Journal articles on the topic 'Kangaroos – Behavior – Australia'
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1
Thomsen, D. A., K. Muir, and J. Davies. "Aboriginal perspectives on kangaroo management in South Australia." Rangeland Journal 28, no. 2 (2006): 127. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj05028.
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Kangaroos are culturally significant to Aboriginal people but Aboriginal people are generally not involved in kangaroo management or in the kangaroo industry. Our research has provided the first opportunity for Aboriginal people in South Australia to present their perspectives on the commercial harvest of kangaroos. Research methods were qualitative, involving consultations with authoritative Aboriginal people about their perspectives, aspirations, and how they see their rights and interests in relation to the commercial harvest of kangaroos. We found diverse views on this topic from Aboriginal research participants. For some Aboriginal people, strict cultural protocols preclude any involvement in the commercial harvest, but for people from other regions where the cultural laws concerning kangaroos are quite different, there is interest in developing enterprises based on kangaroo harvest. Despite the diversity of views about commercial kangaroo harvest, Aboriginal people across South Australia highly value kangaroos, and want to be included in decision-making processes for kangaroo management. There is potential for appropriate engagement of Aboriginal people in kangaroo management through improved communication, greater understanding and respect for the diversity of Aboriginal perspectives and protocols regarding native wildlife.
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Higginbottom, K., CL Northrope, DB Croft, B. Hill, and E. Fredline. "The role of kangaroos in Australian tourism." Australian Mammalogy 26, no. 1 (2004): 23. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am04023.
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Generally absent from the debate on the management of kangaroos (Macropodoidea) is discussion of their role in tourism. This paper examines the role that kangaroos play in Australian tourism, synthesising the findings of four related projects undertaken recently by the Cooperative Research Centre for Sustainable Tourism. It investigates the role of kangaroos in tourism marketing imagery, international tourist demand and existing tourism enterprises, and examines opportunities for future development of tourism involving kangaroos. In order to assess these aspects, experimental studies, interviews, visitor surveys, content analysis of advertising material, postal surveys of wildlife professionals and site visits were conducted. The kangaroo was found to be one of the world?s best-recognised tourism icons and to generate positive responses among Americans; yet it is apparently under-utilised in overseas travel brochures designed to attract international tourists to Australia. The use of kangaroos in tourism is already widespread, with over 190 tourism enterprises including kangaroo viewing, and with the kangaroo featuring in organised wildlife tourism more frequently than any other type of animal. However kangaroos are generally just one component of a broader tourism experience. While 18.4% of international visitors are motivated to visit Australia partly because of its native animals, there are very few who would not come otherwise. Kangaroos and koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) are by far the most popular animals with international visitors. Most visitors who wished to do so, succeeded in seeing kangaroos during their visit, and most expressed high levels of satisfaction with their wildlife experiences. The most satisfying kangaroo viewing experiences are likely to involve the relatively large, social species of open habitats. However areas where these species are most likely to be abundant mostly score poorly in terms of feasibility of tourism. Tourism is one significant management option for Australia?s kangaroos, and its potential deserves further investigation.
3
Norbury, GL, and DC Norbury. "The Distribution of Red Kangaroos in Relation to Range Regeneration." Rangeland Journal 15, no. 1 (1993): 3. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj9930003.
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Pastoralists frequently claim that attempts at range regeneration in arid and semi-arid areas are thwarted by kangaroos. This paper examines the possibility that the impact of kangaroo grazing is exacerbated by an influx of kangaroos onto regeneration sites. The amount of kangaroo dung in a 7500 ha paddock in arid Western Australia increased six-fold over a 15-month period following the removal of sheep. A similar influx was apparent in another destocked paddock that provided unusually high offtake of kangaroos by a commercial shooter. The amount of kangaroo dung remained relatively stable in a control paddock that was stocked. Some areas subject to cultivation and reseeding with native shrubs also showed increased amounts of kangaroo dung, indicating relatively intense kangaroo grazing. Radio-tracking of 46 kangaroos showed them to be mostly sedentary, suggesting that 'invading' kangaroos emerge from the local area. This conclusion is contrary to the widespread view that kangaroos migrate from distant locations. Thus, kangaroo control programs on sensitive areas are likely to be long-lasting because incursions are predominantly from local populations.
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McLeod, S. R., and R. B. Hacker. "Balancing stakeholder interests in kangaroo management – historical perspectives and future prospects." Rangeland Journal 41, no. 6 (2019): 567. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj19055.
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Kangaroos are commercially harvested in five mainland states of Australia, with the harvest regulated by state government wildlife management agencies and overseen by the Commonwealth government. Non-commercial culling is permitted, and although most kangaroos have traditionally been taken by the commercial kangaroo harvesting industry, the proportion taken non-commercially has increased in recent years. Management plans that guide the regulation of the harvest support the management objectives of wildlife management agencies and the kangaroo industry, but the plans do not successfully address the objectives of other stakeholders including pastoralists and animal protection groups, which focus on minimising the grazing impacts of kangaroos and animal welfare issues respectively. We reviewed the objectives outlined in the management plans for kangaroos in the Australian rangelands and examined alternative systems for managing natural resources to identify if improvements to management could be made. Current management plans for kangaroos principally use fixed harvest rates that are responsive only to the state of the kangaroo population and not to changes in the environments in which kangaroos live. This type of management is reactive, and opportunities for improving management of the environment are limited. A viable alternative is active adaptive management which focuses on explicit measurement of the response of the natural system to management actions and use of this information to modify interventions to better meet management objectives. Active adaptive management is appropriate when management actions can strongly influence system state but the impacts of management are uncertain. We argue that the management of kangaroos and the environments in which they live would benefit from the adoption of an active adaptive management approach by wildlife management agencies.
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Thomson, PC. "The behavioural ecology of dingoes in north-western Australia. III. Hunting and Feeding behaviour, and diet." Wildlife Research 19, no. 5 (1992): 531. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr9920531.
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Observations from aerial radio-tracking were used together with analysis of scat and stomach samples to investigate the feeding ecology of dingoes, Canis familiaris dingo, on the lower Fortescue River in Western Australia. Between 1977 and 1984, 1948 records of hunting and feeding were obtained, and 352 scats and 119 stomachs were collected. Dingoes preyed predominantly on kangaroos, Macropus robustus and M. rufus, the most abundant and widely distributed of the larger native mammals in the area. In one site dingoes partially switched to alternative food (smaller prey and cattle carrion) when kangaroo abundance declined. However, they continued to hunt and kill kangaroos even when easyto- obtain cattle carrion was available. The increased utilisation of smaller prey by dingoes coincided with changes in sociality (disintegration of packs and an increased number of solitary dingoes). In a sheepgrazing area, sheep were 'easy' prey and dingoes killed sheep and kangaroos in excess of their needs for food, although kangaroo remained a major component of their diet. Dingoes cooperating in groups were more successful than solitary dingoes in hunting large prey (kangaroos, calves). Cooperative effort was not required for dingoes to catch or kill sheep.
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Collins, D., and K. Menz. "An Economic Perspective to the Population Management of Commercially Harvested Kangaroos." Rangeland Journal 8, no. 2 (1986): 103. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj9860103.
