Science for Saving Species Research Findings Factsheet Project 3.1

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Science for Saving Species Research Findings Factsheet Project 3.1 Science for Saving Species Research findings factsheet Project 3.1 Factsheet: A Threatened Mammal Index for South Australia Research in brief How can the index be used? This project is developing a For the first time in Australia, an for threatened plants are currently Threatened Species Index (TSX) for index has been developed that being assembled. Australia which can assist policy- can provide reliable and rigorous These indices will allow Australian makers, conservation managers measures of trends across Australia’s governments, non-government and the public to understand how threatened species, or at least organisations, stakeholders and the some of the population trends a subset of them. In addition to community to better understand across Australia’s threatened communicating overall trends, the and report on which groups of species are changing over time. It indices can be interrogated and the threatened species are in decline will inform policy and investment data downloaded via a web-app to by bringing together monitoring data. decisions, and enable coherent allow trends for different taxonomic It will potentially enable us to better and transparent reporting on groups or regions to be explored understand the performance of relative changes in threatened and compared. So far, the index has high-level strategies and the return species numbers at national, state been populated with data for some on investment in threatened species and regional levels. Australia’s threatened and near-threatened birds recovery, and inform our priorities TSX is based on the Living Planet and mammals, and monitoring data for investment. Index (www.livingplanetindex.org), a method developed by World Wildlife Fund and the Zoological A Threatened Species Index for mammals in South Australia Society of London. The TSX has been designed to be a dynamic Different taxonomic groups can decision about the currently tool to which new monitoring data be explored individually in the listed taxa. are added and examined annually. Threatened Species Index. And we Data on these mammal taxa come can also look at trends produced from fixed sites where they have been for Australian states and territories. repeatedly monitored in a systematic Here, we present a report from the and standardised way. For some of national Threatened Mammal Index the terrestrial sites, the data custodians (TMX) on trends for threatened provided information on whether they and near-threatened mammals for have been intensively managed and South Australia (Figure 1A). In its first how. This information allowed us to iteration, this index incorporates look at the trend across all monitored data from 12 threatened and near- sites which is the overall Threatened threatened mammal taxa (Near Mammal Index (Figure 1) but also to Threatened, Vulnerable, Endangered drill down to look at the trends for: or Critically Endangered under the EPBC Act and/or IUCN – see Table 1). 1. Sites subject to any management We used information from the (e.g., introduced predator- Australian Species Profile and Threats free havens/islands and other Database and the international IUCN dedicated conservation Red List as of July 2019 to make a management) (Figure 2), A Threatened Species Index for mammals in South Australia (continued) 2. Sites without introduced predators as stable or increasing while in fact value; a value of 1.5 indicates 50% (islands and fenced exclosures) the extant population outside of the above baseline. (Figure 3), and predator-free safe havens continues For the index on all sites in South to decline, and thus needs to be 3. Sites with no (known) targeted Australia where threatened and examined carefully. management (Figure 4). near-threatened mammals were The index shows the estimated monitored, the TMX value in 2016 The division of sites/populations has yearly change in relative abundance based on the current data is 2.12. been made solely on information of threatened and near-threatened This suggests that the relative provided by the custodians. This mammal taxa in relation to a baseline abundance of threatened and near- separation into subindices based on year, for which 1995 was chosen, threatened mammals for which we the type of intensive management where the index is set to 1.0. This have information has increased by is important especially for mammals baseline year was chosen because 112% between 2000 and 2016. While monitored after being reintroduced very few of the ongoing monitoring the overall index value in 2016 is into fenced or predator-free island programs originated before 1995. 