The Western Hare-Wallaby Lagorchestes Hirsutus (Gould) (Macropodidae), in the Tanami Desert.

Abstract

Study was of 2 small colonies of the rare western hare-wallaby (Lagorchestes hirsutus) in the Tanami Desert sanctuary of Northern Territories, Australia. Plants grazed were whole plant of Fimbristylis dichotoma and Calandrinia remota, leaves of Brunonia australis, Bassia astrocarpa and F. solidifolis and seed heads of Triodia pungens, Plectrachne schinzii, Bulbostylis barbaba and Eragrostis eriopoda. Cool winter fires lit deliberately along stock routes by nomadic aborigines provided firebreaks and resulted in different vegetative regeneration stages that suited the wallabies' requirements for cover and feed; the extensive hot fires started by lightning in summer destroyed habitat of the wallabies. ADDITIONAL ABSTRACT: Two small colonies of the rare western hare-wallaby (L. hirsutus) in the Tanami Desert sanctuary of Northern Territory, Australia were studied. Plants grazed were the whole plant of Fimbristylis dichotoma and Calandrinia remota, leaves of Brunonia australis, Bassia astrocarpa and F. solidifolis and seed heads of Triodia pungens, Plectrachne schinzii, Bulbostylis barbata and Eragrostis eriopoda. Cool winter fires lit deliberately along stock routes by nomadic aborigines provided firebreaks and resulted in different vegetative regeneration stages that suited the wallabies' requirements for cover and feed; the extensive hot fires started by lightning in summer destroyed the habitat of the wallabies.