Bare-nosed wombats (Vombatus ursinus) use drainage culverts to cross roads
Natasha Crook A C , Stuart C. Cairns A and Karl Vernes B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Zoology, School of Environmental and Rural Sciences, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia.
B Ecosystem Management, School of Environmental and Rural Sciences, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: ncrook4@gmail.com
Australian Mammalogy 35(1) 23-29 https://doi.org/10.1071/AM11042
Submitted: 3 November 2011 Accepted: 28 March 2012 Published: 26 October 2012
Abstract
Despite drainage culverts being numerous along highways, there is a scarcity of data evaluating their use as roadway underpasses by wildlife, including the bare-nosed wombat (Vombatus ursinus), a large marsupial that is involved in substantial numbers of vehicle collisions in New South Wales. Culvert use was measured with camera traps positioned at 19 drainage culverts along an 8-km stretch of ‘Thunderbolt’s Way’ near Nowendoc on the Northern Tableland, north-eastern New South Wales. The estimated probability of the occupancy/use of a culvert by a wombat was 0.46 ± 0.10. Culvert use was related to structural variables (e.g. diameter and length) and both the distance to the next adjacent culvert and to forest cover. This suggests that wombats readily use drainage culverts to cross under roads and that these structures could be modified (e.g. by maintaining proximate forest cover) to increase the likelihood that wombats would use them, thus reducing vehicle collisions and road mortality of wombats.
Additional keywords: camera trap, occupancy estimation, road mortality, road-kill, wildlife underpasses.
References
Ascensão, F. M., and Mira, A. (2007). Factors affecting culvert use by vertebrates along two stretches of roads in southern Portugal. Ecological Research 22, 57–66.| Factors affecting culvert use by vertebrates along two stretches of roads in southern Portugal.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Beckmann, J. P., Clevenger, A. P., and Hujiser, M. (2010). ‘Safe Passages: Highways, Wildlife, and Habitat Connectivity.’ (Island Press: Washington.)
Bureau of Meteorology (2010). Nowendoc, New South Wales: monthly rainfall. Observations from Green Hill MO (station 060104). Bureau of Meteorology, Commonwealth of Australia. Available at http://www.bom.gov.au/jsp/ncc/cdio/weatherData/av?p_nccObsCode=139&p_display_type=dataFile&p_startYear=&p_stn_num=060104 [Verified 10 September 2010].
Burnham, K. P., and Anderson, D. R. (2002). ‘Model Selection and Multimodal Inference: A Practical Information-Theoretic Approach.’ (Springer: New York.)
Chambers, B., and Bencini, R. (2010). Road mortality reduces survival and population growth rates of tammar wallabies on Garden Island, Western Australia. Wildlife Research 37, 588–596.
| Road mortality reduces survival and population growth rates of tammar wallabies on Garden Island, Western Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Clevenger, A. P., and Waltho, N. (2000). Factors influencing the effectiveness of wildlife underpasses in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada. Conservation Biology 14, 47–56.
| Factors influencing the effectiveness of wildlife underpasses in Banff National Park, Alberta, Canada.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Clevenger, A. P., Chruszcz, B., and Gunson, K. (2001). Drainage culverts as habitat linkages and factors affecting passage by mammals. Journal of Applied Ecology 38, 1340–1349.
| Drainage culverts as habitat linkages and factors affecting passage by mammals.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Cooch, E., and White, G. (2005). Program Mark: a gentle introduction. Available at http://www.phidot.org/software/mark/docs/book [Verified 10 September 2010].
Crook, N. (2011). Factors associated with road mortality of the bare-nosed wombat (Vombatus ursinus) in the Nowendoc ‘hot spot’ region. B.Sc.(Honours) Thesis, University of New England.
Dique, D. S., Thompson, J., Preece, H. J., Penfold, G. C., Devilliers, D. L., and Leslie, R. S. (2003). Koala mortality on roads in south-east Queensland: the koala speed-zone trial. Wildlife Research 30, 419–426.
| Koala mortality on roads in south-east Queensland: the koala speed-zone trial.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Environmental System Research Institute Inc (ESRI) (2010). ‘ArcMap Version 9.3.’ (Redlands, CA.)
Evans, M. C. (1999). Ecological energetics of wombats. Ph.D. Thesis, University of New England, Armidale.