2.12, individual taxa have TMX values areas. These areas are often more However, later baseline years are also between 0.47 (a 53% decrease) and intensively monitored than extant available to support the specific needs 7.01 (a 601% increase) (Figure 1A). populations, have fewer threats, and of conservation managers and can be It is expected that more data (and have the potential to significantly bias selected via the web-app. Changes in taxa) will be added as they become the population trends in the overall the index are proportional – a value of available each year, allowing the index. The reintroduced population 0.5 indicates the multi-taxon relative index to grow. trends may skew the overall result abundance is 50% below the baseline for a taxon and show the population What should we know about the South Australian data? This overall index on all monitored sites The number of sites monitored that predator-free, fenced wildlife reserve is based on 108 time series (defined met the TMX criteria (Figure 1C) has managed by the independent not-for- as sites where data on a taxon are substantially increased since around profit Arid Recovery. With a TMX value recorded using the same methodology 2000, while the number of taxa of 6.96, it shows an average increase and a consistent monitoring effort monitored increased from seven in of 596% between 2000 and 2016 though time) across these 12 taxa. 2000 to 11 in 2013 (Figure 1D). In (Figure 3). combination, this has resulted in a large Data quality was maximised by: The index corresponding to sites with increase in the time series available: 1) checking whether each dataset no (known) targeted management from 12 in 2000 to 100 in 2013. had been produced by standardised is based on 95 time series and three monitoring; and 2) by sending surveys The index containing data on sites mammal taxa. The TMX value in 2016 on 127 eligible datasets to custodians that were subject to any management is 0.49, which indicates a 51% decrease and requesting them to assess the such as introduced predator-free on average in relative mammal trends produced for their datasets. havens/islands and other dedicated abundance between 2000 and Feedback was received for 74% of conservation management (i.e., 2016 (Figure 4). the datasets. Only time series that sustained predator baiting and As more high-quality data become had been produced by standardised ecological fire management) has 13 available they can be added, making monitoring and with a minimum length time series with data on 10 mammal the index more powerful, meaningful of two years, collected between 1995 taxa. This index has a 2016 value and representative. Increasing and 2016 inclusive, were used for index of 3.65 which corresponds to an the number of taxa, regions and calculation. Sub-trends of the overall increase of 265% between 2000 functional groups monitored would trend can be calculated if data on and 2016 (Figure 2). strengthen the value of the index. at least three taxa are available. The index which includes only island Ongoing long-term monitoring The data underlying the index mostly and other predator-free sites is based programs allow for continuing derive from monitoring programs on nine time series and eight mammal capability to track changes in the in coastal South Australia and from taxa. Most of the sites included in relative abundance of threatened the arid zone (Figure 1B). this sub-trend are from the 123 km2 and near-threatened mammal taxa. Interpretational issues and constraints • This composite index only includes of representation of threatened • The proportional representation of data for threatened and near- and near-threatened mammal threatened and near-threatened threatened mammal taxa provided taxa (see Table 1). mammal taxa, and spatial coverage, by the custodians endeavouring is low in comparison to data on • There were limited appropriate to meet the TMX criteria supplied. threatened and near-threatened monitoring data for remote Inspection of these data indicate birds (Threatened Bird Index). areas available for inclusion they are biased to the coastal areas in the index to 2016. of most states and are sparse for the arid zone. The index can be • Some mammal subgroups, such useful for also identifying strategic as bats and rodents, are still monitoring opportunities to underrepresented. increase the comprehensiveness Fig 1: The Threatened A B Mammal Index (TMX) including data from all sites where threatened and near-threatened mammal taxa were monitored 12 taxa 108 time series C D Figure 1: A) The Threatened Mammal Index (TMX) for South Australia, including data from all sites where threatened and near-threatened mammal taxa were provided. The blue line shows the change in mammal abundance relative to the baseline year of 2000, where the index is set to 1.0. The grey cloud shows the range of trends for the individual taxa that make up the overall multi-taxon index. It can be seen as the variability between single-taxon trends that contribute to the composite (i.e., it is not statistical confidence). B) A map showing where threatened and near-threatened mammal data were recorded in South Australia. The red dots indicate repeatedly monitored fixed sites. C) This dot plot shows the particular years for which monitoring data were available to compile the index.
