Ecology and population biology of long-nosed bandicoots (Perameles nasuta) at North Head, Sydney Harbour National Park

Abstract

The population biology, habitat utilisation and diet of a small, isolated population of long-nosed bandicoots (Perameles nasuta) was studied over a 22-month period at North Head in Sydney Harbour National Park, New South Wales. Reproductive output in this urban environment was high, with a mean litter size of 2.3 and production of up to four litters per year. The peak of reproductive activity was in late spring and early summer, with a cessation of breeding in late autumn or early winter. The main causes of death were identified as road trauma (58% – probably an overestimate because of the ease of finding road deaths) and predation by cats and foxes (37% – probably an underestimate because of the difficulty of locating carcasses unless radio-collared). Bandicoots utilised all macrohabitats (open grassed areas, heath, forest, swamp and scrub), but extensively used open grassed areas for foraging. Males had larger home ranges (4.4 ± 0.8 ha) than females (1.7 ± 0.2 ha). The largest home ranges of males coincided with the peak of the breeding season (September–November). Throughout the year P. nasuta fed primarily on beetles, invertebrate larvae and ants, but also on other invertebrates and on plant and fungal material. Some vertebrate and human- derived material (birdseed, vegetable scraps, plastic, twine) was also eaten. Although remarkably adaptable in its reproductive and dietary strategies, this population of long-nosed bandicoots is likely to follow other urban bandicoot populations toward extinction unless there is active management to reduce the high rate of mortality from motor vehicles and introduced predators.

Aspects of the ecology of the kalubu bandicoot (Echymipera kalubu) and observations on Raffray’s bandicoot (Peroryctes raffrayanus), Eastern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea

“…The robustness of MCP estimates of home-range size are known to be limited and potentially biased (Börger et al 2006); however, the short period of attachment and consequent limited number of locations restricted more complex analysis such as kernel density estimates. Despite these limitations, our estimates of home-range size are broadly comparable with those recorded for bandicoots in the Peramelidae, where MCP home ranges of Perameles nasuta are reported as 1.8-2.0 ha (Scott et al 1999) and 4.0-4.2 ha (Hope 2012), and of Perameles gunni as 1.6 ha (Dufty 1994). Our estimates of short-term home range also appear plausible in comparison with results from spool-and-line tracking, where night-time ranges of five males ranged from 0.34 to 0.64 ha and males covered an average distance of 344 m (Anderson et al 1988).…”

“…In support of this, despite continued live trapping no further animals were captured within the ranges of animals tracked during our study. While this appears to be the case in our study, Anderson et al (1988) reported that ranges of male kalubu bandicoots overlapped and radio-tracking studies of the long-nosed bandicoot (Perameles nasuta) indicate that females had overlapping ranges throughout the year, whereas males displayed territorial behaviour to other males in non-breeding months but ranges overlapped during the breeding season (Scott et al 1999). Further studies at a range of sites and species, ideally utilising kernel density estimates of home range rather than MCP estimates, as the latter are often of limited utility in assessing temporal or spatial overlap between animals (Laver and Kelly 2008), will be necessary to determine whether intrasexual territoriality, as suggested by our study, is the norm for New Guinea's peroryctids.…”

“…Traps were baited with ripe banana or a mixture of banana and peanut butter, and set within areas of active coffee garden, old gardens and secondary forest. Traps were positioned close to areas of bandicoot foraging signs (conical rooting holes in the soil: Scott et al 1999) or alongside favoured food plants, including fruiting Zingziber or Ficus trees (Flannery 1995). Traps were set for 1-3 weeks and remained set in the same location after each trap's initial capture.…”

“…Seebeck et al 1990 and references therein; Scott et al 1999;Richards and Short 2003), the ecology and behaviour of the Peroryctidae of New Guinea is almost unknown. To date, published studies on the ecology of New Guinea's bandicoots consist of information on hunting returns (e.g.…”

Responses of four Critical Weight Range (CWR) marsupials to the odours of native and introduced predators

“…Each species is preyed upon by both quolls and foxes (Alexander 1980;McKay 1994;Belcher 1995;Jones and Barmuta 1998), and all four species use scent-marking for intra-specific communication (Stoddart 1980;Gordon 1998;Scott et al 1999;Kerle 2001), indicating well developed olfactory abilities to support potential recognition of predators. We use the scat at trap technique used in many northern hemisphere studies to demonstrate odour avoidance by potential prey.…”