Home-range estimates and habitat of the yellow-bellied glider (Petaurus australis) at Waratah Creek, New South Wales

Abstract

The yellow-bellied glider (Petaurus australis), the largest of the exudivorous marsupials, lives in small family groupings and occupies virtually exclusive home ranges. A variety of estimation techniques were used to determine the home-range area of five glider groups. Two sets of data were analysed for each glider group; one included the locations of all observations while the other utilised a subset considered to represent independent observations based on a 3-h interval between consecutive locations. The techniques favoured for estimating home-range area, minimum convex polygon (MCP) and 95% isopleth of the harmonic mean (95% HM), gave mean values of 59 ha and 46 ha, respectively, when all data were included. These values were 28% and 14% larger, respectively, than those estimated with independent data. An extrapolation that accounted for the influence of the number of locations on the area estimated gave a mean MCP value of 63 ha for the five groups. This value was compared with estimates for other exudivorous mammals and is much greater than that predicted from the body weight of this species. The home ranges (defined by the 95% HM) of the five glider groups included different proportions of the seven forest types available in the study area. The forest type in which Eucalyptus ovata predominated was identified as a key habitat. It was the least abundant yet was included in all five home ranges, unlike several of the more abundant forest types which were absent from some home ranges. The above results are discussed in relation to forest management and conservation.

Home Range of the Australian Squirrel Glider, Petaurus norfolcensis (Diprotodontia)

“…This facilitated individual recognition when gliders were located at night (Goldingay 1992;Goldingay and Kavanagh 1993). Gliders were weighed, assigned to age classes using tooth condition and ventral fur color, and sex was determined (Quin 1995;Sharpe 2004;Suckling 1984;van der Ree 2002).…”

“…Several studies have found that gliding mammals occupy home-range areas much larger than predicted based on their body mass (Fridell and Litvaitis 1991;Goldingay and Kavanagh 1993;Hanski et al 2000;Jackson 2000;Menzel et al 2006;Witt 1992). The generality of this, or whether it relates to gliding locomotion, is unknown, but if the pattern persists the underlying cause should be of ecological interest.…”

Home Range of Plumed Frogmouths Podargus ocellatus plumiferus During the Non-breeding Season as Shown by Radio-tracking

“…The data were collected over a short period (35 days), involved only one animal of each sex and only one locality. Furthermore, the data sets used to calculate home ranges contained fewer than 100 points; Goldingay & Kavanagh (1993) showed that such small data sets (less than 100 points) for Yellowbellied Gliders tended to under-estimate home ranges.…”

Home range areas of koalas in an urban area of north-east New South Wales

“…This is desirable because it facilitates comparison among studies (Harris et al 1990;Goldingay and Kavanagh 1993). Home-range areas have been reported for locations broadly across the geographic range of the koala (Table 3).…”

“…1). Conducting a compositional analysis such as this is valuable to identify those habitats of key importance, the amounts apparently required and those habitats of lower or no value (see Goldingay and Kavanagh 1993;Sharpe and Goldingay 2007).…”