Diurnal and Nocturnal Habitat Utilisation by the Whiptail Wallaby, Macropus Parryi.

Abstract

Diurnal and nocturnal habitat use was determined from walk transect counts in a 40 000 ha study area in SE Queensland containing 3 land systems: (a) alluvial flats mainly clear of natural vegetation; (b) hills extending from the alluvial flats with open forest; and (c) plateaux with grassy and shrubby open forest. Habitat utilization was examined in relation to 3 vegetation variables (shrub density, live tree density and dead tree density) and 3 topographic variables (altitude, aspect and slope). Utilization was most consistent between day and night for live tree density and slope, being biased toward areas of moderate live tree density and against flat areas at both times. A preference for areas with moderate shrub density was more pronounced during the day than at night. Areas with moderate dead tree density were strongly preferred over areas with low dead tree density during the day, but at night there was no strong bias for or against areas with dead trees. M. parryi avoided very low altitudes at all times. Utilization of higher areas varied day and night, a diurnal preference for higher altitudes being ameliorated by some apparent downhill movement to lower slopes at night. A preference during the day for north and west aspects was not evident at night.