Ecology of the euro, Macropus Robustus (Gould), in North Western Australia - II. Behaviour, movements, and drinking pattern.

Abstract

Techniques for automatically counting and dye-marking euros are described and assessed. Social organization in a euro population is briefly described. Euros have a limited home range usually in the vicinity of a rocky outcrop or water or both. About half the population disperses immediately after heavy summer rain and most return to the same home ranges in the autumn. Surprisingly few animals drank regularly even when daytime temperatures exceeded 110°F; many apparently never drank at all. Water used for heat control was minimized by using heat refuges. Thus many animals could exist on the water contained in food plants. Provision of many artificial water points is considered to have caused an increase in euro density. However, this is not considered to have caused the widespread pasture deterioration. Water conservation and nitrogen metabolism are discussed.