral cats are negatively affecting the population size, morphometrics and movement patterns of mulgaras (Dasycercus blythi) on the Matuwa Indigenous Protected Area, in the arid rangelands of Western Australia. We hypothesised that mulgaras, which inhabit a cat-free environment, would have a larger home range and denser population, and be in better condition than those that inhabited an adjacent area with a suppressed density of feral cats. We trapped (n = 64), and radio-tracked (n = 19) mulgara inside and outside an 1100 ha cat-free fenced enclosure on five occasions in 2012. Treatment (i.e. inside or outside the cat-free enclosure) was a significant variable for explaining variation in mulgara density. There was no significant difference in morphometrics or the home ranges of mulgara between the sexes or treatments. Head length, pes length and weight, as well as tail width and length, were significantly different between sexes and over time, suggesting that seasonal variation influences mulgara populations more than low levels of cat predation.
KW - arid rangelands
KW - brush-tailed mulgara
KW - Dasyurid
KW - fenced reserves
KW - invasive species
KW - marsupial
KW - restoration
KW - threatening processes
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85182902570&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1071/AM23024
DO - 10.1071/AM23024
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85182902570
SN - 0310-0049
VL - 46
JO - Australian Mammalogy
JF - Australian Mammalogy
IS - 1
M1 - AM23024
ER -