Eucalypt Woodland in Cape York Peninsula as Habitat for Arboreal Marsupials: Responses of the Common Brushtail Possum John W. Winter Project CY01.09 Funded by Cape York Natural Heritage Trust Administered by Tree Kangaroo and Mammal Group Inc. 2007 © John W. Winter, August 2007. Australian National Library Cataloguing-in-Publication Entry: Winter, John W. (John Woodrow), 1935- . Eucalypt woodland in Cape York Peninsula as habitat for arboreal marsupials : responses of the common brushtail possum. Bibliography. ISBN 978 06464 76889 (pbk.). 1. Brush-tailed possums – Habitat – Queensland – Cape York Peninsula. 2. Marsupials – Habitat – Queensland – Cape York Peninsula. 3. Eucalyptus – Ecology – Queensland – Cape York Peninsula. 4. Habitat (Ecology) – Queensland – Cape York Peninsula. I. Title. 599.232 This work is copyright. The Copyright Act 1968 permits fair dealing for study, research, news reporting, criticism or review. Selected passages may be reproduced for such purposes provided sufficient acknowledgement of the source is included. Published by the Tree Kangaroo and Mammal Group, Atherton, Australia. Further copies may be obtained by contacting the Tree Kangaroo and Mammal Group, PO Box 1409, Atherton, QLD 4883 or author John Winter, PO Box 151, Ravenshoe, QLD 4888. This report may be downloaded from the Tree Kangaroo and Mammal Group website: www.tree-kangaroo.net This report should be cited as: Winter, J. W. (2007) Eucalypt Woodland in Cape York Peninsula as Habitat for Arboreal Marsupials: Responses of the Common Brushtail Possum. Tree Kangaroo and Mammal Group, Atherton (121pp.). Cover Photographs: (Front) Historical photograph of the common brushtail possum Trichosurus vulpecula eburacensis from the Coleman River region of Cape York Peninsula., taken by Eric Mjöberg, September 1913, at the time when he collected the type specimen for the subspecies T. v. eburacensis (Plate 160 in Mjöberg 1918). (Left) Typical eucalypt woodland on Cape York Peninsula, Melon Yard, Strathgordon. Photographer A. B. Freeman. (Back) Eucalypt woodland with diverse understorey, Eric Yard, Rokeby Road, Mungkan Kaanju National Park, Cape York Peninsula. Photographer A. B. Freeman. Artwork by Adelpha Publishing and Design, Cairns Printed by Lotsa Printing, Cairns Eucalypt Woodland in Cape York Peninsula as Habitat for Arboreal Marsupials Acknowledgements This project would have been impossible without the help of many people, particularly from the residents of Cape York Peninsula. The Land and Sea Coordinators situated in the Aboriginal Communities were invaluable in helping to make contact with the Traditional Owners. The coordinators included Anne Creek (Coen), Chris Clifford (Lockhart), Marty Glancy (Pormpuraaw), Murray Penter and Richard Barkeley (Napranum), Sean O’Keeffe and Rick Allan (Mapoon), and Daniel Collins and Richard Tamwoy (Injinoo). All Traditional Owners contacted regarding working in their country unhesitatingly gave permission when the project was outlined to them. They included Sunlight Bassini (Silver Plains, southern), Ian Tucandidgee and Horace Rocky (Silver Plains, northern), Anne Creek (Coen), George Wilson, Priscilla Wilson and David Claudie (Embley Range), Amanda Woodley (York Downs), May Bullie (Strathgordon), Gina Nona (Bridge Creek, Jardine River), Miriam Crowe (Atambaya), Teddy Lawrence (Rokeby), Sandra Woosup (Vrilya Point) and Sylvia Rossendale (Laura). Residents of Cape York Peninsula willingly gave their time and information. They included Sue Shephard (Artemis), Paddy Shephard (Lockinvar), Carol Shephard (previously of Mary Valley), Mary Shephard (previously of Yarraden), Wendy Kozicka (Bramwell), Jimmy Gordon (previously of Rokeby), James Gordon (Astrea), Bill and Marie Raymond, Rob and Robyn Raymond (Pinnacles), Rodney and Ann Raymond (Kimba), John and Marie Armbrust (Orchid Creek), Karen and Graham Robertson (Batavia Downs), Russell and Angela Bride (Mary Valley), Ted Youngman (previously of Bromley), Aileen Cross (Laura). Others who provided either assistance in the field or information included Jade Charger, Colin Woodley, Lauri Booth, Meun (Shorty) Leufu, Boidi Heinemann, Ian Adcock, Brian Bardon, Des Land, Peter McCulkin, Geoff Wharton, Sue Gould, Shane Edwards, Tommy Bullie, Francis and Lydia Brisbane, Alan Wilson, Brian and Barbara McKenzie and many others who will forgive me for omitting their names. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service provided in-kind assistance both in the office and in the field and I would particularly like to thank Peter Latch and Alastair Freeman of the Threatened Species Unit, the latter for help in the field, Stella Martin for the production of promotional material, and the staff at Coen notably Mark Lincoln and Tom Pratt. The Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, Cairns provided vegetation and soil maps for the project. Peter Thomson of the Cape York Peninsula Development Association provided up-to-date fire maps. Cape York Natural Heritage Trust provided funding which enabled the project to proceed. Members of the Tree Kangaroo and Mammal Group Inc. provided essential support by providing in-kind help and by administering the project, much of it done by the Treasurer, Larry Crook. Finally, I wish to thank Helen Myles for help in the field, editorial input and encouragement throughout the project. i John W. Winter Contents Acknowledgements ...................................................................................................................................i List of Figures ...........................................................................................................................................v List of Tables .......................................................................................................................................... vii List of Colour Plates .............................................................................................................................. viii 1. Summary ..........................................................................................................................1 2. Introduction .....................................................................................................................3 2.1 Background ...............................................................................................................................3 2.2 Purpose and Aims of the Project ..............................................................................................5 2.3 Choice of the Common Brushtail Possum ................................................................................5 3. Methods............................................................................................................................7 3.1 Resampling of Localities ...........................................................................................................7 3.1.1 Selection of Localities and Searching Methods..............................................................7 3.1.2 Site Description.............................................................................................................10 4. Results ...........................................................................................................................11 4.1 Presence of Possums at Sampled Localities..........................................................................11 4.2 Disappeared Populations........................................................................................................15 4.2.1 Mapoon Road ...............................................................................................................15 4.2.2 Jardine River (Bridge Creek) ........................................................................................18 4.2.3 Vrilya Point....................................................................................................................20 4.3 Reappeared Populations.........................................................................................................21 4.3.1 Laura (Split Rock) .........................................................................................................21 4.3.2 Embley Range..............................................................................................................22 4.4 Continuously Present..............................................................................................................23 4.4.1 Coen North....................................................................................................................23 4.4.2 Rokeby Road (Eric Yard)..............................................................................................24 4.5 Appeared.................................................................................................................................25 4.5.1 Strathgordon (Melon Yard) ...........................................................................................25 4.5.2 York Downs...................................................................................................................26 4.6 Never Seen .............................................................................................................................26 4.6.1 Kimba............................................................................................................................26 4.6.2 Vrilya Point....................................................................................................................27