TY - JOUR
T1 - Shedding light on a cryptic macropodid
T2 - Home ranges and habitat preferences of translocated western brush wallabies (Notamacropus irma)
AU - Povh, Leticia F.
AU - Bencini, Roberta
AU - Chambers, Brian K.
AU - Kreplins, Tracey L.
AU - Willers, Nicole
AU - Adams, Peter J.
AU - Wann, Joanne
AU - Kobryn, Halina T.
AU - Fleming, Patricia A.
PY - 2019
Y1 - 2019
N2 - A salvage translocation of western brush wallabies (Notamacropus irma (Jourdan, 1837)) was a condition of approval to build a new runway at Jandakot Airport, Western Australia. Since little is known about this endemic Western Australian species, the translocation presented a valuable opportunity to gain information on the species after release into Harry Waring Marsupial Reserve, a 260-ha reserve where these animals had been recorded previously. We aimed to gain information on the biology and ecology of the species and follow the movement of individuals tracked with Global Positioning System (GPS) collars over six months to determine their short-term survival, home-range establishment, overlap in home range between individuals, and habitat utilisation in the reserve. Weekly mean home-range estimates did not differ between males (10.0 ± 9.7 (s.d.) ha, 95% KDE, n = 6) and females (12.1 ± 6.1 (s.d.) ha, 95% KDE, n = 5) (P = 0.473). Some males had 67-70% overlap in home ranges with some females, but substantial distances maintained between individuals (from 123 ± 110 m to 292 ± 303 m) confirmed the solitary nature of the species. Western brush wallabies preferred Banksia spp. woodlands, possibly due to the availability of canopy cover, and some specific understorey associations, such as Hibbertia hypericoides, that form part of their diet. Our study highlighted the importance of understanding the home-range establishment and vegetation preferences of translocated animals that will inform the planning of future translocations.
AB - A salvage translocation of western brush wallabies (Notamacropus irma (Jourdan, 1837)) was a condition of approval to build a new runway at Jandakot Airport, Western Australia. Since little is known about this endemic Western Australian species, the translocation presented a valuable opportunity to gain information on the species after release into Harry Waring Marsupial Reserve, a 260-ha reserve where these animals had been recorded previously. We aimed to gain information on the biology and ecology of the species and follow the movement of individuals tracked with Global Positioning System (GPS) collars over six months to determine their short-term survival, home-range establishment, overlap in home range between individuals, and habitat utilisation in the reserve. Weekly mean home-range estimates did not differ between males (10.0 ± 9.7 (s.d.) ha, 95% KDE, n = 6) and females (12.1 ± 6.1 (s.d.) ha, 95% KDE, n = 5) (P = 0.473). Some males had 67-70% overlap in home ranges with some females, but substantial distances maintained between individuals (from 123 ± 110 m to 292 ± 303 m) confirmed the solitary nature of the species. Western brush wallabies preferred Banksia spp. woodlands, possibly due to the availability of canopy cover, and some specific understorey associations, such as Hibbertia hypericoides, that form part of their diet. Our study highlighted the importance of understanding the home-range establishment and vegetation preferences of translocated animals that will inform the planning of future translocations.
KW - black-gloved wallaby
KW - GPS
KW - home-range overlap
KW - salvage translocation
KW - sexual monomorphism
KW - urban wildlife.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85049254514&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1071/AM17041
DO - 10.1071/AM17041
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85049254514
SN - 0310-0049
VL - 41
SP - 82
EP - 91
JO - Australian Mammalogy
JF - Australian Mammalogy
IS - 1
ER -