A trial reintroduction of the western quoll to a fenced conservation reserve: implications of returning native predators
R. S. West A D , L. Tilley B and K. E. Moseby A C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.
B School of Biological Sciences, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, SA 5005, Australia.
C Arid Recovery Ltd, PO Box 147, Roxby Downs, SA 5725, Australia.
D Corresponding author: Email: rebecca.west@unsw.edu.au
Australian Mammalogy 42(3) 257-265 https://doi.org/10.1071/AM19041
Submitted: 16 June 2019 Accepted: 29 September 2019 Published: 16 October 2019
Journal Compilation © Australian Mammal Society 2020 Open Access CC BY-NC-ND
Abstract
While fenced reserves provide sanctuary for many threatened prey species, few projects have reintroduced native threatened predators, despite their potential role in regulating prey, addressing prey naivety, trophic regulation, and predator conservation. We aimed to investigate a set of issues unique to predator reintroduction into fenced reserves: how to contain predators that are naturally wide roaming, how to estimate carrying capacity, and will native predators impact resident threatened species? We conducted a trial reintroduction of four western quolls (Dasyurus geoffroii) (two males, two females) into a fenced reserve where four threatened prey species had been reintroduced and feral cats and foxes excluded. We monitored quoll survival, diet, movement and reproduction. Nocturnal foraging ranges measured over a fortnight were 3–17 km2, favouring burrows in dune habitat for shelter. Dietary analysis indicated a preference for reintroduced bettongs and western barred bandicoots, and resident hopping mice. Successful breeding was recorded but the two male quolls eventually escaped the reserve by climbing over the external fence and did not return. Results suggest that quoll reintroductions to fenced reserves will require fence designs that enable quolls to climb back into the reserve, threat management outside the reserve, and close monitoring of prey species.
Additional keywords: chuditch, fenced reserve, predator, quoll, reintroduction, translocation.
References
Blumstein, D. T., and Daniel, J. C. (2005). The loss of anti-predator behaviour following isolation on islands. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B, Biological Sciences 272, 1663–1668.| The loss of anti-predator behaviour following isolation on islands.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Brunner, H., and Coman, B. J. (1974). ‘The Identification of Mammalian Hair.’ (Inkata Press: Melbourne.)
Burns, B., Innes, J., and Day, T. (2012). The use and potential of pest-proof fencing for ecosystem restoration and fauna conservation in New Zealand. In ‘Fencing for Conservation’. (Eds M. Somers, and M. Hayward.) pp. 65–90. (Springer: New York.)
DEC (2012). Chuditch (Dasyurus geoffroii) recovery plan. Department of Environment and Conservation, Perth.
ESRI (2014). ArcGIS Desktop: Release 10.3.
Gervasi, V., Nilsen, E. B., Sand, H., Panzacchi, M., Rauset, G. R., Pedersen, H. C., Kindberg, J., Wabakken, P., Zimmermann, B., and Odden, J. (2012). Predicting the potential demographic impact of predators on their prey: a comparative analysis of two carnivore–ungulate systems in Scandinavia. Journal of Animal Ecology 81, 443–454.
| Predicting the potential demographic impact of predators on their prey: a comparative analysis of two carnivore–ungulate systems in Scandinavia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 22077484PubMed |
Ginsberg, J. R. (2001). Setting priorities for carnivore conservation: what makes carnivores different? In ‘Carnivore Conservation’. (Eds J. L. Gittleman, S. M. Funk, D. Macdonald, and R. K. Wayne.) pp. 498–523. (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.)
Glen, A. S., and Dickman, C. R. (2005). Complex interactions among mammalian carnivores in Australia, and their implications for wildlife management. Biological Reviews of the Cambridge Philosophical Society 80, 387–401.
| Complex interactions among mammalian carnivores in Australia, and their implications for wildlife management.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 16094805PubMed |
Glen, A. S., Dickman, C. R., Soule, M. E., and Mackey, B. (2007). Evaluating the role of the dingo as a trophic regulator in Australian ecosystems. Austral Ecology 32, 492–501.
| Evaluating the role of the dingo as a trophic regulator in Australian ecosystems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Goldingay, R. L. (2015). A review of home-range studies on Australian terrestrial vertebrates: adequacy of studies, testing of hypotheses, and relevance to conservation and international studies. Australian Journal of Zoology 63, 136–146.