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Both overseas and within Australia, the need for a commercial kangaroo industry is being questioned. Some groups believe that the larger kangaroo species presently being culled are under threat of extinction and that the pest status of kangaroos to agriculture is largely a myth. As the commercial kangaroo industry is export oriented, the imposition of import bans by overseas governments would significantly affect the viability of the industry. Also, agricultural producers who believe they bear the costs of maintaining kangaroo population are concerned that damage by kangaroos would become unacceptably high if their numbers were to go unchecked. The aim of this article is to put an economic perspective on the population management of commercially harvested kangaroos. The major groups in conflict are identified, along with their respective preferences regarding the appropriate level of the kangaroo population. The underlying reason for conflict, the common property characteristic of kangaroos, is examined, and an economic framework for reconciling these conflicts through population management presented. The lack of data on kangaroo numbers and the benefits and costs which various population levels have for the various interest groups remain a major impediment to quantifying an economic model for determining optimal population levels. An examination is made of relevant data and a national appraisal of the order of magnitude of kangaroo damages to agriculture is presented.
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Barker, R. D., and G. Caughley. "Distribution and abundance of kangaroos (Marsupialia: Macropodidae) at the time of European contact: South Australia." Australian Mammalogy 17, no. 1 (1994): 73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am94008.
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Historical records, and the names of animals within Aboriginal languages, were analysed to compare the distribution and density of kangaroos at European contact with those of today. We gave up this attempt for the Eastern Grey Kangaroo, Macropus giganteus, presently restricted to the extreme south-east of the state, because it was never differentiated historically from the Southern Grey Kangaroo, M. fuliginosus, which occurs right across the southern portion of the state. The historical distribution of the latter species, and of the Red Kangaroo, M. rufus, seems to have been similar to their distribution today. Past densities are difficult to extract from historical records and are not sufficiently reliable to justify comparison with present densities. We note however an apparent increase in density of 'kangaroos' in the mid-1800s.
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Webley, L. S., I. Beveridge, and G. Coulson. "Endoparasites of an insular subspecies of the western grey kangaroo, Macropus fuliginosus." Australian Journal of Zoology 52, no. 6 (2004): 623. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo04011.
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This study examined parasites occurring in the insular subspecies of the western grey kangaroo, Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus, from Kangaroo Island. A total of 25 kangaroos from three sites were examined for gastrointestinal parasites. Fifteen parasite species were identified: eight in the stomach, five in the small intestine and two in the large intestine. Parasite prevalence showed a bimodal distribution: 'satellite' species were predominantly cestodes, whereas 'core' species were nematodes. There was no evidence of co-speciation in the 12 parasite species occurring in both island and mainland western grey kangaroo subspecies. M. f. fuliginosus harboured fewer parasite species than M. f. melanops from the Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia. This might be related to parasite prevalence and the intensity of infection in the original population of kangaroos. Alternatively, it might be related to differing environmental conditions or to chance. Host switching was evident, with Cloacina kartana, which has been recorded as a common parasite of the tammar wallaby, Macropus eugenii, also occurring in some kangaroos.
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Freudenberger, D., and RB Hacker. "The Effect of Temporary Closure of Watering Points on Grazing Intensity of Red and Grey Kangaroos With Related Observations on Feral Goats." Rangeland Journal 19, no. 2 (1997): 157. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj9970157.
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In this study we examined the utility of manipulating artificial waters as a means of managing total grazing pressure in semi-arid rangelands of eastern Australia. We tested the efficacy of 'Finlayson trough' exclosure technology at three locations, over two summers, in paddocks with red kangaroos (Macropus rufirs) and two species of grey kangaroo (M. giganteus and M. fuliginosus). We also examined the effect of closing off five waters on the distribution of feral goat grazing intensity at one study site. Generally, there were no apparent reductions in kangaroo and goat grazing intensity following 6-10 weeks of water exclosure, the exception being a minor reduction in red kangaroo grazing intensity at one location. We concluded that kangaroo and goat grazing pressure cannot be substantially reduced by simply closing off waters in and near paddocks for several months. Key words: kangaroos, water exclosure. feral goats, grazing pressure, paddock spelling
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Brandimarti, Maquel E., Rachael Gray, Fabiola R. O. Silva, and Catherine A. Herbert. "Kangaroos at maximum capacity: health assessment of free-ranging eastern grey kangaroos on a coastal headland." Journal of Mammalogy 102, no. 3 (March 30, 2021): 837–51. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/gyab022.
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Abstract Sprawling urban development is fragmenting the landscape and native wildlife habitats on the Australian east coast. The impact of this rapid urbanization on wildlife health is largely unknown. This study surveyed the health of a high-density (5.4 individuals per ha) population of eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) affected by urban encroachment and prolonged drought. Blood parameters (hematological and serum protein), trace element and heavy metal concentrations, and parasite counts (fecal worm egg counts, ticks, and mites) are reported for a sample of ≤ 54 kangaroos at Look at Me Now Headland, New South Wales, Australia. These parameters were compared to lower density kangaroo populations from other sites in New South Wales. We found the health and welfare of this population to be severely compromised, with nonregenerative anemia and nutritional deficiencies evident. Our results indicate that high-density kangaroo populations isolated by urban encroachment are at significant health risk. To prevent further decline in this population’s health, we discuss management strategies that could be employed, concurrent with ongoing health and disease monitoring, to mitigate the poor health outcomes in this population. We conclude that it is essential to retain habitat connectivity when altering land use in areas with resident kangaroo populations if managers are to maintain healthy populations.
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Arundel, JH, KJ Dempster, KE Harrigan, and R. Black. "Epidemiological Observations on the Helminth Parasites of Macropus Giganteus Shaw in Victoria." Wildlife Research 17, no. 1 (1990): 39. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr9900039.
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An epidemiological study of the nematode parasites of the eastern grey kangaroo (M. giganteus) was made in an enclosed reserve north of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Adult and juvenile kangaroos were collected at approximately 6-weekly intervals and blood, faeces and the entire gastrointestinal tract was obtained. The nematodes present were Globocephaloides trifidospicularis, Rugopharynx australis, R. rosemariae, Pharyngostrongylus kappa, Cloacina spp., Strongyloides sp., Macropostrongylus baylisi, Paramacropostrongylus toraliformis, Alocostoma clelandi, Labiostrongylus spp., Macroponema comani and Macropoxyuris. The majority of nematodes had a seasonal fluctuation. Acquisition commenced in late summer and reached a peak in midwinter before declining in spring. G. trifidospicularis caused considerable mortality in juvenile kangaroos and there was a strong relationship between rising numbers of this species and falling plasma protein, haemoglobin concentration and haematocrit values. This species can cause heavy mortality in juvenile kangaroos in enclosed populations when winter feed is depleted and when the small animals with no fat reserves experience maximum cold stress. Other parasites present included Progamotaenia ewersi, P. festiva, P. macropodis, Triplotaenia fimbriata, T. undosa, Eimeria wilcanniensis, E. macropodis, E. hestermani and E. marsupialum.
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Coulson, G. "The Effect of Drought on Road Mortality of Macropods." Wildlife Research 16, no. 1 (1989): 79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr9890079.
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Road-kills of eastern grey kangaroos, Macropus giganteus, and swamp wallabies, Wallabia bicolor, were monitored during and after the severe 1981-83 drought in central Victoria, Australia. These were compared with a survey of the same area prior to the drought. The frequency of road-kills of both species during the drought was higher than pre-drought and post-drought levels, and over 9 years the seasonal frequency of kangaroo road-kills was inversely related to the rainfall of the previous season. Road-kills of kangaroos were predominantly males, and almost half were juveniles.
