WOMBAT STATE FOREST

A guide to the mammals ‘Caught on Camera’ STATE FOREST

Acknowledgements The VNPA would like to acknowledge Wombat Forestcare, the Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, Department of Environment and Primary Industries and the many volunteers from VNPA who have been involved in the Caught on Camera project for assisting with project development and running the project. This field guide was prepared by Lucy Gow and published by the Victorian National Parks Association in July 2013. Copyright 2013.

Victorian National Parks Association is an independent, non-profit, membership-based group, which exists to protect ’s unique natural environment and biodiversity through the establishment and effective management of national parks, conservation reserves and other measures. We will achieve our vision by facilitating strategic campaigns and education programs, developing policies, through hands-on conservation work, and by running bushwalking and outdoor activity programs that promote the care and enjoyment of Victoria’s natural heritage. Address: Level 3, 60 Leicester Street, Carlton, Victoria 3053. Phone: 03 9347 5188. Email: [email protected] Website: www.vnpa.org.au

NatureWatch is the VNPA’s community-based biodiversity monitoring program that informs, educates and engages the community in conservation management and practices. The NatureWatch program actively builds links between community members, scientists and land managers, and develops scientifically based, practical projects that contribute to a better understanding of species and ecosystems, and the management of natural areas.

This project was funded by the Lord Mayor’s Charitable Foundation.

2 A guide to the mammals ‘Caught on Camera’ Contents Introduction ...... 4 Eastern Grey ...... 6 Black Wallaby ...... 8 Common Wombat ...... 10 ...... 12 Mountain Brushtail Possum ...... 14 Common Ringtail Possum ...... 16

Short-beaked Echidna ...... 18 Bush Rat ...... 20 Agile Antechinus ...... 22 Brush-tailed Phascogale ...... 24 Feral Goat ...... 26 Red Fox...... 28 Black Rat ...... 30 Further reading ...... 32

VICTORIAN NATIONAL PARKS ASSOCIATION 3 WOMBAT STATE FOREST

Introduction

he VNPA Caught on Camera Burnt’, ‘Intermittently Burnt’ and Tproject trial in Wombat State ‘Long Unburnt’. A total of ten Forest involves working with native mammals and three exotic local community groups and species were recorded and all scientists to establish community have been included in this guide. based monitoring of fauna using motion sensing cameras. This guide has been prepared for volunteers involved in the The project addresses the project, and the general public, question: ‘What mammal species are located at ‘Recently Burnt’, so they are aware of what ‘Intermittently Burnt’ and ‘Long mammals are likely to be ‘Caught Unburnt’ sites in Foothills Forest on Camera’ during monitoring. and Forby Forest (forbs are Wombat State Forest is about herbaceous flowering plants 90km north-west of , apart from grasses) in Wombat near the towns of Daylesford and State Forest?’ Blackwood. This has been established to contribute to the larger question, ‘what is the impact of fire on mammals?’ Monitoring in 2012 was carried out in two different forest types in Wombat State Forest, Forby Forest and Foothills Forest at Right: Volunteers learn the ropes of sites categorised as ‘Recently setting up motion sensing cameras.

4 A guide to the mammals ‘Caught on Camera’ VICTORIAN NATIONAL PARKS ASSOCIATION 5 WOMBAT STATE FOREST Eastern Grey Kangaroo Macropus giganteus (giant long-foot) Appearance A large macropod with Behaviour and diet grey-brown upperparts, Gathers in mobs to feed in the pale underparts and a thick early morning and at dusk. Diet black-tipped tail. Males are consists of mostly grasses and larger than females and have herbs but will also browse on a more muscular chest and shrubs. Breeding most commonly forearms. This species is of a occurs during summer or when stockier build than the Western conditions are good. Grey Kangaroo and has shorter ears and paler fur. Interesting facts Eastern Greys are capable of Distribution and habitat embryonic diapause, or delayed Widespread throughout eastern implantation of the embryo. Australia. Common throughout This allows a joey to be born Victoria, except the northwest. soon after its sibling leaves the Prefers open forest, woodland pouch, meaning that populations and farmland adjacent to native can rapidly increase during vegetation. Feeds in open grassy favourable conditions. areas and seeks cover amongst trees and shrubs.

