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Conserving the Endangered Woylie (Bettongia Penicillata Ogilbyi): Establishing a Semi-Arid Population Within a Fenced Safe Haven

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Conserving the Endangered Woylie (Bettongia Penicillata Ogilbyi): Establishing a Semi-Arid Population Within a Fenced Safe Haven RESEARCH doi: 10.1111/emr.12402 REPORT Conserving the endangered woylie (Bettongia penicillata ogilbyi): Establishing a semi-arid population within a fenced safe haven By Michael Smith, Georgia Volck, Nicola Palmer, Chantelle Jackson, Carly Moir, Raquel Parker, Bryony Palmer and Adele Thomasz Michael Smith, Georgia Volck, Nicola Palmer, Summary Measuring and monitoring population size and growth are critical to assess- Chantelle Jackson, Carly Moir, and Raquel ing the progress and ultimately the success (or failure) of a reintroduction. The Woylie (Bet- Parker a Regional Ecologist, Senior Field tongia penicillata ogilbyi) is one of Australia’s threatened critical weight range mammals. To Ecologist, Senior Field Ecologist, Senior Field increase the species’ area of occupancy, extent of occurrence, number of sub-populations and global population size, in addition to creating a source population for future reintroduc- Ecologist, Field Ecologist, and Field Ecologist, tions, a new population has been re-established into a safe haven located within the spe- respectively, with the Australian Wildlife cies’ former range – Mt Gibson Wildlife Sanctuary. In this paper, we document the first Conservancy (PO Box 8070 Subiaco East, Perth, 3 years of the reintroduction programme, over which time 162 individuals were translocated WA 6008, Australia; Email: Michael.Smith to Mt Gibson. Specifically, we (i) provide information on survivorship, (ii) estimate changes @australianwildlife.org). Bryony Palmer and in critical population metrics (density, population size and distribution) and (iii) look for any major habitat preferences. Survivorship of collared animals was complete (i.e. zero mortal- Adele Thomasz are both former Field Ecologists ity). The most recent population estimate was in the order of 750 individuals, reflecting with the Australian Wildlife Conservancy. strong growth in population size and density. The woylie has occupied the majority of the Bryony is now a PhD candidate at the safe haven and is well represented in all major vegetation communities. The translocation University of Western Australia (Ecosystem is on track to meeting the key success criteria: a self-sustaining population of woylies with Restoration & Intervention Ecology Research a minimum of 300 individuals. Group, School of Biological Sciences, The Key words: population size, reintroduction, survival, Woylie. University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia, 6009). Adele Thomasz, Formerly Field Ecologist with the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (PO Box 8070 Subiaco East, WA 6008, Austarlia; Email: [email protected]) This project arose from a need to assess the success of a reintroduction programme for the Woylie. fecundity; Royle et al. 2013) are considered fundamental metrics in threatened species Implications for management (Williams 2002). Addi- Introduction et al. managers tionally, by monitoring population abun- o assess the success of a translocation dance, managers should be able to programme, it is particularly important correlate change with monitored pro- This work provides information on T to monitor initial survival, population cesses. Managers then have a pathway to the establishment of a new growth and the dispersal of individuals, enact management, whether it be to population of Woylies in a semi- with a view to ultimately understanding reduce population size of key predators arid setting, with an additional the capacity of a management area to sup- or competitors, increase emigration rates, emphasis on describing a port a particular population size (i.e. carry- fence off areas to allow vegetation recov- monitoring approach (and ing capacity) and its ‘normal’ oscillations ery, genetically supplement the population subsequent analysis) that can be (i.e. Robert et al. 2015). For these and and so on. It is, therefore, also very impor- applied to species that are other reasons, population density and tant to identify key risk factors for monitor- commonly monitored via cage abundance (and underlying processes such ing (Burgman 2005; Metcalf & Wallace trapping. as immigration, emigration, survival and 2013; Smith et al. 2015) and to, over time, ª 2020 Ecological Society of Australia and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT & RESTORATION 1 Ecological Society of Australia RESEARCH REPORT develop targets and evidence to inform a populations and three translocated popu- Release site theory of management, such as a carrying lations (Yeatman & Groom 2012; Woi- Mt Gibson Wildlife Sanctuary is managed capacity and limits of acceptable change narski et