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Coulson, G., A. Poiani, and CD Nave. "A modified draw-string trap for capture of kangaroos at fences." Australian Mammalogy 25, no. 2 (2003): 177. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am03177.
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We modified an earlier design of a draw-string trap to capture free-ranging eastern grey kangaroos, Macropus giganteus, at Portland Aluminium, Victoria, Australia. The trap consisted of a tunnel of netting suspended from a metal frame erected at a narrow gateway in a fence, which was constructed where kangaroos had established runways between paddocks and shelterbelts. We set up five traps on different fences and operated them from a hide 20 m away. A team of 2 ? 6 people drove kangaroos from the paddocks into cover, and the reverse. When a target individual entered a trap, we closed the netting at each end with hand-operated drawstrings, thereby restraining the kangaroo for examination and treatment. We captured 28 individuals a total of 59 times, and encountered few problems. The technique has potential for use with kangaroos and other species that habitually push under fences.
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Gardiner, H. G. "DYNAMICS OF PERENNIAL PLANTS IN THE MULGA (ACACIA ANEURA F. MUELL.) ZONE OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA 11. SURVIVAL OF PERENNIAL SHRUBS AND GRASSES." Rangeland Journal 8, no. 1 (1986): 28. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj9860028.
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Survival rates of arid-land perennial plant species were significantly related to climate, site factors, and grazing by kangaroos (Macropus rufus, Desmarest and Macropus robustus, Gould). Rainfall patterns ranging from severe drought to well above average resulted in responses in all species. All but Frankenia (Frankeniapauciflora, DC) responded to spatial and temporal site factors. Survival of wire wanderrie grass (Eragrostis xerophila, Domin) was severely reduced by grazing kangaroos, while poverty bush (Eremophila spectabilis, C.A. Gardn.) and Frankenra responded positively to kangaroo activity. Cotton bush (Ptilotus obovatus, Gaud.), ball-leaf bluebush (Marreana glomerifolia), (F. MueH et Tate) Wils. and Wilcox bush (Eremophila leucophylla, Benth.) showed no survival response to kangaroo grazing. The application of maximum likelihood procedures permitted subtle effects to be detected and several significant causal factors to be separated.
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Brunton, Elizabeth A., Sanjeev K. Srivastava, and Scott Burnett. "Spatial ecology of an urban eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus) population: local decline driven by kangaroo–vehicle collisions." Wildlife Research 45, no. 8 (2018): 685. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr18077.
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Context As urban landscapes proliferate globally, the need for research into urban wildlife interactions is magnified. The eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus) is a widespread species commonly involved in wildlife–vehicle collisions in urban areas in Australia. Despite the many urban kangaroo populations and associated conflicts with human activities, few studies have examined how eastern grey kangaroos interact with, and are affected by, the urban matrix. Aims The present study aimed to quantify kangaroo demography, movements, habitat utilisation and exposure to risks during a period of intensive urban development in a rapidly changing suburb located in a region undergoing high urban growth rates. Methods We utilised foot-based census surveys, global positioning system (GPS) collars, direct observations and reports of wildlife mortality between 2014 and 2016. Geographical information systems (GIS) were used to integrate GPS-tracking data with spatial layers, to quantify kangaroo movements and habitat utilisation. Key results The kangaroo population underwent a steep decline and kangaroo–vehicle collisions were the main source of mortality (73%) during the study period. Kangaroos were regularly exposed to the risk of injury, with roads intersecting many parts of their home range. Kangaroos showed positive habitat selection both for lawn and forest habitats and kangaroo movement and presence at the study site were influenced by high-quality forage and cover. Conclusions The present research has highlighted that despite areas of suitable habitat remaining, road-kill was a major contributor to localised kangaroo-population decline. We showed that habitat preferences of eastern grey kangaroos in this urban area were consistent with those in natural landscapes. Implications The present study is the first to implicate kangaroo–vehicle collisions as the major factor in population decline in kangaroos. These findings can be utilised to guide design and placement of kangaroo–vehicle collision mitigation and assist in planning of urban areas, particularly where kangaroo populations are in decline. Local extirpation of urban kangaroo populations would be greatly reduced by incorporating site-specific kangaroo habitat preferences and existing patterns of kangaroo habitat use in infrastructure planning. The study has contributed to our understanding of the effects of roads on urban wildlife in general and highlighted the importance of landscape permeability.
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Frank, Anke S. K., Glenda M. Wardle, Aaron C. Greenville, and Chris R. Dickman. "Cattle removal in arid Australia benefits kangaroos in high quality habitat but does not affect camels." Rangeland Journal 38, no. 1 (2016): 73. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj15039.
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Removing cattle as a management tool to conserve biodiversity may not necessarily alter grazing impacts on vegetation if other introduced or native herbivores move in and replace the cattle after removal. This study investigated whether there was a difference in the abundance of native red kangaroos (Osphranter (Macropus) rufus) and introduced feral camels (Camelus dromedarius) on arid rangelands where cattle had been recently removed compared with where cattle remained. Activity was measured by clearing and weighing dung, and by counting animal sightings. Kangaroos were encountered more frequently in high quality habitat (gidgee woodland) where cattle had been recently removed. However, kangaroo dung in newly cattle-free areas comprised only ~1.5% of the weight of cattle dung in this habitat where cattle still grazed, indicating no grazing compensation by the native herbivore. Camels showed no clear preference for particular habitat types but used dune tops usually avoided by kangaroos and cattle. There was no indication of camels using habitats differently in areas where cattle were removed. Camel dung collected across all habitats comprised less than a tenth the weight of cattle dung, but almost five times as much as kangaroo dung. As cattle removal had occurred relatively recently, further monitoring is needed to determine its impact over longer periods, especially through low and high rainfall cycles. Methods to improve the monitoring of large herbivores in the presence and absence of livestock and to assess whether anticipated conservation goals are achieved are discussed.
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Hacker, R. B., K. Sinclair, and L. Pahl. "Prospects for ecologically and socially sustainable management of total grazing pressure in the southern rangelands of Australia." Rangeland Journal 41, no. 6 (2019): 581. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj20006.
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Numerous large herbivore species, both native and exotic, share the southern Australian rangelands with domestic livestock, which often account for only about half of the total grazing pressure. Although each presents its individual challenge to landholders, the management of kangaroos is a key component of ecologically sustainable management of the region because (a) they represent a significant component of the non-domestic grazing pressure, particularly in areas from which dingos and wild dogs have been (partially) removed; (b) commercial harvesting, the means of control that has the highest social acceptability, has been rendered ineffective by the actions of activist groups and market closure due to food safety concerns; (c) the task is largely beyond the capacity of individual landholders; and (d) the same constraints do not apply to other non-domestic components of total grazing pressure. Management of total grazing pressure, and particularly kangaroos, currently represents a case of market failure because the level of management that can be expected of landholders is not consistent with public expectations for resource conservation and animal welfare. Several avenues are available by which kangaroo management could be advanced to achieve both public and private benefits. These include adoption of an active, adaptive management approach to the kangaroo population, establishment of arrangements that will shift the general perception of kangaroos from pest to resource, development of an appropriate incentive framework to achieve desirable landscape outcomes, and continued evaluation of the benefits and costs of cluster fencing. These initiatives require both a greater commitment from governments to address the market failure and a proactive stance by industry to engage stakeholders, self-regulate, and objectively demonstrate environmental and animal welfare credentials.