6 A guide to the mammals ‘Caught on Camera’ VICTORIAN NATIONAL PARKS ASSOCIATION 7 WOMBAT STATE FOREST Black Wallaby Wallabia bicolor (two-coloured wallaby) Other names of Victoria, particularly the Swamp Wallaby, Black-tailed southeast. Wallaby. Behaviour and diet Appearance Mostly solitary, but may be A stocky wallaby that stands up seen feeding alongside other to 85cm tall. It has dark grey individuals. Prefers areas with lots to black upperparts with rufous of cover provided by shrubs and patches around the crown and undergrowth during the daylight ears, and often a pale cheek hours. Browses on shrubs, ferns, stripe. Underparts are rufous sedges, some grasses, and will and yellow and its thick tail is also consume fungi scratched sometimes white-tipped. Males from the soil. are larger than females. Interesting facts Distribution and habitat The Black Wallaby’s range Occupies forests, woodlands, continues to expand through scrubs and heaths along western Victoria and ’s east and south-east Australia. coasts. Occurs throughout much

8 A guide to the mammals ‘Caught on Camera’ VICTORIAN NATIONAL PARKS ASSOCIATION 9 WOMBAT STATE FOREST Common Wombat Vombatus ursinus (bear-like wombat) Other names Bare-nosed Wombat, Naked- Behaviour and diet nosed Wombat. Mostly solitary but can have overlapping home ranges and Appearance share burrows. Most active from Stocky body with short limbs, dusk until dawn, but during broad head and short rounded cooler weather may also be seen ears. Its thick fur may be black or grazing during the day. Feeds different shades of grey, brown, on tussock grasses, rushes and or occasionally cream. sedges. Diet may also include fungi, mosses, roots and tubers. Distribution and habitat Present in forests, woodlands, Interesting facts heaths and scrubs in south- can defend themselves eastern mainland Australia and by crushing the heads of Tasmania. Burrows are often pursuing predators into the roof located on slopes above creeks of their burrow using their rump. and gullies. Declining in some areas including western Victoria and South Australia.

10 A guide to the mammals ‘Caught on Camera’ VICTORIAN NATIONAL PARKS ASSOCIATION 11 WOMBAT STATE FOREST Koala Phascolarctos cinereus (ash-coloured pouch-bear) Appearance day and activity is usually Stocky body with round face, nocturnal. They are mostly small round eyes, large ears and solitary, but females can often large black nose. Upperparts be seen carrying a joey, who are grey-brown in colour while remains with its mother until 12 underparts can be whitish or months of age. Diet consists of yellow-grey. predominantly eucalyptus leaves, although foliage of other species Distribution and habitat may also be consumed. The Koala is arboreal and occurs in lowland eucalypt woodlands Interesting facts and forest from central Infections of the Chlamydia Queensland to eastern South bacterium can render females Australia. Populations are present infertile and are widespread in in southern and central Victoria Victoria. but are discontinuous due to fragmentation of habitat.

Behaviour and diet sleep for 20 hours a

12 A guide to the mammals ‘Caught on Camera’ VICTORIAN NATIONAL PARKS ASSOCIATION 13 WOMBAT STATE FOREST Mountain Brushtail Possum Trichosurus cunninghami (Cunningham’s hairy-tail) Other names Behaviour and diet Bobuck. Forages in both the shrub and ground layer for leaves, buds, Appearance fruit, fungi and lichen. Mostly A large possum with a thick nocturnal and dens in trees or tapering bushy tail. Can be dark hollow logs during the day. Tends grey with cream underparts, or to form monogamous pairs, but completely black. Larger than the males with several female mates Common Brushtail Possum, it has have also been recorded. a bushier tail, blunter muzzle and shorter ears. Interesting facts Despite its name, this species is Distribution and habitat not restricted to mountainous Common in coastal ranges and areas. plains, from central NSW to mid-western Victoria. Prefers cool temperate wet forests and subtropical .

14 A guide to the mammals ‘Caught on Camera’ VICTORIAN NATIONAL PARKS ASSOCIATION 15 WOMBAT STATE FOREST Common Ringtail Possum Pseudocheirus peregrinus (‘roving’ or ‘wandering’ false-hand) Other names gardens and prefers a thick Ringtail. understorey layer. Nests in a leaf-lined tree hollow or spherical Appearance drey constructed from shredded Medium sized possum with a bark, leaves and twigs. rounded head, short ears and a prehensile tail that is often coiled. Behaviour and diet Colour can vary, but is often Nocturnal and lives in family grey-brown with reddish flanks groups. The female usually rears and limbs. It has white underparts two young at a time. Diet consists and patches behind the ears. of leaves, fruits and flowers.

