The impact of fox control on the relative abundance of forest mammals in East Gippsland, Victoria

Dexter, Nick; Murray, Andy J.

doi:10.1071/wr08135

Cited by 103 publications

(86 citation statements)

References 42 publications

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“…Even though fox baiting is effective for the conservation of native medium-sized mammal species (Dexter & Murray, 2009;Saunders et al, 2010), we found that fox baiting was only a cost-effective management strategy for malleefowl in some circumstances, depending on the number of years a site had been baited. However, in most situations, malleefowl conservation did not effectively benefit from fox baiting at current levels of investment.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 86%

Unexpected outcomes of invasive predator control: the importance of evaluating conservation management actions

Walsh

Wilson

Benshemesh

et al. 2012

Animal Conservation

102

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Decisions regarding the implementation of conservation management actions should be based on the effectiveness of past investments. However, because of limited evaluation of existing data, actions may be prescribed without evidence of producing a beneficial conservation outcome. We analysed empirical data, collected over 23 years across southern Australia, on the impact of fox baiting on malleefowl to determine its effectiveness. We employed data from extensive monitoring surveys to evaluate the observed relationships between investment in fox control, fox baiting intensity, fox presence and two alternative measures of the malleefowl's response: the number of breeding pairs and population growth. This study is the first to quantify the return on investment from fox control in a conservation context. We discovered there is limited quantitative evidence for a benefit of fox baiting on malleefowl, despite it being the main management action implemented for this nationally threatened, well-studied and iconic species. We found that fox baiting did not significantly decrease the presence of foxes and fox presence was positively correlated with malleefowl conservation. Malleefowl breeding population size increased with investment in baiting, although this relationship depended on the number of years the site had been baited. Nonetheless, most sites had a negative relationship between investment and breeding population. In contrast, malleefowl population growth did not benefit from baiting, suggesting that fox baiting is generally not a cost-effective management action for the conservation of this species. This study provides a powerful example of why management decisions should be based on evidence, rather than ecological intuition. Even though the malleefowl is one of the best-monitored species of conservation concern in Australia, we are still uncertain how to cost-effectively manage this species. We emphasize the urgent need to assess what data we have and determine which species and what actions are most in need of evaluation.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 86%

Unexpected outcomes of invasive predator control: the importance of evaluating conservation management actions

Walsh

Wilson

Benshemesh

et al. 2012

Animal Conservation

102

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“…It is apparent that even in the goodquality potoroo habitat offered at both study areas the species may be facing serious predation risk due to its use of patches of open ground cover, particularly during foraging. The effective control of introduced predators, especially foxes, in and around potoroo habitat is also likely to assist in the conservation of the species, particularly following disturbances such as fire (Dexter and Murray 2009). …”

Section: Synopsismentioning

confidence: 99%

Habitat associations of the long-nosed potoroo (Potorous tridactylus) at multiple spatial scales

2010

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This study examined the coarse-and fine-scale habitat preferences of the long-nosed potoroo (Potorous tridactylus) in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, in order to inform the management of this threatened species. Live-trapping was conducted in autumn and spring, from 2005 to 2008, at two sites. Macrohabitat preferences were examined by comparing trap success with numerous habitat attributes at each trap site. In spring 2007 and autumn 2008, microhabitat use was also examined, using the spool-and-line technique and forage digging assessments. While potoroos were trapped in a wide range of macrohabitats, they displayed some preference for greater canopy and shrub cover, and ground cover with lower floristic diversity. While most individuals also displayed preferences for various microhabitat attributes, no clear trends were evident across all individuals. Potoroos displayed some foraging preference for microhabitats with higher shrub cover densities and more open ground cover. Despite extensive fox predation risks, individual potoroos did not all preferentially utilise dense ground cover. Future management of known and potential potoroo habitat should aim to provide effective introduced predator control and enhance the diversity of vegetation attributes while avoiding practices that simplify the habitat. Abstract. This study examined the coarse-and fine-scale habitat preferences of the long-nosed potoroo (Potorous tridactylus) in the Southern Highlands of New South Wales, in order to inform the management of this threatened species. Live-trapping was conducted in autumn and spring, from 2005 to 2008, at two sites. Macrohabitat preferences were examined by comparing trap success with numerous habitat attributes at each trap site. In spring 2007 and autumn 2008, microhabitat use was also examined, using the spool-and-line technique and forage digging assessments. While potoroos were trapped in a wide range of macrohabitats, they displayed some preference for greater canopy and shrub cover, and ground cover with lower floristic diversity. While most individuals also displayed preferences for various microhabitat attributes, no clear trends were evident across all individuals. Potoroos displayed some foraging preference for microhabitats with higher shrub cover densities and more open ground cover. Despite extensive fox predation risks, individual potoroos did not all preferentially utilise dense ground cover. Future management of known and potential potoroo habitat should aim to provide effective introduced predator control and enhance the diversity of vegetation attributes while avoiding practices that simplify the habitat.

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“…Securing the long-term conservation of this species will depend on an understanding of its population dynamics at multiple locations across its geographic range, which extends from eastern South Australia to southern Queensland, and includes Tasmania (Johnston 2008). The sensitivity of this species to habitat alteration (Claridge and Barry 2000) and fox predation (Dexter and Murray 2009) is well documented and attests to a need for population monitoring. Camera traps now provide the most cost-effective and least intrusive method for doing this (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Horizontal or vertical? Camera trap orientations and recording modes for detecting potoroos, bandicoots and pademelons

Taylor

Goldingay

Lindsay³

2014

Aust. Mammalogy

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Abstract. Camera traps can detect rare and cryptic species, and may enable description of the stability of populations of threatened species. We investigated the relative performance of cameras oriented horizontally or vertically, and recording mode (still and video) to detect the vulnerable long-nosed potoroo (Potorous tridactylus) as a precursor to population monitoring. We established camera traps for periods of 13-21 days across 21 sites in Richmond Range National Park in northeast New South Wales. Each camera trap set consisted of three KeepGuard KG680V cameras directed at a bait container -one horizontal and one vertical camera in still mode and one horizontal camera in video mode. Potoroos and bandicoots (Perameles nasuta and Isoodon macrourus) were detected at 14 sites and pademelons (Thylogale stigmatica and T. thetis) were detected at 19 sites. We used program PRESENCE to compare detection probabilities for each camera category. The detection probability for all three taxa groups was lowest for the vertical still and similar for the horizontal cameras. The detection probability (horizontal still) was highest for the potoroos (0.43) compared with the bandicoots (0.16) and pademelons (0.25). We estimate that the horizontal stills camera could achieve a 95% probability of detection of a potoroo within 6 days compared with 8 days using a vertical stills camera. This suggests that horizontal cameras in still mode have great potential for monitoring the dynamics of this potoroo population.

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The impact of fox control on the relative abundance of forest mammals in East Gippsland, Victoria

Cited by 103 publications

References 42 publications

Unexpected outcomes of invasive predator control: the importance of evaluating conservation management actions

Unexpected outcomes of invasive predator control: the importance of evaluating conservation management actions

Habitat associations of the long-nosed potoroo (Potorous tridactylus) at multiple spatial scales

Horizontal or vertical? Camera trap orientations and recording modes for detecting potoroos, bandicoots and pademelons

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