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Bender, Helena. "Effectiveness of the eastern grey kangaroo foot thump for deterring conspecifics." Wildlife Research 32, no. 7 (2005): 649. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr04091.
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Overabundant wild populations of herbivores often present challenges to primary industry, competing with stock, and damaging crops and property. Eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) are one of seven macropodid species that are considered a problem in agriculture in Australia. Most deterrent devices available commercially use sounds that do not occur in nature (i.e. artificial sounds), which often have a short-lived or no effect on the target species, whereas trials with biologically significant sounds are often more effective and provide greater resistance to habituation. I used a playback trial of an eastern grey kangaroo foot thump, a biologically significant signal that is given in response to a predator and is usually followed by flight. I determined its effectiveness compared with a recording of background noise (control) for deterring kangaroos over a seven-week period. Kangaroos significantly increased their vigilance levels in response to the foot thump, but not in response to the control signal. Just over 60% of kangaroos took flight in response to the foot thump and the control signals, but more kangaroos took flight in the first 3 s when the foot thump was played. The foot thump shows potential as a deterrent of eastern grey kangaroos for primary industry, and is less likely to suffer from habituation because it is a natural sound.
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Newsome, A. E., P. C. Catling, B. D. Cooke, and R. Smyth. "Two ecological universes separated by the Dingo Barrier Fence in semi-arid Australia: interactions between landscapes, herbivory and carnivory, with and without dingoes." Rangeland Journal 23, no. 1 (2001): 71. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj01015.
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This paper challenges conclusions of Caughley et al. (1980) that the abundance of red kangaroos (Macropus rufus) in western New South Wales is solely due to lack of dingoes (Canis lupus dingo), and vice versa for neighbouring South Australia. A Dingo Barrier Fence divides the two different ecological systems, which have sheep in New South Wales and cattle in South Australia. This paper re-examines in particular whether there is an environmental gradient across the Fence that was dismissed by Caughley et al. This paper concludes to the contrary, that there is a strong environmental gradient. Our aerial surveys demonstrate significantly that habitats favouring red kangaroos are prevalent in New South Wales today, but are very scarce or absent in South Australian landscapes. Aerial surveys were used in both studies, but designs differed. Caughley et al. flew at right angles across the Fence on paths 28 km apart. Flights would have crossed the south-westerly streamlines rarely. Our flight lanes followed streamlines looking for floodouts, the favourite habitat of red kangaroos. Return lanes went between streamlines sampling other habitats. Counts of red kangaroos seen were made every 1.75 km, with the specific habitat also identified. Three extra factors are invoked in our study. One is that the low annual rainfalls translate into intrinsically low survival rates of pouch-young of red kangaroos, contrary to their abundance in New South Wales today. The other two are related to that current abundance also. There is now evidence for greatly increased run-off of rainfall from catchments onto the open plains in New South Wales. Also present is a very large shallow basin lying between catchments and the Dingo Barrier Fence. Streamlines enter it but none flow past its western rim. The above conclusions were confirmed during subsequent ground surveys over three years. Of eleven species of medium and large vertebrates seen in New South Wales, five were absent in South Australia. Three were kangaroos, and the others were feral pigs and goats. Emus are more abundant in New South Wales also. All of those species would be targets for dingoes, especially as alternate prey to rabbits that generate huge eruptions every decade or so. Red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) were in lower abundance in South Australia with dingoes present, as expected with meso-predator interactions. Feral cats (Felis catus) were in similar numbers on both sides of the Fence for unknown reasons. Competition between rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) and sheep for food in New South Wales was shown to significantly reduce rabbit numbers in drought. That rabbits are perennially in lower densities there than in South Australia may be due to the higher densities of foxes than in South Australia. Historically, red kangaroos were rare in the region in the mid-1800s. Their abundance has arisen since European occupation. Thc species was rare on those open plains, and permanent water was scarce. Rabbit Haemorrhagic Disease reached the study-area in 1995. Its impact reduced rabbit populations to a rarity that prevails today on both sides of the Dingo Fence. Predation from dingoes, foxes and feral cats may assist continuance of low numbers of rabbits. Pastures, seedling trees and livestock will benefit, as will the kangaroos.
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Coulson, Graeme. "Male Bias in Road-kills of Macropods." Wildlife Research 24, no. 1 (1997): 21. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr96004.
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I determined the sex of a total of 251 road-kills of six macropod species in southern Australia over a 13-year period. There was a significant bias towards males in five species, ranging from 65 to 92% males, but there was no difference from parity in the red kangaroo, Macropus rufus. Male eastern grey kangaroos, M. giganteus, and male western grey kangaroos, M. fuliginosus, probably behave in ways that expose them to vehicles more than females. Male-biased road-kills of swamp wallabies, Wallabia bicolor, may reflect skewed population sex ratios. There are insufficient data on the behaviour and population structure of the red-necked wallaby, M. rufogriseus, and rufous-bellied pademelon, Thylogale billardierii, to determine which explanation is responsible for male-biased road mortality in these species.
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Norbury, GL, DC Norbury, and RB Hacker. "Impact of Red Kangaroos on the Pasture Layer in the Western Australian Arid Zone." Rangeland Journal 15, no. 1 (1993): 12. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj9930012.
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We studied the impact of grazing by red kangaroos (Macropus rufus) on pasture biomass and species diversity over a 32-month period in destocked open shrubland in the Gascoyne region of Western Australia. Grazing significantly impeded the accumulation of annual and perennial grass biomass in a degraded perennial shrub community (Pc0.001 and P<0.05) and on denuded sites that were cultivated and reseeded with native shrubs (P<0.01 and Pc0.01). The accumulation of annual and perennial forb biomass was unaffected by kangaroo grazing. After 12 months, pasture species diversity was significantly greater on degraded perennial sites protected from kangaroo grazing (P<0.05). Commercial kangaroo shooting did not alleviate the impact of kangaroo grazing on grass accumulation (P<0.01). Unless more effective methods of kangaroo control are integrated with stock reductions, the recovery of degraded rangeland pastures is likely to be severely limited.
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Vale, TG, DM Spratt, and MJ Cloonan. "Serological Evidence of Arbovirus Infection in Native and Domesticated Mammals on the South Coast of New-South-Wales." Australian Journal of Zoology 39, no. 1 (1991): 1. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo9910001.
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Sera from twelve species of native and five species of introduced mammals collected on the south coast of New South Wales between 1982 and 1988 were tested for antibodies to the following arboviruses: Ross River virus (621 animals tested); Barmah Forest virus (371); Gan Gan virus (337); Trubanaman virus (378). Serum neutralising antibodies to Ross River virus were found in bandicoots, wallabies, kangaroos, cattle, goat and horses; to Barmah Forest virus in kangaroo, cattle and horses; to Gan Gan virus in kangaroos, wallabies, rat, cows, horses and sheep; and to Trubanaman virus in kangaroos, wallabies, cows and horses. Titres to Ross River virus in seropositive native animal sera ranged from 32 to 1024 and those in seropositive domesticated animal sera ranged from 8 to 32 768. Prevalence of serum antibodies in macropodids, cattle and horses was: Ross River virus, 68, 19, 62%; Barmah Forest virus, 4, 26, 9%; Gan Gan virus, 44, 13, 13%; Trubanaman virus, 60, 3, 10% respectively. Evidence suggests that: (1) kangaroos and wallabies are major vertebrate hosts for Ross River virus; (2) the role of bandicoots warrants further investigation; (3) horses may be important amplifying hosts of the virus, which causes epidemic polyarthritis in man in Australia.
