Translocation Proposal Re-introduction of Mainland SA Tammar Wallaby to Innes National Park 2004 © Department for Environment and Heritage, November 2004 This document may be cited as “Department for Environment and Heritage (2004) Translocation Proposal: Re-introduction of Mainland SA Tammar Wallaby to Innes National Park, Adelaide, South Australia.” Front Cover Photos (clockwise from top left): Landscape of Innes National Park (DEH); Tammar Wallaby and joey (L Pedler); Heath landscape (DEH);Innes National Park Office (DEH); Grassland landscape (DEH); and Tammar Wallaby (A Robinson, DEH) ISBN: 1 921018 07 0 CONTENTS 1 Summary.................................................................................................................................................................. 1 2 Background to the Re-introduction of the South Australian Mainland Tammar (Macropus eugenii eugenii) to Innes National Park ...................................................................................................................... 4 3 Conservation status ............................................................................................................................................... 6 4 Reasons for decline ............................................................................................................................................... 8 5 Program objectives................................................................................................................................................ 9 6 Justification ...........................................................................................................................................................10 7 Historical distribution ............................................................................................................................................11 8 Current distribution...............................................................................................................................................11 9 Distribution outside historic range......................................................................................................................12 10 Source population ...............................................................................................................................................12 11 Ecological requirements .....................................................................................................................................12 11.1 Habitat requirements............................................................................................................................12 11.2 Diet ..........................................................................................................................................................12 11.3 Home ranges and population densities ............................................................................................13 11.4 Minimum viable population size and minimum area requirements..............................................13 12 Past translocations ...............................................................................................................................................14 13 Release site ...........................................................................................................................................................15 14 Translocation design............................................................................................................................................17 14.1 Captive housing protocol....................................................................................................................17 14.2 Transfer Protocol....................................................................................................................................17 14.3 Group size and Composition...............................................................................................................17 14.4 Release Protocol ...................................................................................................................................17 15 Captive population .............................................................................................................................................18 16 Population monitoring.........................................................................................................................................18 16.1 Trapping protocol .................................................................................................................................18 16.2 Tracking and monitoring protocol......................................................................................................18 16.3 Protocol for the re-capture of wallabies that move off-park.........................................................18 16.4 Population size.......................................................................................................................................19 16.5 Demographic parameters...................................................................................................................19 16.6 Wallaby space use patterns................................................................................................................20 17 Population management ...................................................................................................................................21 17.1 Population projection...........................................................................................................................21 17.2 Population crash ...................................................................................................................................26 17.3 Carrying capacity.................................................................................................................................28 18 Site management ................................................................................................................................................31 18.1 Predator Control....................................................................................................................................31 18.2 Total Grazing Pressure Management.................................................................................................34 Re-introduction of Mainland SA Tammar Wallaby to Innes National Park, 2004 i 18.3 Other interactions .................................................................................................................................35 19 Disease management.........................................................................................................................................36 19.1 Disease screening .................................................................................................................................36 19.2 Pathology Results ..................................................................................................................................36 19.3 Source population pathogens............................................................................................................36 19.4 Release location pathogens ...............................................................................................................37 20 Research objectives ............................................................................................................................................37 21 Legal requirements ..............................................................................................................................................37 21.1 International...........................................................................................................................................37 21.2 Commonwealth Legislation ................................................................................................................38 21.3 State Legislation ....................................................................................................................................38 22 Management plans and strategies...................................................................................................................38 23 Strategic directions ..............................................................................................................................................39 24 Social and economic considerations ...............................................................................................................39 24.1 Public consultation and participation ...............................................................................................39 24.2 Community Awareness and Education.............................................................................................39 24.3 Economic considerations ....................................................................................................................40 25 Outcomes and targets........................................................................................................................................41 25.1 Criteria for success ................................................................................................................................41 25.2 Operational targets ..............................................................................................................................41