Evans, M. C. (2008). Home range, burrow-use and activity patterns in common wombats (Vombatus ursinus). Wildlife Research 35, 455–462.
| Home range, burrow-use and activity patterns in common wombats (Vombatus ursinus).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Forman, R. T. T., and Alexander, L. E. (1998). Roads and their major ecological effects. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics 29, 207–231.
| Roads and their major ecological effects.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Glista, D. J., Devault, T. L., and DeWoody, J. A. (2009). A review of mitigation measures for reducing wildlife mortality on roadways. Landscape and Urban Planning 91, 1–7.
| A review of mitigation measures for reducing wildlife mortality on roadways.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Grilo, C., Bissonette, J. A., and Santos-Reis, M. (2008). Response of carnivores to existing highway culverts and underpasses: implications for road planning and mitigation. Biodiversity and Conservation 17, 1685–1699.
| Response of carnivores to existing highway culverts and underpasses: implications for road planning and mitigation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Harris, I. M., Mills, H. R., and Bencini, R. (2010). Multiple individual southern brown bandicoots (Isoodon obesulus fusciventer) and foxes (Vulpes vulpes) use underpasses installed at a new highway in Perth, Western Australia. Wildlife Research 37, 127–133.
| Multiple individual southern brown bandicoots (Isoodon obesulus fusciventer) and foxes (Vulpes vulpes) use underpasses installed at a new highway in Perth, Western Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hobday, A. J., and Minstrell, M. L. (2008). Distribution and abundance of roadkill on Tasmanian highways: human management options. Wildlife Research 35, 712–726.
| Distribution and abundance of roadkill on Tasmanian highways: human management options.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hunt, A., Dickens, H. J., and Whelan, R. J. (1987). Movement of mammals through tunnels under railway lines. Australian Zoologist 24, 89–93.
Jones, M. E. (2000). Road upgrade, road mortality and remedial measures: impacts on a population of eastern quolls and Tasmanian devils. Wildlife Research 27, 289–296.
| Road upgrade, road mortality and remedial measures: impacts on a population of eastern quolls and Tasmanian devils.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Karanth, K. U., Gopalaswamy, A. M., Kumar, N. S., Vaidyanathan, S., Nichols, J. D., and MacKenzie, D. I. (2011). Monitoring carnivore populations at the landscape scale: occupancy modelling of tigers from sign surveys. Journal of Applied Ecology 48, 1048–1056.
| Monitoring carnivore populations at the landscape scale: occupancy modelling of tigers from sign surveys.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Krawchuk, A., Weir, K. W., and Davis, H. (2005). Passage through a small drainage culvert by mule deer, Odocilus hemionus, and by other mammals. Canadian Field Naturalist 70, 1615–1624.
Linkie, M., Dinata, Y., Nugroho, A., and Haidir, I. A. (2007). Estimating occupancy of a data deficient mammalian species living in tropical rainforests: sun bears in the Kerinci Seblat region, Sumatra. Biological Conservation 137, 20–27.
| Estimating occupancy of a data deficient mammalian species living in tropical rainforests: sun bears in the Kerinci Seblat region, Sumatra.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
MacKenzie, D., and Hines, J. (2010). ‘PRESENCE Beta Review 3.0.’ (Proteus Research and Consulting Ltd: New Zealand.)
MacKenzie, D. I., Nichols, J. D., Lachman, G. B., Droege, S., Royle, J. A., and Langtimm, C. A. (2002). Estimating site occupancy rates when detection probabilities are less than one. Ecology 83, 2248–2255.
| Estimating site occupancy rates when detection probabilities are less than one.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
MacKenzie, D. I., Nichols, J. D., Royle, J. A., Pollock, K. H., Bailey, L. L., and Hines, J. E. (2006). ‘Occupancy Estimation and Modelling: Inferring patterns and Dynamics of Species Occurrence.’ (Academic Press: Burlington.)
Malo, J. E., Herrvas, I., Mata, C., Herranz, J., and Suárez, F. (2006). How many days to monitor a wildlife passage? Species detection patterns and the estimation of vertebrate fauna using crossing structure in a motorway. In ‘On the roads to Stewardship. Proceedings of the International Conference on Ecology and Transportation (ICOET-05)’. (Eds C. Leroy, P. Garret, and K. P. McDermott.) pp. 406–413. (Centre for Transportation and the Environment: USA.)
