Home-range studies in a reintroduced brush-tailed rock-wallaby (Petrogale penicillata) population in the Grampians National Park, Victoria
Jenny Molyneux A B E , David A. Taggart A B , Anthony Corrigan C and Sean Frey D
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Department of Earth and Environmental Science, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
B Conservation Ark, Royal Zoological Society of South Australia, Frome Road, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia.
C Ecodiversity, ‘Kilara’, Yellowbox Road, The Angle, NSW 2620, Australia.
D Parks Canada, Riding Mountain National Park of Canada, Wasagaming, Manitoba R0J 2H0, Canada.
E Corresponding author. Email: jennifer.molyneux@adelaide.edu.au
Australian Mammalogy 33(2) 128-134 https://doi.org/10.1071/AM10039
Submitted: 29 October 2010 Accepted: 29 April 2011 Published: 12 September 2011
Abstract
In 2008, after 9 years of presumed local extinction, brush-tailed rock-wallabies (Petrogale penicillata) were reintroduced at Moora Moora Creek in the Grampians National Park, western Victoria. Since little is known about this species in Victoria, the reintroduction presented an important opportunity to gain information on the species’ ecology. Radio-tracking was undertaken and home range determined for three individuals released 11 months before this study and a further five individuals that were released at the commencement of the study in October 2009. Home-range size showed little variation amongst individuals, with a mean overall home range of 26 ha (±1.69, s.e.) and a mean core home range of 2.5 ha (±0.24, s.e.). Newly reintroduced individuals showed higher levels of association with wallabies from the same release and greater site fidelity when known conspecifics were close. Within 5 months of release, newly reintroduced animals showed home ranges similar in both size and distribution to those of animals released 11 months prior.
Additional keywords: activity patterns, macropodid, marsupial, radio-tracking, social organisation.
References
Batchelor, T. A. (1980). The social organisation of the brush-tailed rock wallaby (Petrogale penicillata penicillata) on Motutapu Island. M.Sc. Thesis, University of Auckland.Bramwell, M. (2010). Draft Flora and Fauna Guarantee Action Statement – Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby Department of Sustainability and Environment, Melbourne.
Bramwell, M., Andrews, L., Brook, L., Corrigan, T., Stevens, M., Shultz, D., and Taggart, D. A. (2008). Reintroduction plan for the release of brush-tailed rock-wallabies (Petrogale penicillata) into Moora Moora Creek, Grampians National Park, Victoria. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Bairnsdale, Victoria.
Carter, K., and Goldizen, A. W. (2003). Habitat choice and vigilance behaviour of brush-tailed rock-wallabies (Petrogale penicillata) within their nocturnal foraging ranges. Wildlife Research 30, 355–364.
| Habitat choice and vigilance behaviour of brush-tailed rock-wallabies (Petrogale penicillata) within their nocturnal foraging ranges.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Clausen, L. (2009). ‘The Shadow.’ (Department of Sustainability and Environment: Melbourne.)
Close, R. L., Eldridge, M. D. B., Bell, J. N., and Reside, J. (1994). A genetic study of the brush-tailed rock-wallaby Petrogale penicillata in East Gippsland and relevance for management of the species in Victoria. Pacific Conservation Biology 1, 367–371.
Delaney, R., Temple-Smith, P. D., and McLean, N. (2005). Translocation strategy for the brush-tailed rock-wallaby in Victoria. Unpublished report to the Victorian Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby Recovery Team, Department of Sustainability and Environment. EnvironSense Consulting, Melbourne.
Eldridge, M. D. B., Browning, T. L., and Close, R. L. (2001). Provenance of a New Zealand brush-tailed rock-wallaby (Petrogale penicillata) population determined by mitochondrial DNA sequence analysis. Molecular Ecology 10, 2561–2567.
| Provenance of a New Zealand brush-tailed rock-wallaby (Petrogale penicillata) population determined by mitochondrial DNA sequence analysis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD3MXot1Sqt78%3D&md5=1e64696ca4bbf13b0696e1ff8a8d3390CAS |
ESRI (2009). ArcMap 9.2. (Ed. ESR Institute). (ESRI: Redlands, CA.)