Recommended publications
  • The Hunter and Biodiversity in Tasmania
    The Hunter and Biodiversity in Tasmania The Hunter takes place on Tasmania’s Central Plateau, where “One hundred and sixty-five million years ago potent forces had exploded, clashed, pushed the plateau hundreds of metres into the sky.” [a, 14] The story is about the hunt for the last Tasmanian tiger, described in the novel as: “that monster whose fabulous jaw gapes 120 degrees, the carnivorous marsupial which had so confused the early explorers — a ‘striped wolf’, ‘marsupial wolf.’” [a, 16] Fig 1. Paperbark woodlands and button grass plains near Derwent Bridge, Central Tasmania. Source: J. Stadler, 2010. Biodiversity “Biodiversity”, or biological diversity, refers to variety in all forms of life—all plants and animals, their genes, and the ecosystems they live in. [b] It is important because all living things are connected with each other. For example, humans depend on living things in the environment for clean air to breathe, food to eat, and clean water to drink. Biodiversity is one of the underlying themes in The Hunter, a Tasmanian film directed by David Nettheim in 2011 and based on Julia Leigh’s 1999 novel about the hunt for the last Tasmanian Tiger. The film and the novel showcase problems that arise from loss of species, loss of habitat, and contested ideas about land use. The story is set in the Central Plateau Conservation Area and much of the film is shot just south of that area near Derwent Bridge and in the Florentine Valley. In Tasmania, land clearing is widely considered to be the biggest threat to biodiversity [c, d].
    [Show full text]
  • ANSWER KEY for the MAMMAL SEARCH and FIND
    ANSWER KEY: MAMMAL SEARCH AND FIND A) An animal you already know about B) An animal you have never heard of C) An animal whose name starts with the same letter as your name. (You may use the full species name, the general name, or the scientific name for example: Sloth Bear [Ursus ursinus] is okay for the letters S, B and U.) There are multiple answers for many letters, but here is one for each. A anteater B bongo C coati D dibatag E echidna F fanaloka G giraffe H hedgehog I Indian pangolin J jumping mouse K kultarr L llama M mongoose N numbat O okapi P panda Q quoll katytanis.com #AMisclassificationOfMammals © Katy Tanis 2018 ANSWER KEY: MAMMAL SEARCH AND FIND R raccoon S sloth T tamandua U Ursus ursinus (sloth bear) V vicuna W wildebeest X Xenarthran* Y yellow footed rock wallaby Z zorilla *this is a bit of a cheat Xenarthra is the superorder that include anteaters, tree sloths and armadillo. There were 6 in the show. D) 7 spotted animals African civet fanaloka quoll king cheetah common genet giraffe spotted cuscus E) 2 flying animals Chapin's free-tailed bat Bismarck masked flying fox F) 2 swimming animals Southern Right Whale Commerson's Dolphin katytanis.com #AMisclassificationOfMammals © Katy Tanis 2018 ANSWER KEY: MAMMAL SEARCH AND FIND katytanis.com #AMisclassificationOfMammals © Katy Tanis 2018 ANSWER KEY: MAMMAL SEARCH AND FIND G) 2 mammals that lay eggs short beaked echidna western long beaked echidna H) 2 animals that look similar to skunks and are also stinky long fingered trick Zorilla I) 1 animal that smells like buttered
    [Show full text]
  • The Collapse of Northern Mammal Populations 2 Australian
    australian wildlife matters wildlife conservancy Winter 2010 The collapse of northern mammal populations 2 australian saving australia’s threatened wildlife wildlife Pictograph conservancy Welcome to our Winter 2010 edition of Wildlife Matters. I am writing this editorial from our bushcamp at Pungalina-Seven Emu, in the Gulf of Carpentaria. Our biological survey has just commenced and already some exciting discoveries have been made. the awc mission Overnight our fi eld ecologists captured a Carpentarian Pseudantechinus, one of Australia’s rarest mammals. This is only the 21st time that this species has ever been The mission of Australian Wildlife Conservancy recorded (the 20th record was also on Pungalina – see the Spring 2009 edition of (AWC) is the effective conservation of all Wildlife Matters). We have watched rare Ghost Bats, Australia’s only carnivorous bats, Australian animal species and the habitats in emerging from a maternity cave; a mother Dugong, with her calf, resting in the lower which they live. To achieve this mission, our reaches of the Calvert River; Bandicoots digging around Pungalina’s network of lush, actions are focused on: permanent