Distribution and habitat Interesting facts Distributed from Cape York to The Common Ringtail will re- south eastern South Australia. ingest its own faeces in order to Inhabits scrubs, forests and properly digest fibrous leaves.

16 A guide to the mammals ‘Caught on Camera’ VICTORIAN NATIONAL PARKS ASSOCIATION 17 WOMBAT STATE FOREST Short-beaked Echidna Tachyglossus aculeatus (spiny fast-tongue) Other names food are available in all seasons. Spiny Anteater. Behaviour and diet Appearance Solitary. Most active in Small body with a narrow snout, temperatures between 16-20ºC. short legs and long claws. Yellow Subsists predominantly on ants spines tipped with black cover and termites, but also eats other the top of its head, back and tail. invertebrates such as earthworms and larvae. Prey is obtained by Distribution and habitat digging up earth or tearing apart Occurs throughout most of rotted timber using its strong Australia in a wide variety of forelimbs, and licking up the habitats including forests, exposed invertebrates with its heathlands, grasslands and arid sticky tongue. areas. Found in dryland habitats in Victoria, but is more common Interesting facts at lower altitudes and in the Echidnas may cool off in streams southern part of the state. Highly or ponds in hot weather. adaptable and can survive in most areas where shelter and

18 A guide to the mammals ‘Caught on Camera’ VICTORIAN NATIONAL PARKS ASSOCIATION 19 WOMBAT STATE FOREST Bush Rat Rattus fuscipes (dusky-footed rat) Appearance This native rat has a head and Behaviour and diet body of 10-20cm with a tail of Territorial, but home ranges may approximately equal length. Its overlap. Forages mostly along upperparts can be grey-brown to the ground for plants, seeds, reddish brown with rufous flanks, arthropods and fungi. Active and the underparts cream or nocturnally and shelters in an grey. underground burrow during the day. Distribution and habitat Widespread and common in the Interesting facts coastal east and south of the Although it only lives for around mainland, also present in the one year, the Bush Rat can south west of Western Australia. produce up to three litters of five In Victoria occurs in the south young. and east. Inhabits a wide range of vegetation types, but requires relatively moist and dense ground cover. Subspecies can live in drier habitats.

20 A guide to the mammals ‘Caught on Camera’ VICTORIAN NATIONAL PARKS ASSOCIATION 21 WOMBAT STATE FOREST Agile Antechinus Antechinus agilis (agile hedgehog-equivalent) Appearance of dry leaves built within tree Small, mouse-sized hollows. Females produce litters with a pointed snout, light of up to ten young. brown-grey fur and a furred tail. Interesting facts Distribution and habitat Male antechinuses die after a Distributed along and adjacent two-week synchronised mating to the in period where males compete New South Wales and Victoria. aggressively for females. Inhabits areas that contain leaf litter and fallen logs including moist forests, heaths and woodlands.

Behaviour and diet Predominantly nocturnal and an adept climber. Hunts for insects and small amongst leaf litter and from tree fissures. Occupies large communal nests

22 A guide to the mammals ‘Caught on Camera’ VICTORIAN NATIONAL PARKS ASSOCIATION 23 WOMBAT STATE FOREST Brush-tailed Phascogale Phascogale tapoatafa tapoatafa (pouched-weasel tapoatafa) Other names due to degradation, loss and Tuan, Common Wambenger, fragmentation of habitat and Black-tailed Phascogale. predation by foxes and cats.

Appearance Behaviour and diet Rat-sized marsupial with dark Active between dusk and dawn. grey upperparts and cream Mostly arboreal and can jump underparts. It has a brush-like up to 2 metres between trees. tail covered with long black hairs, Predominantly insectivorous but a pointed muzzle, large hairless will also eat nectar, small birds ears and long curved claws. and mammals. Females have home ranges up to 60 hectares Distribution and habitat that do not overlap with other Fragmented populations are females’ territories, while males present from Queensland to can have overlapping home eastern South Australia and in ranges of up to 100 hectares. Western Australia. Inhabits dry woodlands and forests with Interesting facts sparse groundcover and hollow- The female does not have a true bearing trees that provide shelter pouch, but develops a pouch-like and nesting sites. In Victoria this fold of skin during pregnancy. species is listed as ‘Threatened’