al. 2014). by the not-for-profit organisation, the Aus- (Rogers et al. 2013; Gell et al. 2016). In this study, we document the estab- tralian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC). The The Brush-tailed Bettong (Bettongia lishment and dispersal of a new popula- property is approximately 132,500 ha penicillata) is one of Australia’s threatened tion of woylies released into a 7,838 ha and is located about 350 km north-east critical weight range (CWR) mammals safe haven (Fig. 1) and report on initial of Perth (Fig. 1). Mt Gibson is in a transi- (Burbidge & McKenzie 1989; but see Cardi- survival, changes in population density tion zone between the wetter south-west llo & Bromham 2001). Once distributed and abundance, and habitat utilisation and the more arid Eremean region. It fea- across much of the continent, populations over the first 3 years post-reintroduction. tures a mix of Acacia shrublands, various of the Brush-tailed Bettong collapsed fol- In addition to providing a new source pop- Eucalyptus woodlands and Callitris-domi- lowing the introduction of the Red Fox ulation for future translocations, the pri- nated vegetation communities. A 1.8 m (Vulpes Vulpes) and Cat (Felis catus; Yeat- mary aim of this reintroduction was, as high fence surrounds 7,832 ha and pro- man & Groom 2012). By the 1970s, only a per IUCN guidelines (IUCN 2012), to vides a barrier to cats and foxes and other few populations of the Western sub- increase the overall area of occupancy, similarly sized or larger terrestrial verte- species, the Woylie (Bettongia penicillata extent of occurrence, number of sub-pop- brates. Control efforts ensured that the ogilbyi) persisted in south-western Wes- ulations and global population size of woy- safe haven was free of cats, foxes and tern Australia. With a concerted manage- lies (Ruykys & Kanowski 2015). By goats (Capra aegagrus hircus), after ment effort, primarily broad-scale control developing a robust monitoring pro- which a reintroduction programme for of the fox and translocations, the species gramme, ongoing management can pro- ten regionally extinct mammal species was downgraded to ‘low risk’ (conserva- ceed in an adaptive manner with a view was instigated (Kanowski et al., 2018). tion dependent) in 1996 (Start et al. to assessing the success of the transloca- Before the second survey (October– 1998). However, between 1999 and 2006 tion and developing an understanding of November 2017), 71 Banded Hare-walla- the woylie declined again by c. 90% carrying capacity and its management. bies (Lagostrophus fasciatus), a macro- (Wayne et al., 2015) and in 2008 was re- pod herbivore, had been translocated to listed as ‘fauna that was rare, or likely to Mt Gibson. Other than Banded Hare-walla- become extinct’ under the Western Aus- Materials and Methods bies, translocations for Numbats (Myrme- tralian Wildlife Conservation Act 1950, Translocations cobius fasciatus), Greater Bilbies and as critically endangered in the IUCN (Macrotis lagotis), Red-tailed Phascogales Red List (Woinarski & Burbidge 2016). In Woylies were reintroduced to Mt Gibson (Phascogale calura), Greater Stick-nest 2009, it was listed as endangered under from August 2015, with translocations Rats (Leporillus conditor), Shark Bay the Environment Protection and Biodi- being completed by July 2019. Animals bandicoots (Perameles bougainville) and versity Conservation Act 1999 (Groom were translocated from the Karakamia Shark Bay Mice (Pseudomys fieldi) had 2010). Clearly, developing a robust moni- Wildlife Sanctuary, Perup Sanctuary, and begun. However, most of these species toring programme for every woylie popula- Whiteman Park (Yeatman & Groom are not herbivores and all were considered tion is particularly important if managers 2012); these source locations were to be in low enough numbers to not have are to identify and respond to unwanted selected to maximise the genetic diversity had sufficient time to have made signifi- changes in population size in a timely man- of the reintroduced population (Pacioni cant impact upon food availability or veg- ner. et al. 2013). A total of 162 woylies (90 etation structure. Predation by introduced foxes and cats males:72 females) from the three sources is considered an important factor in the were translocated to Mt Gibson and Survival declines of CWR mammals, including the released at a series of pre-determined woylie (Woinarski et al. 2014). One release sites (Fig. 1). Fifty individuals were To assess their survival, 40 individuals (14 approach to manage the impacts of foxes released into Mt Gibson (from Karakamia males:26 females) translocated between and cats is the creation of fenced or island Wildlife Sanctuary) in 2015. A further nine September 2015 and September 2016 ‘safe havens’ from which introduced individuals were translocated from Kara- had radio-tracking collars (Sirtrack V5C predators (and other unwanted species) kamia and 32 from
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