| A review of home-range studies on Australian terrestrial vertebrates: adequacy of studies, testing of hypotheses, and relevance to conservation and international studies.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Greenwood, P. J. (1980). Mating systems, philopatry and dispersal in birds and mammals. Animal Behaviour 28, 1140–1162.
| Mating systems, philopatry and dispersal in birds and mammals.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Griffiths, A. D., Rankmore, B., Brennan, K., and Woinarski, J. C. Z. (2017). Demographic evaluation of translocating the threatened northern quoll to two Australian islands. Wildlife Research 44, 238–247.
| Demographic evaluation of translocating the threatened northern quoll to two Australian islands.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hayward, M. W. (2009). Moving beyond the descriptive: predicting the responses of top-order predators to reintroduction. In ‘Reintroduction of Top-order Predators’. (Eds M. W. Hayward, and M. Somers.) pp. 345–370. (Blackwell Publishing: Oxford.)
Hayward, M. W., Adendorff, J., Moolman, L., Hayward, G. J., and Kerley, G. (2007a). The successful reintroduction of leopard Panthera pardus to the Addo Elephant National Park. African Journal of Ecology 45, 103–104.
| The successful reintroduction of leopard Panthera pardus to the Addo Elephant National Park.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hayward, M. W., Kerley, G. I., Adendorff, J., Moolman, L. C., O’brien, J., Sholto-Douglas, A., Bissett, C., Bean, P., Fogarty, A., and Howarth, D. (2007b). The reintroduction of large carnivores to the Eastern Cape, South Africa: an assessment. Oryx 41, 205–214.
| The reintroduction of large carnivores to the Eastern Cape, South Africa: an assessment.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hayward, M. W., O’Brien, J., and Kerley, G. I. (2007c). Carrying capacity of large African predators: predictions and tests. Biological Conservation 139, 219–229.
| Carrying capacity of large African predators: predictions and tests.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hunter, D. O., Britz, T., Jones, M., and Letnic, M. (2015). Reintroduction of Tasmanian devils to mainland Australia can restore top-down control in ecosystems where dingoes have been extirpated. Biological Conservation 191, 428–435.
| Reintroduction of Tasmanian devils to mainland Australia can restore top-down control in ecosystems where dingoes have been extirpated.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Jacobs, J. (1974). Quantitative measurement of food selection. Oecologia 14, 413–417.
| Quantitative measurement of food selection.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 28308662PubMed |
Kruuk, H., and Jarman, P. (1995). Latrine use by the spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus: Dasyuridae, Marsupialia) in its natural habitat. Journal of Zoology (London, England) 236, 345–349.
| Latrine use by the spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus: Dasyuridae, Marsupialia) in its natural habitat.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Legge, S., Woinarski, J. C., Burbidge, A. A., Palmer, R., Ringma, J., Radford, J. Q., Mitchell, N., Bode, M., Wintle, B., and Baseler, M. (2018). Havens for threatened Australian mammals: the contributions of fenced areas and offshore islands to the protection of mammal species susceptible to introduced predators. Wildlife Research 45, 627–644.
| Havens for threatened Australian mammals: the contributions of fenced areas and offshore islands to the protection of mammal species susceptible to introduced predators.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Letnic, M., Tamayo, B., and Dickman, C. R. (2005). The responses of mammals to La Nina (El Nino Southern Oscillation)–associated rainfall, predation, and wildfire in central Australia. Journal of Mammalogy 86, 689–703.
| The responses of mammals to La Nina (El Nino Southern Oscillation)–associated rainfall, predation, and wildfire in central Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Miller, S., Bissett, C., Parker, D., Burger, A., Courtenay, B., Dickerson, T., Naylor, S., Druce, D., Ferreira, S., and Slotow, R. (2013). Management of reintroduced lions in small, fenced reserves in South Africa: an assessment and guidelines. South African Journal of Wildlife Research 43, 138–154.
| Management of reintroduced lions in small, fenced reserves in South Africa: an assessment and guidelines.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Moseby, K., and Read, J. (2006). The efficacy of feral cat, fox and rabbit exclusion fence designs for threatened species protection. Biological Conservation 127, 429–437.
| The efficacy of feral cat, fox and rabbit exclusion fence designs for threatened species protection.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Moseby, K. E., Hill, B. M., and Read, J. L. (2009). Arid recovery – a comparison of reptile and small mammal populations inside and outside a large rabbit, cat and fox‐proof exclosure in arid South Australia. Austral Ecology 34, 156–169.