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Herbert, C. A., T. E. Trigg, and D. W. Cooper. "Fertility control in female eastern grey kangaroos using the GnRH agonist deslorelin. 1. Effects on reproduction." Wildlife Research 33, no. 1 (2006): 41. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr04113.
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Eastern grey kangaroos are widespread on the east coast of Australia and frequently reach high densities in reserves and parkland near urban areas. Management of these populations is highly contentious and non-lethal fertility-control technologies are sought as an alternative option to manage population size. This study evaluated the potential of slow-release gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist (deslorelin) implants to inhibit reproduction in female kangaroos. Deslorelin treatment effectively inhibited reproduction in adult females for periods of 559 ± 111 days (n = 6) and 651 ± 21 days (n = 5) after administration of one or two 10-mg implants respectively. Animals treated with the lower dosage tended to resume breeding earlier than those that received a total of 20 mg of deslorelin (minimum duration of 18 months). Deslorelin treatment had no effect on blastocyst reactivation in a single treated female and repeat treatment had no negative side-effects. This study has demonstrated that slow-release deslorelin implants can successfully inhibit reproduction for extended periods in the female eastern grey kangaroos. This approach may have potential application in reproductive management of problem kangaroo populations.
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Lee, E., U. Klöcker, DB Croft, and D. Ramp. "Kangaroo-vehicle collisions in Australia's sheep rangelands, during and following drought periods." Australian Mammalogy 26, no. 2 (2004): 215. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am04215.
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The effects of roads on wildlife behaviour and ecological function are poorly known in arid Australia. The most obvious impact is roadkill from wildlife-vehicle collisions. Therefore we collected statistics on kangaroo-vehicle collisions, investigated the causal factors of these collisions, and related roadkill mortality to the population structure, size and distribution of four kangaroo species in two intensive six month studies during and following drought. The research was conducted along a 21.2 km sealed section of the Silver City Highway between Broken Hill and Tibooburra that passes through the University of New South Wales (NSW) Arid Zone Research Station at ‘Fowlers Gap’ in north-western NSW. The rate of roadkill was higher during drought (20.8 roadkills month-1) than non-drought (2.6 roadkills month-1). Affected species were red kangaroos (Macropus rufus), euros (Macropus robustus erubescens), western grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus) and eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus). During drought, M. fuliginosus and M. giganteus were killed in lower proportions than their proportion in the source population, otherwise species were killed in proportion to their density along the road. There were no sex biases but male M. r. erubescens were much more likely to be beside the road than females and thus were killed more often during drought. The majority of roadkills were young individuals around 2 years old. Curves and stockraces along the road significantly increased the likelihood of roadkills. Likewise the frequency of roadkills was a function of the kangaroo population density along the road, night time traffic volume, low rainfall and higher vegetation cover and greenness along the road relative to surrounding areas. We evaluate the relationships between these causal factors and kangaroovehicle collisions, and discuss the possible effects of these collisions on kangaroo population structure under drought and post-drought conditions.
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Lethbridge, Mark, Michael Stead, and Cameron Wells. "Estimating kangaroo density by aerial survey: a comparison of thermal cameras with human observers." Wildlife Research 46, no. 8 (2019): 639. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr18122.
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Abstract ContextAerial surveys provide valuable information about the population status and distribution of many native and pest vertebrate species. They are vital for evidence-based monitoring, budget planning and setting management targets. Despite aircraft running costs, they remain one of the most cost-effective ways to capture distribution and abundance data over a broad area. In Australia, annual surveys of large macropods are undertaken in several states to inform management, and in some jurisdictions, to help set commercial kangaroo harvest quotas. Improvements in the cost efficiencies of these surveys are continually sought. Aerial thermal imaging techniques are increasingly being tested for wildlife surveys, but to date no studies have directly compared population data derived from thermal imaging with data collected by human observers during the same flight. AimsDuring an aerial survey of western grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus), eastern grey kangaroos (M. giganteus) and red kangaroos (Osphranter rufus) across the state of Victoria, Australia, the objective was to conduct a direct comparison of the effectiveness of thermal camera technology and human observers for estimating kangaroo populations from aerial surveys. MethodsA thermal camera was mounted alongside an aerial observer on one side of the aircraft for a total of 1360km of transect lines. All thermal footage was reviewed manually. Population density estimates and distance sampling models were compared with human observer counts. Key resultsOverall, the kangaroo density estimates obtained from the thermal camera data were around 30% higher than estimates derived from aerial observer counts. This difference was greater in wooded habitats. Conversely, human-derived counts were greater in open habitats, possibly due to interference from sunlight and flushing. It was not possible to distinguish between species of macropod in the thermal imagery. ConclusionsThermal survey techniques require refining, but the results of the present study suggest that with careful selection of time of day for surveys, more accurate population estimates may be possible than with conventional aerial surveys. ImplicationsConventional aerial surveys may be underestimating animal populations in some habitats. Further studies that directly compare the performance of aerial observers and thermal imaging are required across a range of species and habitats.
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Davis, Naomi E., Graeme Coulson, and David M. Forsyth. "Diets of native and introduced mammalian herbivores in shrub-encroached grassy woodland, south-eastern Australia." Wildlife Research 35, no. 7 (2008): 684. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr08042.
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Effective management of sympatric mammalian herbivore populations requires an understanding of interspecific interactions. At Wilsons Promontory National Park, Victoria, sympatric native and introduced mammalian herbivores are thought to be contributing to modification of shrub-encroached Coastal Grassy Woodland. We estimated the diets of the five terrestrial mammalian herbivore species present using microhistological techniques. The diets of introduced hog deer (Axis porcinus) and native swamp wallabies (Wallabia bicolor) consisted mainly of dicots. The diet of introduced European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) contained similar proportions of monocots and dicots. The diets of native eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) and native common wombats (Vombatus ursinus) consisted mainly of monocots but kangaroos also consumed moderate amounts of dicots. Deer and wallabies consumed more native plants than did the other species and rabbits consumed more exotic plants than did all other species except kangaroos. Diet breadth was narrowest for kangaroos and broadest for swamp wallabies and hog deer. Overlap in food use by the five herbivores was high, particularly between deer and wallabies, and between kangaroos and both rabbits and wombats. Our results suggest that the potential impacts of native and introduced species on the vegetation of Coastal Grassy Woodland are similar, and that the entire herbivore assemblage will need to be managed to increase fine fuel loads if fire is used as a restoration tool.
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Reef, Ruth, Ilka C. Feller, and Catherine E. Lovelock. "Mammalian herbivores in Australia transport nutrients from terrestrial to marine ecosystems via mangroves." Journal of Tropical Ecology 30, no. 3 (February 20, 2014): 179–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0266467414000054.