springs; and graceful Antilopine Wallaroos bounding across Pungalina’s • Establishing a network of sanctuaries tropical savannas. which protect threatened wildlife and Pungalina-Seven Emu is a property of immense conservation signifi cance. Yet it ecosystems: AWC now manages lies at the centre – geographically – of an unfolding ecological drama which surely 21 sanctuaries covering over 2.5 million demands our attention: from Cape York to the Kimberley, Australia’s small mammals hectares (6.2 million acres). are disappearing. Species such as the Golden Bandicoot, the Brush-tailed Rabbit-rat • Implementing practical, on-ground and the Northern Quoll have suffered catastrophic declines, disappearing from large conservation programs to protect areas including places as famous and well resourced as Kakadu National Park.
    [Show full text]
  • I. G E O G RAP H IC PA T T E RNS in DIV E RS IT Y a . D Iversity And
    I. GEOGRAPHIC PATTERNS IN DIVERSITY A. Diversity and Endemicty B. Patterns in Mammalian Richness 1 – latitude 2 – area 3 – isolation 4 – elevation C. Hotspots of Mammalian Biodiversity 1 – relevance 2 – optimal characteristics of hotspots 3 – empirical patterns for mammals II. CONSERVATION STATUS OF MAMMALS A. Prehistoric Extinctions B. Historic Extinctions 1 – summary (totals) 2 – taxonomic, morphologic bias 3 – Geographic bias C. Geography of Extinctions 1 – prehistory and human colonization 2 – geographic questions 3 – range collapse in mammals Hotspots of Mammalian Endemicity Endemic Mammals Species Richness (fig. 1) Schipper et al 2009 – Science 322:226. (color pdf distributed to lab sections) Fig. 2. Global patterns of threat, for land (brown) and marine (blue) mammals. (A) Number of globally threatened species (Vulnerable, Endangered or Critically Fig. 4. Global patterns of knowledge, for land Endangered). Number of species affected by: (B) habitat loss; (C) harvesting; (D) (terrestrial and freshwater, brown) and marine (blue) accidental mortality; and (E) pollution. Same color scale employed in (B), (C), (D) species. (A) Number of species newly described since and (E) (hence, directly comparable). 1992. (B) Data-Deficient species. Mammal Extinctions 1500 to 2000 (151 species or subspecies; ~ 83 species) COMMON NAME LATIN NAME DATE RANGE PRIMARY CAUSE Lesser Hispanolan Ground Sloth Acratocnus comes 1550 Hispanola introduction of rats and pigs Greater Puerto Rican Ground Sloth Acratocnus major 1500 Puerto Rico introduction of rats
    [Show full text]
  • Numbat (Myrmecobius Fasciatus) Recovery Plan
    Numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus) Recovery Plan Wildlife Management Program No. 60 Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife February 2017 Wildlife Management Program No. 60 Numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus) Recovery Plan February 2017 Western Australia Department of Parks and Wildlife Locked Bag 104, Bentley Delivery Centre, Western Australia 6983 Foreword Recovery plans are developed within the framework laid down in Department of Parks and Wildlife Corporate Policy Statement No. 35; Conserving Threatened and Ecological Communities (DPaW 2015a), Corporate Guidelines No. 35; Listing and Recovering Threatened Species and Ecological Communities (DPaW 2015b), and the Australian Government Department of the Environment’s Recovery Planning Compliance Checklist for Legislative and Process Requirements (Department of the Environment 2014). Recovery plans outline the recovery actions that are needed to urgently address those threatening processes most affecting the ongoing survival of threatened taxa or ecological communities, and begin the recovery process. Recovery plans are a partnership between the Department of the Environment and Energy and the Department of Parks and Wildlife. The Department of Parks and Wildlife acknowledges the role of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the Department of the Environment and Energy in guiding the implementation of this recovery plan. The attainment of objectives and the provision of funds necessary to implement actions are subject to budgetary and other constraints affecting the parties involved, as well as the need to address other priorities. This recovery plan was approved by the Department of Parks and Wildlife, Western Australia. Approved recovery plans are subject to modification as dictated by new findings, changes in status of the taxon or ecological community, and the completion of recovery actions.
