Observations on the behaviour of the northern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus krefftii) in a translocated population
Kristina Sand Jørgensen A E , Alistair Melzer A , Dave Harper B and Owen T. Nevin A C DA School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences, Central Queensland University, CQIRP, Ibis Avenue, Rockhampton, Qld 4702, Australia.
B Threatened Species Program, Department of Environment and Science, 55 Priors Pocket Road, Moggill, Qld 4070, Australia.
C University of Cumbria, Rydal Road, Ambleside, LA22 9BB, United Kingdom.
D Western Australian Biodiversity Science Institute, 133 St Georges Terrace, Perth, WA 6000, Australia.
E Corresponding author. Email: kristina.jorgensen@cqumail.com
Australian Mammalogy 43(1) 132-136 https://doi.org/10.1071/AM20010
Submitted: 1 February 2020 Accepted: 13 December 2020 Published: 20 January 2021
Journal Compilation © Australian Mammal Society 2021 Open Access CC BY-NC-ND
Abstract
The natural distribution of the critically endangered northern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus krefftii) is confined to Epping Forest National Park, Queensland; however, a small number of animals have been translocated to establish an insurance population at Richard Underwood Nature Refuge (RUNR), Queensland. Northern hairy-nosed wombat behaviour is poorly understood, mostly due to its cryptic behaviour. Thirty-two wildlife cameras set up at burrow mouths at RUNR were used to capture social and solitary behaviour. Over a six month period between December 2016 and May 2017, 0.3% (21 videos of 6607) of recordings captured social behaviour, suggesting that the northern hairy-nosed wombat actively avoids social interactions at the burrow mouth. Vocalisation was only observed during social interaction. The results were similar to data from Epping Forest National Park and studies on other wombat species. In this respect the translocated population appeared to behave in a manner typical of the wild population.
Keywords: burrowing behaviour, mammal, marsupial, semi-arid, social interactions, translocation, wombats.
References
Altmann, J. (1974). Observational study of Behavior: sampling methods. Behaviour 49, 227–266.| Observational study of Behavior: sampling methods.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 4597405PubMed |
Dinwoodie, A. (2012). Northern hairy-nosed wombat, Lasiorhinus krefftii. In ‘Queensland’s threatened animals’. (Eds; L. K. Curtis, A. J. Dennis, K. R. McDonald, P. M. Kyne and S. J. S. Debus). pp. 354–355. (CSIRO Publishing: Melbourne.)
Ellis, W., Fitzgibbon, S., Pye, G., Whipple, B., Barth, B., Johnston, S., Seddon, J., Melzer, A., Higgins, D., and Bercovitch, F. (2015). The Role of Bioacoustic Signals in Koala Sexual Selection: Insights from Seasonal Patterns of Associations Revealed with GPS-Proximity Units. Plos One 10, e0130657.
| The Role of Bioacoustic Signals in Koala Sexual Selection: Insights from Seasonal Patterns of Associations Revealed with GPS-Proximity Units.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 26154295PubMed |
Hogan, L. A. (2004) The behaviour of captive common wombats. Honours thesis, University of Queensland.
Hogan, L. A., Phillips, C. J. C., Lisle, A., Horsup, A. B., Janssen, T., and Johnston, S. D. (2009). Remote monitoring of the behaviour and activity of captive southern hairy-nosed wombats (Lasiorhinus latifrons. Australian Mammalogy 31, 123–135.
| Remote monitoring of the behaviour and activity of captive southern hairy-nosed wombats (Lasiorhinus latifrons.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Horsup, A. (2004). Recovery plan for the northern hairy-nosed wombat Lasiorhinus krefftii 2004-2008. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Queensland Government Environmental Protection Agency, The State of Queensland, Environmental Protection Agency.
Johnson, C. N. (1991a). Behaviour and ecology of the northern hairy-nosed wombat Lasiohinus krefftii. Internal Report, Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service.
Johnson, C. N. (1991b). Utilization of habitat by the northern hairy-nosed wombat Lasiorhinus krefftii. The Zoological Society of London 225, 495–507.
| Utilization of habitat by the northern hairy-nosed wombat Lasiorhinus krefftii.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Johnson, C. N., and Crossman, D. G. (1990). Sexual dimorphism in the northern hairy-nosed wombat, Lasiorhinus krefftii (Marsupialia: Vombatidae). Australian Mammalogy 14, 145–146.
Johnson, C. N., and Crossman, D. G. (1991). Dispersal and social organization of the northern hairy-nosed wombat Lasiorhinus krefftii. The Zoological Society of London 225, 605–613.
| Dispersal and social organization of the northern hairy-nosed wombat Lasiorhinus krefftii.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Nevin, O. T., and Gilbert, B. K. (2005). Perceived risk, displacement and refuging in brown bears: positive impacts of ecotourism? Biological conservation 121, 611–622.
| Perceived risk, displacement and refuging in brown bears: positive impacts of ecotourism?Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Patison, K. P., Swain, D. L., Bishop-Hurley, G. J., Robins, G., Pattison, P., and Reid, D. J. (2010). Changes in temporal and spatial associations between pairs of cattle during the process of familiarisation. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 128, 10–17.
| Changes in temporal and spatial associations between pairs of cattle during the process of familiarisation.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Shimmin, G., and White, C. (2002). Northern hairy-nosed wombat warrens: architecture, environment and gas exchange properties. Report of findings. Department of Environmental Biology, University of Adelaide.
Stenke, R. (2000). Study of the behaviour and the ecology of the northern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiohinus krefftii) at Epping Forest National Park. A project report.
Woolnough, A. P. (1998). The feeding ecology of the northern hairy-nosed wombat, Lasiorhinus krefftii (Marsupialia: Vombatidae). PhD Thesis. Zoology and Tropical Ecology, James Cook University of North Queensland.
