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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 33(2)

Roo-Guard® sound emitters are not effective at deterring tammar wallabies (Macropus eugenii) from a source of food

Sarah Muirhead A , Dominique Blache A , Boyd Wykes B and Roberta Bencini A C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A School of Animal Biology, M085, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.

B Defence Estate Organisation LB 5001, Fremantle, WA 6959, Australia.

C Corresponding author. Email: rbencini@animals.uwa.edu.au

Wildlife Research 33(2) 131-136 https://doi.org/10.1071/WR04032
Submitted: 27 April 2004  Accepted: 13 February 2006   Published: 12 April 2006

Abstract

Auditory deterrents such as the Roo-Guard® sound emitters (Shu-Roo Australia Pty Ltd) have been used to keep kangaroos off crops and airstrips. We tested the efficacy of the Roo-Guard® Mk II sound emitter in deterring tammar wallabies (Macropus eugenii) from a known source of food on Garden Island, Western Australia, where up to 400 tammars are killed yearly by vehicles. The device was not effective in deterring the tammars from the food even when an alternative source of food was available. It was concluded that the Roo-Guards in their present form are not suitable to keep tammars off the roads of Garden Island.


Acknowledgments

We thank CALM Ranger Trevor Smith, for assistance in the field and the Defence Department for providing access to Garden Island and logistical support for the project and the Clearance Diving Team for providing the night vision scope and supervisory personnel.


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