    [Show full text]
  • Mammals of the Avon Region
    Mammals of the Avon Region By Mandy Bamford, Rowan Inglis and Katie Watson Foreword by Dr. Tony Friend R N V E M E O N G T E O H F T W A E I S L T A E R R N A U S T 1 2 Contents Foreword 6 Introduction 8 Fauna conservation rankings 25 Species name Common name Family Status Page Tachyglossus aculeatus Short-beaked echidna Tachyglossidae not listed 28 Dasyurus geoffroii Chuditch Dasyuridae vulnerable 30 Phascogale calura Red-tailed phascogale Dasyuridae endangered 32 phascogale tapoatafa Brush-tailed phascogale Dasyuridae vulnerable 34 Ningaui yvonnae Southern ningaui Dasyuridae not listed 36 Antechinomys laniger Kultarr Dasyuridae not listed 38 Sminthopsis crassicaudata Fat-tailed dunnart Dasyuridae not listed 40 Sminthopsis dolichura Little long-tailed dunnart Dasyuridae not listed 42 Sminthopsis gilberti Gilbert’s dunnart Dasyuridae not listed 44 Sminthopsis granulipes White-tailed dunnart Dasyuridae not listed 46 Myrmecobius fasciatus Numbat Myrmecobiidae vulnerable 48 Chaeropus ecaudatus Pig-footed bandicoot Peramelinae presumed extinct 50 Isoodon obesulus Quenda Peramelinae priority 5 52 Species name Common name Family Status Page Perameles bougainville Western-barred bandicoot Peramelinae endangered 54 Macrotis lagotis Bilby Peramelinae vulnerable 56 Cercartetus concinnus Western pygmy possum Burramyidae not listed 58 Tarsipes rostratus Honey possum Tarsipedoidea not listed 60 Trichosurus vulpecula Common brushtail possum Phalangeridae not listed 62 Bettongia lesueur Burrowing bettong Potoroidae vulnerable 64 Potorous platyops Broad-faced
    [Show full text]
  • Wildlife Matters Wildlife Conservancy
    australian wildlife matters wildlife conservancy Spring 2009 Pungalina reveals one of Australia’s rarest mammals Carpentarian Pseudantechinus 2 australian saving australia’s threatened wildlife wildlife Pictograph conservancy Welcome to the Spring 2009 edition of Wildlife Matters. As this edition goes to print, we are in the process of fi nalising the acquisition of Bowra (see pages 4-5), a 14,000 the awc mission hectare property located in the heart of the Mulga Lands in Queensland. Bowra will The mission of Australian Wildlife Conservancy be our 21st sanctuary, bringing the AWC network to more than 2.56 million hectares (AWC) is the effective conservation of all (6.3 million acres). Australian animal species and the habitats in While the overall scale of the portfolio is impressive, it is not the number of properties or which they live. To achieve this mission, our hectares that really count. A more accurate measure of the value of the portfolio is the actions are focused on: number of species and ecosystems that occur within the AWC estate. In this respect, • Establishing a network of sanctuaries the statistics are even more impressive – for example, around 80% of all Australian which protect threatened wildlife and terrestrial bird species and over 60% of all terrestrial mammal species occur on one or ecosystems: AWC now manages 20 more of our sanctuaries. sanctuaries covering over 2.56 million The fact that our portfolio captures such a high percentage of Australia’s wildlife species hectares (6.3 million acres). refl ects a deliberate, science-based strategy to ensure that AWC invests in properties • Implementing practical, on-ground of the highest environmental value.