24 A guide to the mammals ‘Caught on Camera’ VICTORIAN NATIONAL PARKS ASSOCIATION 25 WOMBAT STATE FOREST Feral Goat Capra hircus (goat goat) Appearance Behaviour and diet Weighs between 20-80kg. Both A social mostly active sexes have horns and the male during daylight hours. May has a beard from throat to chest. produce two litters of two kids Colour is variable, usually black, each year in good conditions. white or brown or a combination Browses on a wide variety of of these colours. plants including species that provide few nutrients. Distribution and habitat Introduced and widespread Interesting facts throughout Australia outside The home range of a feral of the monsoonal tropics, but goat can range from one to populations are patchy. Present 600 square kilometres throughout much of Victoria, depending on the availability of abundant in the northwest. resources such as food and water. Prefers areas that are not too wet or dry, and where there is little threat of predation by dingoes.

26 A guide to the mammals ‘Caught on Camera’ VICTORIAN NATIONAL PARKS ASSOCIATION 27 WOMBAT STATE FOREST Red Fox Vulpes vulpes (fox fox) Appearance Behaviour and diet Body and limbs slender with a Solitary and mostly nocturnal, bushy tail. Muzzle pointed and but may be seen during the day ears held erect. Upperparts can in areas where it is undisturbed be varying shades of red-brown by humans. Prefers live prey such or sandy. The underparts, chin as small mammals, birds and and muzzle are white or grey. but will also eat carrion, fruit and insects. The Red Fox Distribution and habitat is responsible for the decline Introduced. Widespread and extinction of many native throughout Australia, excluding Australian species. the tropics. Inhabits a wide variety of habitat types including Interesting facts desert, alpine regions and wet Foxes can produce 28 different forest. Most successful in urban kinds of vocalisations including areas and lightly wooded habitats barks, whines, moos, cackles and such as agricultural landscapes. coughs.

28 A guide to the mammals ‘Caught on Camera’ VICTORIAN NATIONAL PARKS ASSOCIATION 29 WOMBAT STATE FOREST Black Rat Rattus rattus (rat rat) Other names Ship Rat, Roof Rat. Behaviour and diet Active at night, dusk and dawn. Appearance Lives with other individuals The Black Rat has a slender body, in a communal nest, often sleek fur, large ears and a tail that within a burrow or roof cavity. is longer than its body. Colour Omnivorous diet that may can be different shades of black include plant material, insects, or brown above, with white or carrion and human food scraps. pale yellow underparts. Interesting facts Distribution and habitat The Black Rat is an adept climber, Introduced. Distributed unlike native rats. throughout the moist regions of Australia particularly around areas of human habitation.

30 A guide to the mammals ‘Caught on Camera’ VICTORIAN NATIONAL PARKS ASSOCIATION 31 WOMBAT STATE FOREST Further reading

Websites International Union for the Arkive Conservation of Nature http://www.arkive.org http://www.iucnredlist.org Australian Museum Invasive CRC http://australianmuseum.net.au/ http://www.feral.org.au. animals Books Australian Wildlife Conservancy http://www.australianwildlife. Menkhorst, P.W. (1995) Mammals org/Wildlife-and-Ecosystems/ of Victoria. Oxford University Wildlife-Profiles.aspx Press Australia, South Melbourne. Department of Environment Menkhorst, P.W. & Knight, F. and Primary Industries (2011) A Field Guide to the http://www.depi.vic.gov.au/ Mammals of Australia, 3rd Ed. agriculture-and-food/pests- Oxford University Press, South diseases-and-weeds-/pest- Melbourne. animals Museum Victoria (2006) Department of Sustainability, Melbourne’s Wildlife, a Field Environment, Water, Population Guide to the Fauna of Greater and Communities Melbourne, CSIRO Publishing, http://www.environment.gov.au/ Collingwood. biodiversity Strahan, R. (1992) Encyclopaedia of Australian Animals, Mammals, Angus and Robertson, Pymble.

32 A guide to the mammals ‘Caught on Camera’ Articles Martin, J.K. and Handasyde, K.A. (2007). “Comparison of Bobuck demography in two habitat types in the Strathbogie Ranges, Australia”. Journal of Zoology 271.

VICTORIAN NATIONAL PARKS ASSOCIATION 33 Victorian National Parks Association Address: Level 3, 60 Leicester Street, Carlton, VIC 3053. Phone: 03 9347 5188. Email: [email protected] facebook.vnpa.org.au Website: www.vnpa.org.au twitter.com/vnpatweets