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Kowari Country

Recognising and managing Kowari habitat in the Marree-Innamincka NRM District Kowari Country Recognising and managing Kowari habitat in the Marree-Innamincka NRM District

South Australian Arid Lands NRM Groups

This booklet is aimed at increasing understanding of kowaris, the types of habitat that they use and land management practices which may benefit them. It is hoped that it will be of most use to land managers who have kowaris on their patch but will also be of interest to a range of other residents and visitors to the Marree-Innamincka Natural Resources Management (NRM) District. Kowaris are a threatened native marsupial which once had a much wider distribution. They are now found only in the far north-east of South Australia and some adjacent areas of south-west Queensland. This unique and charismatic species is an icon of the Stony Deserts of the Marree-Innamincka NRM District and relies on continued good management of this habitat to survive. This booklet contains general information on kowaris as well as information on recognising and managing ‘Kowari Country’.

2 What are They eat a range of other Although small, they really Kowaris? animal species and will tackle are one of the top mammal Kowaris (Dasyuroides byrnei) almost anything smaller than predators of the gibber plains are a distinctive native their own body size. that they inhabit – second only to dingoes and other carnivore of the Dasyurid This includes smaller more recent arrivals such as family of marsupials. This Dasyurid relatives such cats and foxes. family also includes larger as dunnarts and kultarrs, relatives such as the rodents such as hopping Like most desert mammals, tasmanian devil and quoll mice, small reptiles such kowaris are nocturnal and (native cat). What Kowaris as dragons and geckoes, spend the day sheltering lack in size, they make up for small birds and their in a burrow that is with attitude and much like eggs and insects such as constructed in softer parts their larger relatives, they grasshoppers, beetles, of the gibber plains such have a ferocious appetite moths or just about anything as the scattered low sand and feisty personality. they can catch and devour! mounds that develop from windblown sand. Wind ruffling the fur of a kowari showing the dark coloured undercoat

3 How do I tell Kowaris apart from other critters?

Kowaris are about the size of a lanky guinea pig – much larger than hopping mice or kultarrs that are found in the same areas of gibber and also have a tuft of bushy hair on the end of their tail. All of these species can sometimes be seen at night with spotlight or car headlights in gibber plain areas of the stony deserts. Kowaris have a distinctive long tail with a big black brush on the end. This is often held erect when stationary and sometimes arched back over their body. When running across the gibber their tail usually trails along behind like a moving black arrow.

Size comparison: Adult kowari compared to a house mouse Weight: Measurements Tail length: (Mus musculus) 100-140 g Head and body length: 16-18 cm

12-14 cm

Kowari eating a house mouse este B

4 &J H The fawn hopping mouse kowaris and are of a similar venture out onto the edges (Notomys cervinus) size (65-185g). Ampurtas of the gibber plains which and kultarr (Antechinomys have a stockier build, five form kowari habitat, possibly laniger) also inhabit the toes on rear feet, black hairs crossing from one dune to gibber plains, but are much on their tail with more of a another or just foraging. smaller than Kowaris pronounced crest on the This species may be easily – in fact they form important upper side, not an all-over confused with kowaris if Kowari food! brush like a kowari. observed in the spotlight or Ampurta or crest-tailed They live in sand dunes in basking in the winter sun mulgara (Dasycercus warrens often under sandhill during the day at a burrow cristicauda) are carnivorous canegrass (Zygochloa entrance. marsupials closely related to paradoxa) and are known to

Kultarr Fawn hopping mouse

Ampurta or crest-tailed mulgara este B

&J &J 5 H Kowari signs Kowari droppings are typically roughly cylindrical with clearly visible coarse fragments of indigestible prey remains such as invertebrate parts, pieces of bone, teeth, claws, scales, and in several of the examples on right, mammal fur. Droppings on a sand mound, particularly around burrow entrances are good indicators of recent kowari presence.

Kowari burrow in a sand mound Kowari burrow close-up. Well-used burrows can on pavement gibber country display a centre ridge on the floor caused by kowari foot movement on either side

Where are Kowaris found? Kowaris are listed as a Vulnerable species under South Australian, Queensland and national legislation. Historical records indicate that their range was once much greater than it is today and included areas to the west of the Simpson Desert. Unfortunately there have been no recent records from this Current distribution areas since the 1800s. Former distribution 6 Pavement gibber typical of kowari country What sort of country is ‘Kowari Country’?

