Drinking behaviour of yellow-footed rock-wallabies (Petrogale xanthopus celeris) in semiarid Queensland
Andy SharpSchool of Integrative Biology and Centre for Conservation Biology, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4772, Australia. Current address: School of Biological Sciences, Flinders University, GPO Box 2100, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia and Department for Environment and Natural Resources, Unit 3, 17 Lennon Street, Clare, SA 5453, Australia. Email: andy.sharp@sa.gov.au
Australian Mammalogy 33(2) 189-194 https://doi.org/10.1071/AM10049
Submitted: 29 November 2010 Accepted: 10 June 2011 Published: 12 September 2011
Abstract
This study examined the patterns of water use by yellow-footed rock-wallabies (Petrogale xanthopus celeris) at a colony in semiarid Queensland. Visitation by wallabies to an earthen tank was monitored, over a three-year period, via radio-tracking. The rate of visitation to the tank was negatively linked to both rainfall in the previous month and rainfall during tracking, while being positively related to temperature. Drinking rate increased considerably when mean pasture moisture content fell below 20%. The regular visitation to the tank suggests that Queensland populations of wallabies may have a stronger reliance on free water than previously thought. The closure of artificial waters on conservation reserves and pastoral properties could result in dramatic declines in wallaby numbers and potentially localised extinctions.
Additional keywords: artificial water points, drinking frequency, water use.
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