Mata, C., Herva, S. L., Herranz, J., Suarez, F., and Malo, J. E. (2005). Complementary use by vertebrates of crossing structures along a fenced Spanish motorway. Biological Conservation 124, 397–405.
| Complementary use by vertebrates of crossing structures along a fenced Spanish motorway.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
McCoy, S. (2005). MetroCount traffic executive vehicle counts (virtual day): Thunderbolt’s Way. Walcha Council, New South Wales.
Mcllroy, J. C. (1973). Aspects of the ecology of the common wombat Vombatus ursinus (Shaw 1800). Ph.D. Thesis, Australian National University, Canberra.
O’Connell, A. F., Talany, N. W., Bailey, L. L., Saver, J. R., Cook, R., and Gilbert, A. T. (2006). Estimating site occupancy and detection probability parameter for meso- and large mammals in a coastal ecosystem. Journal of Wildlife Management 70, 1626–1633.
Otis, D. L., Burnham, K. P., White, G. C., and Anderson, D. R. (1987). Statistical inference from capture data on closed animal populations. Wildlife Monographs 62, 1–135.
Ramp, D., and Ben-ami, D. (2006). The effect of road-based fatalities on the viability of a peri-urban swamp wallaby population. Journal of Wildlife Management 70, 1615–1624.
| The effect of road-based fatalities on the viability of a peri-urban swamp wallaby population.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ramp, D., Caldwell, J., Edwards, K. A., Warton, D., and Croft, D. B. (2005). Modelling of wildlife fatality hotspots along the Snowy Mountain Highway in New South Wales, Australia. Biological Conservation 126, 474–490.
| Modelling of wildlife fatality hotspots along the Snowy Mountain Highway in New South Wales, Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rodriguez, A., Crema, G., and Delibes, M. (1996). Use of non-wildlife passages across a high speed railway by terrestrial vertebrates. Journal of Applied Ecology 33, 1527–1540.
| Use of non-wildlife passages across a high speed railway by terrestrial vertebrates.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Roger, E., and Ramp, D. (2009). Incorporating habitat use in models of fauna fatalities on roads. Diversity & Distributions 15, 222–231.
| Incorporating habitat use in models of fauna fatalities on roads.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Roger, E., Laffran, S. W., and Ramp, D. (2007). Habitat selection by the common wombat (Vombatus ursinus) in disturbed environments: implications for the conservation of a ‘common species’. Biological Conservation 137, 437–449.
| Habitat selection by the common wombat (Vombatus ursinus) in disturbed environments: implications for the conservation of a ‘common species’.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sarmento, P. B., Cruz, J., Eira, C., and Fonseca, C. (2010). Modeling the occupancy of sympatric carnivorans in a Mediterranean ecosystem. European Journal of Wildlife Research 50, 1612–1620.
Skerratt, L. F., Skerratt, J. H. L., Banks, S., Martin, R., and Handasyde, K. (2004). Aspects of the ecology of common wombats (Vombatus ursinus) at high density on pastoral land in Victoria. Australian Journal of Zoology 52, 303–330.
| Aspects of the ecology of common wombats (Vombatus ursinus) at high density on pastoral land in Victoria.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
SPOT (2010). ‘Satellite Image of Thunderbolt’s Way, Spot Image.’ (Toulouse, France.)
Taylor, B. D., and Goldingay, R. L. (2003). Cutting the carnage: wildlife usage of road culverts in north-eastern New South Wales. Wildlife Research 30, 529–537.
| Cutting the carnage: wildlife usage of road culverts in north-eastern New South Wales.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Taylor, B. D., and Goldingay, R. L. (2010). Roads and wildlife: impacts, mitigation and implications for wildlife management in Australia. Wildlife Research 37, 320–331.
| Roads and wildlife: impacts, mitigation and implications for wildlife management in Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Thorn, M., Green, M., Bateman, P. W., Waite, S., and Scott, D. M. (2011). Brown hyaenas on roads: estimating carnivore occupancy and abundance using spatially auto-correlated signs survey replicates. Biological Conservation 144, 1799–1807.
| Brown hyaenas on roads: estimating carnivore occupancy and abundance using spatially auto-correlated signs survey replicates.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Triggs, B. (2009). ‘Wombats.’ (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne.)
