ACT KANGAROO MANAGEMENT PLAN MANAGEMENT PLANMANAGEMENT PLAN ACT KANGAROO 2014 - Kangaroo MP COVER.Indd 1
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ACT KANGAROO MANAGEMENT PLAN MANAGEMENT KANGAROO ACT ACT KANGAROO MANAGEMENT PLAN ACT KANGAROO MANAGEMENT PLAN 2014 - Kangaroo MP COVER.indd 1 31/03/10 1:32 PM ACT KANGAROO MANAGEMENT PLAN Book 1.indb 1 31/03/10 1:31 PM ACT KANGAROO MANAGEMENT PLAN ISBN 978-0-642-60523-8 Conservation Series: ISSN 1036-0441: 25 © Australian Capital Territory, Canberra 2010 This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no part may be reproduced without the written permission of Parks, Conservation and Lands, Department of Territory and Municipal Services, PO Box 158 Canberra ACT 2601. Published by Territory and Municipal Services (10/0022) Website: www.tams.gov.au Phone: Canberra Connect 13 22 81 Design: Big Island Graphics Page ii Book 1.indb 2 31/03/10 1:31 PM ACT KANGAROO MANAGEMENT PLAN Contents Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................................. vii Ministerial Foreword ........................................................................................................................... viii Executive Summary ............................................................................................................................... ix 1 INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Kangaroos and wallabies in the ACT ..................................................................................................2 1.2 Status of kangaroos and need for management ............................................................................3 1.2.1 Overview ............................................................................................................................................3 1.2.2 A comprehensive management plan ......................................................................................4 1.2.3 Scientific knowledge: eastern grey kangaroos ...................................................................4 1.3 Purpose and outline of the Kangaroo Management Plan ...........................................................5 1.4 Considerations and issues for the Kangaroo Management Plan ..............................................6 1.4.1 Environmental considerations ...................................................................................................7 1.4.2 Economic considerations ............................................................................................................9 1.4.3 Social considerations ..................................................................................................................10 1.5 Need for and intended use of the Kangaroo Management Plan ............................................ 12 2 LEGISLATIVE AND POLICY FRAMEWORK .....................................................................................15 2.1 ACT Legislation ......................................................................................................................................... 16 2.1.1 Nature Conservation Act 1980 ................................................................................................ 16 2.1.2 Planning and Development Act 2007 .................................................................................. 16 2.1.3 Animal Welfare Act 1992 ........................................................................................................... 16 2.1.4 Pest Plants and Animals Act 2005 ........................................................................................ 17 2.1.5 Other legislation ........................................................................................................................... 17 2.2 Categories of land in the ACT.............................................................................................................. 18 2.2.1 Territory Land managed by the ACT Government .......................................................... 18 2.2.2 National Land managed by the Commonwealth Government ................................... 18 2.2.3 Leased Territory Land managed by individual and institutional land holders ...... 19 2.2.4 Googong Dam Area (ACT managed) ................................................................................... 19 2.3 Management plans for Public Land and for Googong Foreshores ....................................... 19 2.3.1 Public Land ..................................................................................................................................... 19 2.3.2 Googong Foreshores .................................................................................................................20 2.4 Declared threatened species and ecological communities .....................................................20 2.4.1 ACT declared threatened species/ecological communities .......................................20 2.4.2 Commonwealth declared threatened species/ecological communities ................20 2.5 The ACT Vertebrate Pest Management Strategy ......................................................................... 21 2.6 Management plans for National Land.............................................................................................. 22 3 KANGAROO POPULATIONS AND IMPACTS .................................................................................. 23 3.1 ACT kangaroo management in context .......................................................................................... 24 3.2 Determining kangaroo densities ........................................................................................................ 25 3.3 Biology and ecology of eastern grey kangaroos ........................................................................ 27 3.3.1 Evolutionary history ................................................................................................................... 27 3.3.2 Social structure and movement patterns ........................................................................... 27 3.3.3 Reproduction ................................................................................................................................ 28 Page iii Book 1.indb 3 31/03/10 1:31 PM ACT KANGAROO MANAGEMENT PLAN 3.3.4 Fecundity ........................................................................................................................................30 3.3.5 Development and survival of young ....................................................................................30 3.3.6 Food sources .................................................................................................................................. 31 3.3.7 Mortality ........................................................................................................................................... 31 3.3.8 Determination of kangaroo body condition ..................................................................... 32 3.3.9 Key features of biology and ecology ................................................................................... 33 3.4 Ecosystem function, trophic levels and herbivore population dynamics .......................... 33 3.4.1 Trophic levels ................................................................................................................................ 34 3.4.2 Principal herbivore ...................................................................................................................... 34 3.4.3 Conservation impacts ................................................................................................................ 35 3.4.4 Exponential population growth: the herbivore irruption ............................................. 35 3.4.5 Overabundance ............................................................................................................................ 37 3.5 Environmental considerations: native grassy ecosystems ....................................................... 38 3.6 ACT grassy ecosystems......................................................................................................................... 38 3.6.1 Grassy woodlands of low hills and plains ........................................................................... 38 3.6.2 Lowland grasslands .................................................................................................................... 39 3.6.3 Grasslands in the western and southern ACT .................................................................. 39 3.7 Ecology of grassy ecosystem species .............................................................................................40 3.7.1 The role of disturbance .............................................................................................................40 3.7.2 Flora of grassy ecosystems ...................................................................................................... 41 3.7.3 Fauna of grassy ecosystems ................................................................................................... 42 3.8 Conservation of grassy ecological communities and species ................................................ 45 3.8.1 Extinction processes .................................................................................................................. 45 3.8.2 Conservation management .....................................................................................................46