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Abstract:Nutrient subsidies from one ecosystem to another serve a critical link among ecosystems. The transfer of materials across the terrestrial-to-marine boundary is considered to be driven by hydrological connectivity, but animal movement can provide another pathway for nutrient transfers. In two separate studies we assessed the role mammals (bats and kangaroos) play in alleviating nutrient limitation in mangrove forests in Australia. At Lizard Island, we measured tree growth and foliar elemental and isotopic composition of trees growing within and outside a large flying fox roost. In Western Australia, we measured foliar elemental and isotopic composition of trees within two forests frequented by kangaroos that feed in spinifex grasslands and shelter in the shade of the mangroves. We compared those with mangroves from adjacent forests that are not frequented by kangaroos. We show that at both locations, the mangrove forest receives terrestrial nutrient subsidies through animal movement. At Lizard Island dominant mangrove species were significantly enriched in nitrogen within the bat roost, as evidenced by higher foliar N concentrations (by up to 150%), N:P and N:C ratios in trees within the roost compared with trees outside the roost. The isotopic signature of foliar N was significantly enriched in 15N by 1–3‰ within the roost, further suggesting that the source of the N enrichment was the bat roost. Growth rates of mangroves within the roost were nearly six times higher than trees outside the roost. In the arid coast of Western Australia, we show elevated foliar 15N abundance of up to 3‰ in mangroves where kangaroos shelter relative to trees where they do not. Thus, this study presents two examples for mammalian herbivore mediated localized transport of nutrients from terrestrial to marine ecosystems, consequently affecting mangrove tree growth, productivity and forest structure.
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Shima, Amy L., David S. Gillieson, Gabriel M. Crowley, Ross G. Dwyer, and Lee Berger. "Factors affecting the mortality of Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus lumholtzi) by vehicle strike." Wildlife Research 45, no. 6 (2018): 559. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr17143.
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Context Vehicle strike is a major issue where wildlife habitat is intersected by busy roads. Near Threatened Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus lumholtzi) is a large (5–10 kg) semi-arboreal mammal found in populated rural and forested areas of north-eastern Australia. Warning signs, rope bridges and underpasses have not prevented ~20 animals being killed on the road each year. Aims To identify factors influencing Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroo vehicle strike to help inform mitigation options. Methods Citizen sightings (1998–2000) and 90 road-kills collected over 4.5 years on the Atherton Tablelands, Australia, were examined to determine the causes of vehicle strike in Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroo. The spatial distributions of sightings and road-kills were characterised using nearest-neighbour analysis, and the relationship between them was determined using a Bayesian approach that accounted for spatial autocorrelation. Gender, age, weight, season, rainfall, road and verge characteristics, traffic volumes, speed limits and mitigation measures were recorded to assess their influence on road-kill risk. Adequacy of speed limits to prevent collisions along road sections with more than four road-kills per 8 km (hazard zones) was assessed from visibility and stopping distances. Key results Vehicle strikes mainly affected male tree-kangaroos (2–5 years, 5.5–8 kg), occurred where live animals were most frequently sighted and were most likely on roads with narrow verges, low visibility and medium traffic volumes. Speed limits at hazard zones were inadequate to prevent collisions. Few warning signs corresponded with these zones, and road mortalities persisted where they did. Conclusions Unpredictable dispersal of young males and vehicle speeds unsuited to road conditions drive road mortalities in Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroo. Because tree-kangaroos do not appear to respond to existing mitigation measures, reducing traffic speeds, and increasing visibility, appear to be the most effective mitigation strategies for reducing tree-kangaroo road mortality. Implications Our findings suggest that tree-kangaroo road-kill can be reduced by reducing speed limits in line with government recommendations and increasing visibility by clearing road verges along sections of road with the highest tree-kangaroo mortality. Warning signage should be re-evaluated to determine whether its effectiveness can be improved.
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Dennis, Andrew J. "Scatter-hoarding by musky rat-kangaroos, Hypsiprymnodon moschatus, a tropical rain-forest marsupial from Australia: implications for seed dispersal." Journal of Tropical Ecology 19, no. 6 (October 24, 2003): 619–27. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0266467403006023.
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Tropical forests around the world contain animals that scatter-hoard fruits and seeds but few are known in Australian tropical forests. This study used both direct observation and spool-and-line tracking of simulated fruits to demonstrate that Australia's smallest kangaroos disperse large numbers of rain-forest fruits and seeds. They did so in two ways, either by scatter-hoarding or by carrying them away from the source to devour the flesh before dropping the seed on to the litter surface. The fruits used included a range of fruit types but particularly species with large fleshy fruit. Caches occurred as a single fruit pressed into the soil and covered with litter a mean distance of 17 m (±2.7 SE) and up to 68 m from the source. Musky rat-kangaroos handled up to 2700 fruits ha-1 mo-1 and they dispersed up to 900 fruits ha-1 mo-1 and cached up to 690 fruits ha-1 mo-1. This behaviour is a significant example of convergent evolution, which reflects similar behaviour found in agoutis, acouchies and squirrels on other continents.
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Croft, DB. "Sustainable use of wildlife in western New South Wales: Possibilities and problems." Rangeland Journal 22, no. 1 (2000): 88. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj0000088.
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Sustainable use of wildlife has become equated with exploitation of animal products (meat, skin or feathers) and/or removal of wild progenitors into the pet trade. This consumption of the wildlife is therefore largely ex situ and so removes nutrients and energy from the rangelands. Demand for lethal or a removal action is often driven by the severity of the perceived conflict between the wildlife and other enterprises, especially agriculture, rather than for the resulting products. Such uses also raise community concerns about humane treatment of animals and a valuing of the natural heritage. Wildlife-based tourism, as part of the valuable and growing nature-based or ecotourism industry in Australia, is an in situ use that may be a more ecologically sustainable and economically twble option for use of rangeland wildlife. This paper examines these possibilities and their problems with a focus on the commercial kangaroo industry and the use of arid-zone mammals, birds and reptiles for pets. It provides new evidence that wildlife-tourism based on free-living kangaroos in the rangelands is both feasible and in demand. This industry should be given advocacy in the on-going debate on the management and future of the rangelands. Key words: kangaroos, wildlife management, wildlife tourism, game harvesting
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Neaves, Linda E., Kyall R. Zenger, Robert I. T. Prince, and Mark D. B. Eldridge. "Paternally inherited genetic markers reveal new insights into genetic structuring within Macropus fuliginosus and hybridisation with sympatric Macropus giganteus." Australian Journal of Zoology 61, no. 1 (2013): 58. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo12087.
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There are several aspects of biology in which the contribution of males and females is unequal. In these instances the examination of Y chromosome markers may be used to elucidate male-specific attributes. Here, male dispersal patterns and genetic structuring were examined using four Y-microsatellite loci in 186 male western grey kangaroos, Macropus fuliginosus, from throughout the species’ trans-continental distribution. In addition, 52 male grey kangaroos were examined to investigate hybridisation between M. fuliginosus and the eastern grey kangaroo, Macropus giganteus, in their region of sympatry in eastern Australia. Detected Y chromosome diversity was low, resulting from low effective male population size due to skewed sex ratios and a polygynous mating system. As expected, male dispersal was high across the range. However, the Lake Torrens–Flinders Ranges region appears to have significantly restricted male movement between eastern and central/western Australia. There was little evidence to suggest that other barriers (Nullarbor Plain and Swan River Valley) previously identified by nuclear and mitochondrial DNA marker studies restrict male movement. Hence, the admixture events previously identified may be associated with high male dispersal. Within the region of sympatry between M. fuliginosus and M. giganteus in eastern Australia, four M. giganteus individuals were found to possess M. fuliginosus Y-haplotypes. These results confirm the occurrence of hybridisation between male M. fuliginosus and female M. giganteus. Additionally, the introgression of M. fuliginosus Y-haplotypes into M. giganteus populations indicates that at least some male hybrids are fertile, despite evidence to the contrary from captive studies. This study has provided insights into the male contribution to population history, structure and hybridisation in M. fuliginosus, which were not predicted by comparisons between biparentally and maternally inherited markers. This highlights the importance of direct examination of the Y chromosome to provide novel insights into male-mediated processes, especially where the contribution of the sexes may differ.
