Study

Reintroduction of macropods (Marsupialia: Macropodoidea) in Australia - a review

  • Published source details Short J., Bradshaw S.D., Giles J., Prince R.I.T. & Wilson G.R. (1992) Reintroduction of macropods (Marsupialia: Macropodoidea) in Australia - a review. Biological Conservation, 62, 189-204.

Actions

This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

Action Category

Release translocated/captive-bred mammals to islands without invasive predators

Action Link
Terrestrial Mammal Conservation
  1. Release translocated/captive-bred mammals to islands without invasive predators

    A review of 28 translocation studies in 1905-1990 on islands and mainland Australia (Short et al. 1992) found that eight of 12 marsupial populations translocated to islands without predators survived more than five years, none of six populations translocated to islands with predators survived and two of 10 translocations to the mainland survived more than five years. One of 12 populations of marsupials translocated to islands with no predators recorded survived at least 1-5 years, four survived 6-20 years and four survived >20 years (outcome of three translocations unknown). Five of six populations of marsupials translocated to islands with predators survived <1 year and one population survived 1-5 years. Three of 10 populations of marsupials translocated to the mainland survived <1 year, four survived 1-5 years and two survived 6-20 years (outcome of 1 translocation unknown). Translocations took place in 1905-1988 and included: banded hare-wallaby Lagostrophus fasciatus, black-flanked rock-wallaby Petrogale lateralis, bridled nail-tail wallaby Onychogalea fraenata, brush-tailed bettong (‘woylie’) Bettongia penicillata, brush-tailed rock-wallaby Petrogale penicillata, burrowing wallaby Bettongia lesueur, parma wallaby Macropus parma, quokka Setonix brachyurus, red-bellied pademelon Thylogale billardierii, rufous hare-wallaby Lagorchestes hirsutus, tammar wallaby Macropus eugenii, and western grey kangaroo Macropus fuliginosus. Predators were recorded as limiting factors in six island studies and were controlled in two mainland studies. Numbers of translocated animals ranged from 4-113, except for quokkas, of which 673 were translocated (see original paper for details).

    (Summarised by: Phil Martin)

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