Evans, M. (1996). Home ranges and movement schedules of sympatric bridled nailtail and black-striped wallabies. Wildlife Research 23, 547–556.
| Home ranges and movement schedules of sympatric bridled nailtail and black-striped wallabies.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hazlitt, S. L., Goldizen, A. W., and Eldridge, M. D. B. (2006a). Significant patterns of population genetic structure and limited gene flow in a threatened macropodid marsupial despite continuous habitat in southeast Queensland, Australia. Conservation Genetics 7, 675–689.
| Significant patterns of population genetic structure and limited gene flow in a threatened macropodid marsupial despite continuous habitat in southeast Queensland, Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD28XhtVWgtLvI&md5=ff4a5defc80e7f52afad108688d71cebCAS |
Hazlitt, S. L., Sigg, D. P., Eldridge, M. D. B., and Goldizen, A. W. (2006b). Restricted mating dispersal and strong breeding group structure in a mid-sized marsupial mammal (Petrogale penicillata). Molecular Ecology 15, 2997–3007.
| Restricted mating dispersal and strong breeding group structure in a mid-sized marsupial mammal (Petrogale penicillata).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BD28vovVeqsA%3D%3D&md5=5c68cc440ae76aaea2ccc83d27a2681cCAS |
Horne, J. S., and Garton, E. O. (2006). Likelihood cross-validation versus least squares cross-validation for choosing the smoothing parameter in kernel home-range analysis. Journal of Wildlife Management 70, 641–648.
| Likelihood cross-validation versus least squares cross-validation for choosing the smoothing parameter in kernel home-range analysis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Horsup, A. (1994). Home-range of the allied rock-wallaby, Petrogale assimilis. Wildlife Research 21, 65–84.
| Home-range of the allied rock-wallaby, Petrogale assimilis.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Horsup, A. (1996). The behavioural ecology of the allied rock-wallaby, Petrogale assimilis. Ph.D. Thesis, James Cook University, Townsville.
Jarman, P. J., and Bayne, P. (1997). Behavioural ecology of Petrogale penicillata in relation to conservation. Australian Mammalogy 19, 219–228.
Joblin, K. P. W. (1983). Behaviour and ecology of the brush-tailed rock-wallaby, Petrogale penicillata, in the New England Region. M.Sc. Thesis, University of New England, Armidale.
Kenward, R. E., Clarke, R. T., Hodder, K. H., and Walls, S. S. (2001). Density and linkage estimators of home range: nearest-neighbor clustering defines multinuclear cores. Ecology 82, 1905–1920.
| Density and linkage estimators of home range: nearest-neighbor clustering defines multinuclear cores.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lapidge, S. J. (2002). Reintroduction biology of yellow-footed rock-wallabies (Petrogale xanthopus celeris and P. x. xanthopus). Ph.D. Thesis, University of Sydney.
Laws, R. J., and Goldizen, A. W. (2003). Nocturnal home ranges and social interactions of the brush-tailed rock-wallaby Petrogale penicillata at Hurdle Creek, Queensland. Australian Mammalogy 25, 169–176.
Lindstedt, S. L., Miller, B. J., and Buskirk, S. W. (1986). Home range, time and body size in mammals. Ecology 67, 413–418.
| Home range, time and body size in mammals.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Lunney, D., Law, B., and Rummery, C. (1997). An ecological interpretation of the historical decline of the brush-tailed rock-wallaby Petrogale penicillata in New South Wales. Australian Mammalogy 19, 281–296.
Lunt, I., and Bennett, A. F. (2000). Temperate woodlands in Victoria: distribution, composition, and conservation. In ‘Temperate Eucalypt Woodlands in Australia: Biology, Conservation, Management, and Restoration’. (Eds R. J. Hobbs and C. J. Yates.) pp. 17–31. (Surrey Beatty: Sydney.)
Mech, L. D. (1983). ‘Handbook of Animal Radio-tracking.’ (University of Minnesota Press: Minneapolis.)
Nams, V. O. (2006). ‘Locate III User’s Guide.’ (Pacer Computer Software: Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia, Canada.)