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Vernes, K. "Kangaroos in Outback Australia: Comparative Ecology and Behavior of Three Coexisting Species." Journal of Mammalogy 83, no. 1 (February 18, 2002): 306–7. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/jmammal/83.1.306.
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Irlbeck, NA, and ID Hume. "The role of Acacia in the diets of Australian marsupials ? A review." Australian Mammalogy 25, no. 2 (2003): 121. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am03121.
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Many of the 600 species of Acacia found in Australia form part of the diet of several groups of marsupials. Acacia foliage is generally high in tannins but is consumed by several folivorous possums and by some macropods (kangaroos and wallabies), but the macropods eat it mainly as dry leaf litter during times of food shortage (in dry seasons and drought). Acacia gum is an important diet component of two omnivorous possums (Petaurus breviceps, Gymnobelidius leadbeateri) and, to a lesser extent, two rat-kangaroos (Bettongia sp.). Acacia seeds are consumed by marsupials to a limited extent, but are an important seasonal component of the diet of the mountain brushtail possum (Trichosurus cunninghami), and possibly the tammar wallaby (Macropus eugenii) on Kangaroo Island. Likewise, Acacia arils (lipid-rich appendages to the seeds of some species) are an important seasonal component of the diet of the mahogany glider (Petaurus gracilis). Acacia pollen and nectar are consumed by several omnivorous possums (e.g., Petaurus norfolcensis) as well as by at least one species of rock-wallaby (Petrogale sp.), but the quantitative contributions made by these floral products to the protein and energy budgets of the consumers have been difficult to determine. Thus several parts of the Acacia plant are food resources for one or more groups of marsupials, but the contribution of the genus to marsupial nutrition is often overlooked.
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Claridge, AW, and SJ Cork. "Nutritional-Value of Hypogeal Fungal Sporocarps for the Long-Nosed Potoroo (Potorous-Tridactylus), a Forest-Dwelling Mycophagous Marsupial." Australian Journal of Zoology 42, no. 6 (1994): 701. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo9940701.
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Although mycophagy (fungus-feeding) is widespread among small ground-dwelling mammals, there has been little evaluation of the nutritional benefits of this feeding habit. In Australia, some members of the Potoroidae (or rat-kangaroo family) consume large amounts of hypogeal fungi throughout the year. Hypogeal fungi appear to be of marginal nutritional quality for small mammals with simple stomachs but potoroos have an enlarged forestomach in which microbial fermentation takes place, and this may allow more effective utilisation of protected nitrogenous components and structural carbohydrates of fungi. In a feeding experiment, we evaluated the nutritional value of sporocarps of the hypogeal fungi Mesophellia glauca (Mg) and Rhizopogon luteolus (R1), for the long-nosed potoroo (Potorous tridacytlus). Although the concentration of nitrogen was high in both fungi, much of that nitrogen was in non-protein form or associated with cell walls and may be either of low nutritional value or protected from digestive enzymes. The concentration of cell-wall constituents (fibre) was high in both fungi, suggesting low availability of digestible energy. Despite these features, the digestibilities of dry matter (Mg 86%, Rl 80%), ingested nitrogen (Mg 72%, Rl 72%) and energy (kJ kg-1) (Mg 93%, Rl 76%) of both fungi were high. Consequently, P. tridactylus maintained positive nitrogen balance and high intakes of digestible and metabolisable energy. We conclude that the sporocarps of hypogeal fungi represent a nutritionally valuable food for rat-kangaroos and suggest that lack of a foregut-fermentation strategy in other similar-sized ground-dwelling mammals in the forests of south-eastern Australia explains why they use the hypogeal fungal resource to a lesser extent than do rat-kangaroos.
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Sinclair, K., A. L. Curtis, T. Atkinson, and R. B. Hacker. "Public attitudes to animal welfare and landholder resource limitations: implications for total grazing pressure management in the southern rangelands of Australia." Rangeland Journal 41, no. 6 (2019): 477. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj19046.
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Sustainable grazing in the nationally iconic southern rangelands of Australia requires landholders to actively manage the grazing pressure from both domestic livestock and non-domestic herbivores. Landholders have primary responsibility for controlling the non-domestic herbivores. In doing so, they must meet the Australian public’s expectations for resource conservation (mainly a public good) and animal welfare. Governments are also involved in the management of non-domestic herbivores via native and feral animal legislation and control programs. The Australian public will not accept cruelty to animals, perceived or otherwise. In this paper we explore the challenges faced by landholders in their attempts to manage the grazing pressure from native herbivores, particularly kangaroos, feral goats and feral pigs, while meeting the Australian public’s expectations for animal welfare. Landholders typically live on extensive properties and their capacity to manage these is influenced by high climate variability, low labour availability, commodity price fluctuations and limited capital available for investment in new technologies. The additional requirement to reduce the grazing pressure from kangaroos, feral goats and feral pigs is a significant burden on already time-poor landholders. Hence, there is a critical disparity between landholders’ capacity and their responsibility to effectively manage the non-domestic herbivores on their properties. We suggest that current expectations of landholders to deliver public benefits by publicly acceptable practices are unreasonable. Further, we suggest that governments should accept more responsibility for managing non-domestic grazing pressure. The concept of duty of care to land management provides a means by which a more appropriate division of responsibilities between landholders and government could be achieved to ensure that valued attributes of this iconic Australian landscape are retained.
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Winter, J. W. "Martin R, 2005. Tree-kangaroos of Australia and New Guinea." Australian Mammalogy 28, no. 1 (2006): 135. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am06022.
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Arnold, GW, DE Steven, and JR Weeldenburg. "The Use of Surrounding Farmland by Western Gray Kangaroos Living in a Remnant of Wandoo Woodland and Their Impact on Crop Production." Wildlife Research 16, no. 1 (1989): 85. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr9890085.
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A population of 95-200 western grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus) was studied for 11 years in Western Australia. The population occupied 300 ha of wandoo woodland and had easy access to surrounding farmland. Kangaroo use of farmland varied over the period of study: 27-37% of the population was seen on farmland during the first 6 years, and the variation was not related to population size. In the last 5 years 15-23% of the population was seen on farmland. One area of farmland was initially used in the first 4 years by an av. of 34 animals/night. The number declined to 22-23 in the next 2 years when cattle numbers were increased, and to 3 animals in the 5 years after culling. It is suggested that numbers in the area remained low because of the high fidelity individuals had to home ranges and because of slow dispersion within the population. It was concluded that localized culling could have a prolonged effect. Individuals varied in their use of farmland: some animals went onto farmland to feed during most nights; some went rarely, if at all. The impact of the kangaroos on crop production was assessed by planting various crops in locations adjacent to the woodland. This population showed a marked preference for lupin crops, followed by barley, wheat and oats. The biomass of lupin crops within 100 m of the boundary between woodland and farmland were reduced by up to 95%; the max. reduction with oats was 24%. Because the kangaroos rarely moved more than 400 m from the woodland, crops sown at this distance were unaffected. Ringlock fencing topped by 2 strands of barbed wire with a plain wire in between virtually eliminated damage to lupin crops.