    [Show full text]
  • Rabbit Eared Tree Rat (Conilurus Albipes) © the State of Victoria, Department of Sustainability and Environment, 2003
    #13 This Action Statement was first published in 1992 and remains current. This Extinct Mammals 1 version has been prepared for web publication. It Species presumed extinct throughout their range: retains the original text of the action statement, although contact Pig Footed Bandicoot (Chaeropus esaudatus) information, the distribution map and the Eastern Hare-Wallaby (Lagorchestes leporides) illustration may have been updated. Lesser Stick Nest Rat (Leporillus apicallis) Rabbit Eared Tree Rat (Conilurus albipes) © The State of Victoria, Department of Sustainability and Environment, 2003 Published by the Department of Sustainability and Environment, Victoria. 8 Nicholson Street, East Melbourne, Victoria 3002 Australia This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for Previous known distribution of Pig-footed Previous known distribution of Eastern Hare- your particular purposes Bandicoot in Victoria (DSE 2003) wallaby in Victoria (DSE 2003) and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. ISSN 1448-9902 Previous known distribution of Lesser Stick-nest Rat in Victoria (DSE 2003) Description and Distribution Conservation Status This Action Statement is one of two that concern mammals Current Status presumed extinct in Victoria. It covers the four Victorian Strahan (1988a) Presumed extinct in Australia mammals
    [Show full text]
  • Numbat Fact Sheet Name: Numbat Other Names: Walpurti, Banded Ant-Eater Scientific Name: Myrmecobius Fasciatus Conservation Status: Endangered
    Numbat Fact Sheet Name: Numbat Other names: Walpurti, Banded Ant-eater Scientific name: Myrmecobius fasciatus Conservation status: Endangered Stats Size: 20–29 cm long plus a tail 12–21 cm long. Males tend to be bigger than females. Weight: 478 g (average female), 597 g (average male) (Source: The Mammals of Australia, ed Van Dyck, S and R Strahan, 2008) Description Small slender mammal, with small pointed head and small upright ears, four short legs with long claws and a long bushy tail (resembling a bottle brush). It is grey-brown to reddish in colour with black and white banding on the back and rump, beige underbelly and a long back stripe across its eyes. Special Features The Numbat has a long, slender sticky tongue (approx. 10–11 cm long) that it uses to dip into narrow cavities in logs, leaf litter and in small holes in the ground to collect termites. The Numbat also has a long pointed nose that is useful for getting into small holes in the ground and logs to search for termites. Numbats sense the presence of termites via smell and possibly small vibrations in the ground. They dig small holes in the ground to uncover the passageways (called “galleries”) that the termites travel in when they go to and from the nest. Numbats do not have proper teeth like other mammals. They have blunt “pegs” because they do not chew their food. Numbats, like other dasyurid (carnivorous) marsupials, do not have a proper pouch for carrying their young. They have skinfolds that cover the babies that are suckling on the mother’s four teats.
