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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 34(2)

Field evaluation of supplementary feed and water for the northern hairy-nosed wombat, Lasiorhinus krefftii

Donna L. Treby A , Alan Horsup B and Peter J. Murray A C
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A School of Animal Studies, University of Queensland, Gatton, Qld 4343, Australia.

B Queensland Parks & Wildlife Service, PO Box 3130, Rockhampton, Qld 4701, Australia.

C Corresponding author. Email: peter.murray@uq.edu.au

Wildlife Research 34(2) 149-155 https://doi.org/10.1071/WR05116
Submitted: 18 December 2005  Accepted: 1 March 2007   Published: 24 April 2007

Abstract

The northern hairy-nosed wombat, Lasiorhinus krefftii, is listed as critically endangered in Australia and is restricted to a single population of ~90 animals in central Queensland. The area receives low rainfall and is regularly subjected to periods of drought and therefore is at risk from wildfire. There is a clear link between good wet seasons and higher levels of reproductive activity. A long-term management goal of the L. krefftii recovery program has been to determine preferred feed of wombats and to gain acceptance of supplementary feed and water by L. krefftii in order to mitigate the effects of drought and wildfire and potentially increase fecundity and survivorship rates in the population. Prior to this study, there had been several unsuccessful attempts to induce L. krefftii to take supplementary feed and water, but the current study, which was of a longer duration, has shown that L. krefftii will readily take supplementary feed and water. In addition, L. krefftii prefers certain feed types (Complete-O (primarily steam-flaked barley with molasses and lucerne and oaten chaff), and Town and Country pellet mix (primarily wheat, barley and sorghum, with canola and soybean meal)) and will visit sources of feed and water on a nightly basis. Visits by L. krefftii to supplementary feed and water sites were related to the occurrence of rainfall, with visits declining after rain.


Acknowledgements

This study was partially funded by the Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat Recovery Program and the Environmental Protection Agency (Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service Central Coast Region). Many thanks must go to the caretakers that were stationed at Epping Forest National Park during the course of this study: Edgar and Jeanette Askew, Bill and Carole Dobson, Neale and Francis Beveridge, Phil and Lynne Baily, Ken and Nellie Living, Noel and Jenny Lyons, and Elaine and Bob McNamara. Enormous thanks must also go to Margaret Hawkins, Arthur Ferguson, Yvonne Clarke, Stuart Fyfe, Christine Davis, Mark Norvo, Catriona McCallum, and Lex and Kara Bull who untiringly assisted with the field work. This project was undertaken with University of Queensland Animal Ethics Committee approval (SAS/431/04) and the Environmental Protection Agency ‘Ecoaccess’ environmental licenses and permits (WITK02125804). The authors also thank the referees for their contribution to improving the paper.


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