Parks Victoria (2009). Grampians Ark – Back in Balance. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Melbourne.
Piggott, M. P., Banks, S. C., and Taylor, A. C. (2006). Population structure of brush-tailed rock-wallaby (Petrogale penicillata) colonies inferred from analysis of faecal DNA. Molecular Ecology 15, 93–105.
| Population structure of brush-tailed rock-wallaby (Petrogale penicillata) colonies inferred from analysis of faecal DNA.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD28XitVGkt78%3D&md5=79c172ec0976d6dcee70cdc751dae045CAS |
Radushev, D. (2007). ‘GraphPad Prism version 5.02 for Windows’ (Software MacKiev: San Diego CA.)
Robinson, A. C., Lim, L., Canty, P. D., Jenkins, R. B., and Macdonald, C. A. (1994). Studies of the yellow-footed rock-wallaby, Petrogale xanthopus xanthopus Gray (Marsupialia: Macropodidae) – Population studies at Middle Gorge, South Australia. Wildlife Research 21, 473–481.
| Studies of the yellow-footed rock-wallaby, Petrogale xanthopus xanthopus Gray (Marsupialia: Macropodidae) – Population studies at Middle Gorge, South Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
SAS (2008). ‘SAS® 9.2 Enhanced Logging Facilities.’ (SAS Institute Inc.:Cary, NC.)
Sharp, A. (1997). Insights into the dispersal patterns of yellow-footed rock-wallabies, Petrogale xanthopus. Australian Mammalogy 19, 229–238.
Sharp, A. (2009). Home range dynamics of the yellow-footed rock-wallaby (Petrogale xanthopus celeris) in central-western Queensland. Austral Ecology 34, 55–68.
| Home range dynamics of the yellow-footed rock-wallaby (Petrogale xanthopus celeris) in central-western Queensland.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Short, J. (1982). Habitat requirements of the brush-tailed rock-wallaby, Petrogale penicillata, in New South Wales. Australian Wildlife Research 9, 239–246.
| Habitat requirements of the brush-tailed rock-wallaby, Petrogale penicillata, in New South Wales.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Spence, K. A. (1998). The nocturnal activity patterns and distribution and dispersal of the brush-tailed rock-wallaby, Petrogale penicillata, at Hurdle Creek. B.Nat.Res. Thesis, University of New England, Armidale.
Spencer, H. J., Lucas, G., and O’Connor, P. (1987). A remotely switched passive null-peak network for animals tracking and radio direction finding. Australian Wildlife Research 14, 311–317.
| A remotely switched passive null-peak network for animals tracking and radio direction finding.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Taggart, D. A., Clausen, L., Stevens, M., Bramwell, M., and Corrigan, T. (2008). Brush-tailed rock-wallaby reintroduction site assessment guide for the Grampians National Park, Victoria. Department of Sustainability and Environment, Melbourne
Taylor, R. J. (1993). Home range, nest use and activity of the Tasmanian bettong, Bettongia giamardi. Wildlife Research 20, 87–95.
| Home range, nest use and activity of the Tasmanian bettong, Bettongia giamardi.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Telfer, W. R., and Griffiths, A. D. (2006). Dry-season use of space, habitats and shelters by the short-eared rock-wallaby (Petrogale brachyotis) in the monsoon tropics. Wildlife Research 33, 207–214.
| Dry-season use of space, habitats and shelters by the short-eared rock-wallaby (Petrogale brachyotis) in the monsoon tropics.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Van Dyck, S., and Strahan, R. (Eds) (2008). ‘The Mammals of Australia.’ 3rd edn. (New Holland Publishers: Sydney.)
Waldegrave-Knight, L. T. (2002). History, habitat and management: considerations in the selection of potential reintroduction and translocation sites for brush-tailed rock-wallaby, Petrogale penicillata, in East Gippsland, Victoria. Ph.D. Thesis, University of Melbourne.
Worton, B. J. (1987). A review of models of home range for animal movement. Ecological Modelling 38, 277–298.
| A review of models of home range for animal movement.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