    [Show full text]
  • Development and Application of Survey Methods to Determine
    Development and application of survey methods to determine habitat use in relation to forest management and habitat characteristics of the endangered numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus) in the Upper Warren region, Western Australia by Anke Seidlitz BSc (Hons) A thesis submitted to Murdoch University to fulfil the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the discipline of Environmental and Conservation Sciences January 2021 Author’s declaration I declare that (a) the thesis is my own account of my research, except where other sources are acknowledged, (b) all co-authors, where stated and certified by my principal supervisor or executive author, have agreed that the works presented in this thesis represent substantial contributions from myself and (c) the thesis contains as its main content work that has not been previously submitted for a degree at any other university. ……………………………. Anke Seidlitz i Abstract Effective detection methods and knowledge on habitat requirements is key for successful wildlife monitoring and management. The numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus) is an endangered, Australian-endemic marsupial that has experienced major population declines since European settlement. The Upper Warren region (UWR) in south-western Australia contains one of the two remaining natural populations. A lack of effective survey methods has caused a paucity of information regarding this population. This PhD project aimed to develop robust survey methods and determine habitat requirements for the numbat in the UWR. Given the perceived advantages of camera trap technology in wildlife research, camera trap trials were conducted to optimise camera methodologies for numbat detection. Swift 3C wide-angle camera traps positioned at ~25 cm above ground increased numbat detections by 140% compared to commonly used Reconyx PC900 camera traps.
    [Show full text]
  • 147077 147077.Pdf
    NOTICE: this is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in the Journal of Thermal Biology. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in the Journal of Thermal Biology, Vol. 29 (2004), DOI 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2004.05.003 1 Patterns of body temperature variation and torpor in the numbat, Myrmecobius 2 fasciatus (Marsupialia: Myrmecobiidae). 3 4 Cooper, C.E. and Withers, P.C.* 5 6 Zoology, School of Animal Biology M092 7 University of Western Australia 8 Stirling Highway 9 Crawley 6009 Western Australia 10 e-mail [email protected] 11 [email protected] 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 *Corresponding Author: 28 Professor Philip Withers 29 Zoology, School of Animal Biology M092 30 University of Western Australia 31 Crawley WA 6009 Western Australia 32 Ph +61 8 6488 2235 33 Fax +61 8 6488 1029 34 E-mail [email protected] 35 Abstract 36 1. Body temperature (Tb) radio-telemetric data for the diurnal numbat indicated a strong 37 nychthemeral rhythm, being higher during the day. 2. Mean daily Tb was 34.4 ºC, but was 38 higher in spring and summer than winter. 3. All three numbats showed spontaneous, 39 shallow daily torpor; minimum torpor Tb was 19.1 ºC, and maximum torpor duration was 40 15.3 h.
    [Show full text]
  • Threatened Species Investments and Future Opportunities
    c THREATENED SPECIES INVESTMENTS AND FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES THREATENED SPECIES INVESTMENTS AND FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES The projects identified in the following pages are like a prospectus. They will start important conversations and have potential to forge long lasting partnerships for action. And of course, new project opportunities will emerge going forward. We all have a role to play in recovering Australia’s threatened species. It’s a task that relies on multiple partners, including federal, state and territory governments, NGO’s, the private sector and communities. The project proposals have come to the attention of the Threatened Species Commissioner through his consultation with the community and states and territories on development and implementation of the Threatened Species Strategy. They provide opportunities for co investment and collaboration. By working together and pooling our efforts, we can be more effective and achieve long lasting outcomes in protecting and recovering Australia’s unique and diverse species. Image: Norfolk Island green parrot, Parks Australia Front cover: Numbat, courtesy of Australian Wildlife Conservancy, W. Lawler TARGETS 20 birds by 2020 20 mammals by 2020 Tackling feral cats and their impacts Protecting Australia’s plants Improving recovery practices TACKLING FERAL CATS AND THEIR IMPACTS Proposal title Key species Summary State Partners Threatened animal recovery Numbat This project will enable feral cat control to be integrated with WA Western Australian $1,700,000 through feral cat control existing broadscale fox control in Western Australia. It aims to Government Woylie recover threatened animals through refining the use of the Eradicat® feral cat bait together with the Probait® fox bait in four different Project Numbat Black-flanked landscapes in Western Australia.
    [Show full text]