Good kowari habitat showing the stable ‘sand mounds’ which form on top of the gibber pavement as a result of wind and water deposition

7 Sand mounds Kowaris seem to be quite particular about the types of gibber plain country that they inhabit in the north-east of South Australia. The size and coverage of gibber appears to have an influence on whether kowaris will use the area, but of most importance is the size, shape and stability of the sand mounds. Sand mounds are of utmost importance to kowaris as they are the areas of the pavement gibber landscape where plants are able to survive and in turn support insects and other small mammals and reptiles. Sand mounds also make softer areas where kowaris are able to construct burrows.

Examples of the different profiles of sand mound habitat

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IDEAL SAND MOUND INTERMEDIATE SAND NON-IDEAL SAND (Type 3) MOUND (Type 2) MOUND (Type 1) Steep, stable sides Shallow, less stable sides Very shallow High mound, allowing good Low mound, does not allow No area for construction of depth for kowari burrows much depth for kowari burrows burrows Perennial vegetation which No perennial vegetation to supports kowari prey species Limited perennial vegetation support kowari prey species (insects, small mammals to support kowari Unstable surface easily and reptiles) prey species eroded by wind and water

8 Close up – ideal gibber pavement Gibber characteristics Ideal gibber pavement has a majority gibber size class falling in the 5-50mm diameter and an overall gibber cover of >90%. Ideal pavement often displays a ‘sheen’ in low sunlight due to Close up – low gibber cover the evenness of the polished (not as suitable for kowaris gibbers.

Ideal gibber pavement

Sand spread habitat provides a base for plant growth but Poor kowari habitat due to the insufficient depth for large burrows. This habitat appears to dominance of large uneven gibbers be more important for species such as kultarrs, dunnarts (>50mm). Kowaris have rarely been and rodents. captured in areas dominated by large gibbers. Presumably it is too rough for them to move about on quickly An example of ‘sand spread’ habitat, where an often thin but consistent layer and detecting and escaping stalking of soil covers large areas of gibber without forming distinct sand mounds predators could be more difficult

9 Keeping Kowari Country healthy Holding the soil together Preventing sand mounds from eroding is important for kowari habitat. The mounds below feature eroding surfaces caused by cattle trampling.

‘Scalding’ Scalds are bare areas caused by the loss of topsoil and vegetation and can sometimes affect a whole mound. Heavily grazed areas often feature depleted or scalded sand mounds due to trampling and grazing of sand mounds and represent poor kowari habitat. Mounds heavily impacted by ongoing grazing and trampling feature very few perennial plants species to retain soil and help form an Careful management of cattle organic crust, leaving them impact in kowari country is vulnerable to wind and water important in ensuring that this erosion. habitat remains healthy. 10 Cryptogam Cryptogamic crusts are communities composed of lichens, cyanobacteria, algae, mosses, and fungi. This close-up photo shows different cryptogam types which help to consolidate the soil crust and make it less susceptible to erosion. Cryptogam layers usually form on the lower slopes of healthy mounds, where the soils are less sandy and are often inundated or kept damp by water collecting in adjacent lowpoints or soaking 10mm into the mound.

Below is a demonstration of a simple test to determine the ‘health’ of a sand mound in terms of its ability to withstand erosion and function as a growth medium for plants and other soil organisms – vitally important for kowaris. For comparison, two pieces of soil crust, the one on the left is from a well vegetated intact mound (note the black cryptogams); the piece on the right is from a ‘scalded’ section of mound where the organic topsoil layer has been eroded leaving a hard, bare sterile surface. To test the stability of a soil crust, the piece needs to be gently immersed in a container with enough water to just cover the samples. Almost immediately the ‘damaged’ soil begins to disintegrate (note the air being forced from the soil). The slump test is a good indication of how a soil will behave when subjected to rainfall. The soil on the right is highly susceptible to erosion. If continually trampled and grazed, any mound featuring this soil type will quickly disappear unless plants are able to recolonise and help re-establish organic material in the soil profile.

20mm

10 Seconds 30 Seconds 1 minute 11 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This booklet was produced with support from the Marree-Innamincka District NRM Group. Collated by Reece Pedler (Community Fauna Officer, SA Arid Lands NRM Board) using information adapted from a report by Peter Canty and Robert Brandle for the Kowari Dasycercus byrnei distribution SAAL NRM Board (Canty and Brandle 2007 , SA, Spring 2007). monitoring in Sturt’s Stony Desert

Photographs in this booklet by Peter Canty, Rob Brandle, Alex Clarke and Reece Pedler, except where otherwise indicated. Graphic design by elevenacross pty ltd, www.elevenacross.com.au

For further information contact the SAAL NRM Board 8648 5977 or www.saalnrm.sa.gov.au © South Australian Arid Lands Natural Resources Management Board, April 2011 12