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Adaptive management of a remote threatened species population on Aboriginal lands

John Read , Rebecca West , Grant Nyaningu, Warru Rangers, Oska Mills, Ben Phillips

Abstract

Context: Adoption and refinement of monitoring and management techniques is important for improving the conservation status of threatened fauna, especially in remote areas with high logistical and financial costs. In Australia, many of these remote conservation projects are conducted by Traditional Owners and Indigenous ranger groups, with input and support from various stakeholders including Government and Non-Government Organisations, and third-party ecologists. A collaborative approach to project development and adaptive management in response to stakeholder objectives is essential for long-term project success. Aims: In the remote context of the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands, we collaboratively develop a sustainable and robust monitoring and management method for warru (black-flanked rock wallabies) that recognises the skills, interests, and capacity of interests of all project members. In developing this method over 22 years, we also evaluate the influence of rainfall and predator control strategies on warru populations to inform optimised management. Methods: Practical and economic capabilities and preferences of both Traditional Owners and external scientists for monitoring and management actions were evaluated. Data from long-term cage trapping, scat and spotlight counts of warru, were compared with population trajectories, annual rainfall, and management strategies. Key Results: Population indices with lower resource requirements, such as scat and spotlight counts, provide trends consistent with more resource-intensive capture-mark-recapture studies. Warru population indices were negatively associated with indices for a competing herbivore (kanyala, euro). Warru growth rates were positively influenced by rainfall. Contrary to initial results from other regions, warru populations declined during periods when we undertook predator baiting. By contrast, targeted shooting of feral cats and foxes, was associated with increased warru population growth rates. Conclusions: These results suggest that a minimum of 4 groups of 5 scat quadrats in prime refuge areas and equivalent sampling in prime feeding zones (total 40 quadrats) is appropriate for rock-wallaby monitoring. Predator control via shooting appears preferable to baiting, which may have negative effects by removing dingoes, which prey on the competing kanyala. Implications: Predator control via shooting is an effective way to support warru populations, and repeated scat counts are an effective monitoring approach for warru.

WR24050  Accepted 28 November 2024

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