| Arid recovery – a comparison of reptile and small mammal populations inside and outside a large rabbit, cat and fox‐proof exclosure in arid South Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Moseby, K., Read, J., Paton, D., Copley, P., Hill, B., and Crisp, H. (2011). Predation determines the outcome of 10 reintroduction attempts in arid South Australia. Biological Conservation 144, 2863–2872.
| Predation determines the outcome of 10 reintroduction attempts in arid South Australia.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Moseby, K. E., Blumstein, D. T., and Letnic, M. (2016). Harnessing natural selection to tackle the problem of prey naïveté. Evolutionary Applications 9, 334–343.
| Harnessing natural selection to tackle the problem of prey naïveté.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 26834826PubMed |
Moseby, K., Lollback, G., and Lynch, C. (2018). Too much of a good thing; successful reintroduction leads to overpopulation in a threatened mammal. Biological Conservation 219, 78–88.
| Too much of a good thing; successful reintroduction leads to overpopulation in a threatened mammal.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Pimm, S. L., Dollar, L., and Bass, O. L. (2006). The genetic rescue of the Florida panther. Animal Conservation 9, 115–122.
| The genetic rescue of the Florida panther.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Rayner, K., Chambers, B., Johnson, B., Morris, K. D., and Mills, H. R. (2012). Spatial and dietary requirements of the chuditch (Dasyurus geoffroii) in a semiarid climatic zone. Australian Mammalogy 34, 59–67.
| Spatial and dietary requirements of the chuditch (Dasyurus geoffroii) in a semiarid climatic zone.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Ripple, W. J., and Beschta, R. L. (2004). Wolves and the ecology of fear: can predation risk structure ecosystems? A.I.B.S. Bulletin 54, 755–766.
Sanderson, E. W., Forrest, J., Loucks, C., Ginsberg, J., Dinerstein, E., Seidensticker, J., Leimgruber, P., Songer, M., Heydlauff, A., and O’Brien, T. (2010). Setting priorities for tiger conservation: 2005–2015. In ‘Tigers of the World’. 2nd edn. (Eds R. Tilson and P. Nyhus.) pp. 143–161. (Elsevier.)
Serena, M., and Soderquist, T. (1988). Growth and development of pouch young of wild and captive Dasyurus geoffroii (Marsupialia, Dasyuridae). Australian Journal of Zoology 36, 533–543.
| Growth and development of pouch young of wild and captive Dasyurus geoffroii (Marsupialia, Dasyuridae).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Serena, M., and Soderquist, T. (1989). Spatial organization of a riparian population of the carnivorous marsupial Dasyurus geoffroii. Journal of Zoology 219, 373–383.
| Spatial organization of a riparian population of the carnivorous marsupial Dasyurus geoffroii.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Serena, M., Soderquist, T. R., and Morris, K. (1991). The chuditch (Dasyurus geoffroii). Department of Conservation and Land Management, Perth.
Slotow, R., Garaï, M. E., Reilly, B., Page, B., and Carr, R. D. (2005). Population dynamics of elephants re-introduced to small fenced reserves in South Africa. South African Journal of Wildlife Research 35, 23–32.
Soderquist, T., and Serena, M. (1990). Occurrence and outcome of polyoestry in wild western quolls, Dasyurus geoffroii (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae). Australian Mammalogy 13, 205–208.
Tambling, C. J., and Du Toit, J. T. (2005). Modelling wildebeest population dynamics: implications of predation and harvesting in a closed system. Journal of Applied Ecology 42, 431–441.
| Modelling wildebeest population dynamics: implications of predation and harvesting in a closed system.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Vargas, A., Sánchez, I., Martínez, F., Rivas, A., Godoy, J. A., Roldan, E., Simón, M., Serra, R., Perez, M., and Ensenat, C. (2008). The Iberian lynx Lynx pardinus conservation breeding program. International Zoo Yearbook 42, 190–198.
| The Iberian lynx Lynx pardinus conservation breeding program.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
West, R., Letnic, M., Blumstein, D. T., and Moseby, K. E. (2018). Predator exposure improves anti‐predator responses in a threatened mammal. Journal of Applied Ecology 55, 147–156.
| Predator exposure improves anti‐predator responses in a threatened mammal.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
White, L. C., Moseby, K. E., Thomson, V. A., Donnellan, S. C., and Austin, J. J. (2018). Long-term genetic consequences of mammal reintroductions into an Australian conservation reserve. Biological Conservation 219, 1–11.
| Long-term genetic consequences of mammal reintroductions into an Australian conservation reserve.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
