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Woylie Conservation and Research Project: Progress Report 2010–2013

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Woylie Conservation and Research Project: Progress Report 2010–2013 Woylie Conservation and Research Project: Progress Report 2010–2013 Adrian F. Wayne, Marika A. Maxwell, Colin G. Ward, Christos V. Vellios, Ian J. Wilson, Kathryn E. Dawson October 2013 State Natural Resource Management Department of Parks and Wildlife Locked Bag 104 Bentley Delivery Centre WA 6983 Phone: (08) 9219 9000 Fax: (08) 9334 0498 www.dpaw.wa.gov.au © Department of Parks and Wildlife on behalf of the State of Western Australia 2013 October 2013 This work is copyright. You may download, display, print and reproduce this material in unaltered form (retaining this notice) for your personal, non-commercial use or use within your organisation. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968 , all other rights are reserved. Requests and enquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to the Department of Parks and Wildlife. This report was prepared by Adrian Wayne Questions regarding the use of this material should be directed to: Director Science and Conservation Division Department of Parks and Wildlife Locked Bag 104 Bentley Delivery Centre WA 6983 Phone: (08) 9219 9078 Email: [email protected] The recommended reference for this publication is: Wayne, A.F., Maxwell, M. A., Ward, C. G., Vellios, C.V., Wilson, I.J., Dawson, K. 2013, Woylie Conservation and Research Project: Progress Report 2010–2013, Department of Parks and Wildlife, Perth. Disclaimer DPaW makes the material in this report available on the understanding that users exercise their own skill and care with respect to its use. There is no guarantee given to the accuracy or currency of any individual item in the report and before relying on the material in any important matter, users should carefully evaluate the accuracy, completeness and relevance of the information for their purposes and should obtain appropriate independent professional advice relevant to their particular circumstances. The information is provided in good faith without any express warranty. The material in this report may include information, views or recommendations of third parties, which do not necessarily reflect the views of the DPaW or the State of Western Australia, or indicate its commitment to a particular course of action. By using information in this report each user waives and releases DPaW and the State of Western Australia and its servants to the full extent permitted by the law from any and all claims relating to the usage of the material made available through the report. In no event shall DPaW or the State of Western Australia be liable for any incident or consequential damages resulting from use of the information whether or not caused by any negligence or omission on the part of DPaW or the State of Western Australia or its agents and consultants. The Western Australian Government is committed to providing quality information to the community and makes every attempt to ensure accuracy, currency and reliability of the data contained in this report. However, changes in circumstances after the time of publication may impact on the quality of this information. Confirmation of the information may be sought from originating bodies or departments providing the information. DPaW and the State of Western Australia reserve the right to amend content at any time without notice. Material in this report may be reproduced for private use and research, reporting, criticism or review (as permitted under the provisions of the Copyright Act 1968 (Cth), non-commercial or in-house use provided that this report is acknowledged as the source of the material and the material is not altered. Otherwise, no material in this report may be reproduced, distributed, adapted, broadcast, performed in public or communicated to the public without the written consent of DPaW or the legal holder of the copyright. Trade marks used in this report are the property of their respective owners and may not be used without the prior specific written permission of the owner. This document is available in alternative formats on request. Please note: urls in this document which conclude a sentence are followed by a full point. If copying the url please do not include the full point. Cover image: Juvenile woylie in the hand, photo by Sabrina Trocini ii Department of Parks and Wildlife Woylie Conservation and Research Project 2010-2013 Contents Acknowledgments.................................................................................................... xvi Summary ................................................................................................................ xvii I) Introduced predator control and monitoring .................................................... xviii Improving the quantification of introduced predator activity ............................ xviii II) Perup Sanctuary .............................................................................................. xix III) Woylie conservation.........................................................................................xx Woylie translocations.........................................................................................xx Woylie monitoring ..............................................................................................xx IV) Community participation and education.......................................................... xxi V) Evaluation of woylie conservation actions ...................................................... xxii Perup Sanctuary.............................................................................................. xxii Fox control regimes in the Upper Warren region ............................................. xxii Woylie species overview................................................................................. xxiii Other medium-sized mammals in the Upper Warren region........................... xxiii Future planning and priorities ......................................................................... xxiii 1 Background ......................................................................................................... 25 1.1 Woylie decline overview ............................................................................ 25 1.2 Woylie conservation and research............................................................. 25 1.3 National Recovery Team and Plan for the woylie...................................... 27 Recovery actions within the recovery plan........................................................ 27 2 Report scope ....................................................................................................... 29 3 Project outlines for externally funded programs................................................... 31 3.1 WA State NRM Project I: summary and aims............................................ 31 Project objectives.............................................................................................. 31 Project outcomes.............................................................................................. 31 Project milestones ............................................................................................ 32 Monitoring and evaluation milestones............................................................... 32 3.2 WA State NRM Project II: summary and aims........................................... 32 Project objectives.............................................................................................. 33 Project activities................................................................................................ 33 3.3 CFOC Project summary and aims............................................................. 34 Project description ............................................................................................ 34 Department of Parks and Wildlife ` iii Project targets .................................................................................................. 34 Project activities................................................................................................ 34 4 Introduced Predators ........................................................................................... 37 4.1 Introduction................................................................................................ 37 4.2 Control—DPaW ......................................................................................... 37 4.2.1 Aerial and ground baiting activities..................................................... 38 4.2.2 Recent additional core baiting activities ............................................. 40 4.3 Control—Landholders................................................................................ 42 4.3.1 Landholder profile............................................................................... 42 4.3.2 Landholder engagement..................................................................... 43 4.3.3 Landholder preferred control methods ............................................... 45 4.3.4 Landholder training............................................................................. 46 4.3.5 External assistance to landholders’ control effort ............................... 47 4.3.6 Recommendations ............................................................................. 47 4.4 Monitoring.................................................................................................. 47 4.4.1 Introduction......................................................................................... 48 4.4.2
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