Re-assessment of Mountain Pygmy-possumBurramys parvuspopulation size and distribution of habitat in Kosciuszko National Park

An uncharacteristic new population of the Mountain Pygmy-possumBurramysparvus in New South Wales

“…These regional populations are located in Kosciuszko National Park in New South Wales, the Bogong High Plains area (including sub-populations on Mt Bogong, the Bogong High Plains and Mt Higginbotham) and at Mt Buller in Victoria. Highest densities and breeding females are largely confined to periglacial blockfields and blockstreams (termed boulderfields) at altitudes above 1400 m in Victoria and 1600 m in New South Wales (Caughley 1986;Mansergh and Broome 1994;Heinze and Williams 1998;Osborne et al 2000;Heinze et al 2004;Broome et al 2005). The lower altitudinal limit roughly corresponds with the winter snowline of around 1370 m in altitude (Davis 1998).…”

“…The lower altitudinal limit roughly corresponds with the winter snowline of around 1370 m in altitude (Davis 1998). The New South Wales population was recently estimated at 613 + 92 individuals (Broome et al 2005) and is restricted to small patches of preferred boulderfield habitat between South Ramshead in the Thredbo area north to Gungartan Pass in southern Kosciuszko National Park in an area measuring 30 km by 8 km (Caughley 1986;NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service 2002;Broome et al 2005). As a result of the small population size, extremely restricted distribution and threats associated with ski-run development Burramys parvus has been listed as Endangered under both the Federal Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the New South Wales Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995.…”

“…Additionally, two sites were sampled on modified natural scree along Happy Jacks Road within 1 km of the nearest major disturbance site. In a total of 1272 trap nights, 11 individuals were captured, comprising Heinze et al 2004;Broome et al 2005). The Happy Jacks Valley localities were situated outside the BIOCLIM predicted distribution, with the closest suitable habitat mapped as occurring in the Mt Jagungal area some 18 km to the south west (Broome et al 2005).…”

“…In a total of 1272 trap nights, 11 individuals were captured, comprising Heinze et al 2004;Broome et al 2005). The Happy Jacks Valley localities were situated outside the BIOCLIM predicted distribution, with the closest suitable habitat mapped as occurring in the Mt Jagungal area some 18 km to the south west (Broome et al 2005). All sites identified within Happy Jacks Valley were comprised of artificial or modified habitats at altitudes ranging from 1200 to 1310 m well below the 1600 m lower elevation limit of known breeding populations in southern Kosciuszko National Park (Heinze et al 2004;Broome et al 2005).…”

“…The Happy Jacks Valley localities were situated outside the BIOCLIM predicted distribution, with the closest suitable habitat mapped as occurring in the Mt Jagungal area some 18 km to the south west (Broome et al 2005). All sites identified within Happy Jacks Valley were comprised of artificial or modified habitats at altitudes ranging from 1200 to 1310 m well below the 1600 m lower elevation limit of known breeding populations in southern Kosciuszko National Park (Heinze et al 2004;Broome et al 2005). Radiotracked females as well as males and juveniles have been recorded as low as 1300 m at Mt Buller and a juvenile was captured by one of the authors (M. Schulz) at similar elevations at Falls (Broome 2001a;Heinze et al 2004).…”