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Arnold, GW, DE Steven, and JR Weeldenberg. "Comparative ecology of western grey kangaroos (Macropus fulginosus) and euros (M. robustus erubescens) in Durokoppin Nature Reserve, isolated in the central wheatbelt of Western Australia." Wildlife Research 21, no. 3 (1994): 307. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr9940307.
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The populations of western grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus) and euros (M. robustus erubescens) in a 1196-ha area of native vegetation in the central wheatbelt of Western Australia were studied over six years (1985-91). The area was isolated from other remnants of native vegetation by at least 1.4 km. Captures were made periodically throughout each year and the animals weighed and measured. In all, 152 animals were captured (83 euros and 69 western grey kangaroos). The data for each sex and species were assigned to 'seasons' (February-July or August-January) and assessments made of body condition. The weights and tail circumstances, adjusted for individual size by regression on leg length, were higher for western grey kangaroos but not for euros in August-January. Euro males varied significantly in weight from year to year; euro females and grey males and females did not. Too few grey females were captured to analyse seasonality of reproduction. The estimated birth dates of 68 euro pouch young were distributed equally throughout the study period. There were approximately equal numbers of each species in an estimate made in 1988 from a helicopter survey, with a total (� s.e.) of 191�29 kangaroos. The mean faecal pellet counts on 42 Tied transects of 100 m2 did not differ significantly over the period 1985-88. These counts showed that the overall use of the different vegetation types varied by a factor of two. Heaths had the highest pellet counts and open mallee or woodland the least, with Allocasuarina-dominated shrublands being intermediate. Spotlight surveys around the reserve boundary showed a highly significant difference in distribution of the two species. This was confirmed by analysis of the home ranges of 13 radio-collared individuals. Euros showed a strong preference for areas of York gum-wandoo-jam woodland with a herbaceous ground layer and areas with tall Allocasuarina or dense heath. In contrast, the western grey kangaroos preferred the heathlands and open woodlands without a herbaceous ground cover. The sex ratios of the whole populations seen in spotlight searches was 0.72 : 1.00 (males: females) for western grey kangaroos and 0.81 : 1.00 for euros. Both differ significantly from parity. There was a higher proportion of female euros amongst the animals seen in the western part of the reserve than in the eastern part. These populations relied mainly on the resources of the reserve. The average number of kangaroos seen on adjacent farmland on any one night varied from 3.6 in 1986 to 13.5 in 1991. A significantly higher proportion of males of both species were seen on farmland.
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Cairns, S. C., G. W. Lollback, and N. Payne. "Design of aerial surveys for population estimation and the management of macropods in the Northern Tablelands of New South Wales, Australia." Wildlife Research 35, no. 4 (2008): 331. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr07079.
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As part of a kangaroo management program, eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) and common wallaroos (M. robustus robustus) are harvested from three kangaroo management zones in north-eastern New South Wales, Australia. To set sustainable harvest quotas, it is necessary to obtain reasonably accurate estimates of the sizes of the populations of these two species of macropod. Recently, this has been done on two occasions using helicopter line-transect surveys. For the most recent of these surveys, conducted in 2004, each management zone was subdivided into three strata of increasing kangaroo density and the surveys were designed in relation to this stratification using an automated survey design algorithm. The results of the surveys were that eastern grey kangaroo densities were estimated as 8.11 ± 1.81 km–2 in the Glen Innes zone, 10.23 ± 2.41 km–2 in the Armidale zone and 4.82 ± 0.87 km–2 in the Upper Hunter zone. Wallaroo densities for these three zones were 3.06 ± 0.73 km–2, 5.68 ± 3.45 km–2 and 4.40 ± 1.01 km–2 respectively. The wallaroo densities were determined by multiplying the initial estimated densities by a correction factor of 1.85. Across the three kangaroo management zones, eastern grey kangaroo densities did not change in any significant way between the two surveys. This was also the case for wallaroos in the Glen Innes and Armidale zones. Wallaroo density in the Upper Hunter zone, however, increased significantly between the two surveys. Over a decade before these surveys were conducted, a series of ground surveys using walked line-transect sampling were undertaken. The density estimates derived from the helicopter surveys proved to be broadly comparable to those derived from the ground surveys, suggesting that conducting helicopter line-transect surveys designed using the method deployed here is effective in producing population estimates for the purpose of kangaroo management.
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Gardiner, HG. "Dynamics of Perennial Plants in the Mulga (Acacia aneura F. Muell) Zone of Western Australia. I. Rates of Population Change." Rangeland Journal 8, no. 1 (1986): 18. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj9860018.
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The dynamics of populations of six plant species and their responses to environmental factors were examined at Yeelirrie station in the Mulga Zone rangelands of Western Australia. Populations of plants were sampled using sequential maps drawn from low level aerial photographs of areas from which livestock had been removed and which were fenced either to exclude or permit grazing by kangaroos (Macropus rufus Desmarest and Macropus robustus Gould). All six plant species were favoured by the combination of wet years (1973-76) and the removal of livestock from these arid rangelands. Increases ranged from about 20 plants/ha/yr (Eremophila leucophylla, Benth.) to more than 700 plants/ha/yr (Eremophila spectabilis, C.A. Gardn.) during this period. Drought (1977-1979) resulted in significant declines that ranged from about 10 plants/ha/yr (Eremophila leucophylla) to nearly 600 plants/ha/yr (Eremophila spectabilis) while three species (Eremophila leucophylla, Maireana glomerifolia, (F. Muell. et Tate) P.G. Wilson and Ptilotus obovatus, Gaud.) either did not change or increased by only 30 to 60 plants/ha/yr during this period. Responses to kangaroo grazing were strongest during 'normal', post-drought years (1980-82) when Eragrostis xerophila, Domin. decreased by 178 plants/ha/yr on grazed areas while on protected areas there was an increase of 299 plants/ha/yr. This response was due to effects on both recruitment and, as discussed by Gardiner (1986), survival. Maireana glomerifolia, another important plant for livestock was suppressed by kangaroo grazing via reduced recruitment during the 'normal' period. Other species (Frankenia paucifora, DC. and Eremophila spectabilis) responded positively to kangaroo grazing activity during the same period.
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Short, Jeff. "The extinction of rat-kangaroos (Marsupialia:Potoroidae) in New South Wales, Australia." Biological Conservation 86, no. 3 (December 1998): 365–77. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0006-3207(98)00026-3.
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Coulson, Graeme, Christopher D. Nave, Geoff Shaw, and Marilyn B. Renfree. "Long-term efficacy of levonorgestrel implants for fertility control of eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus)." Wildlife Research 35, no. 6 (2008): 520. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr07133.
Full textAbstract:
Overabundant populations of kangaroos pose substantial management problems in small parks on the fringe of urban areas in Australia. Translocation is impractical and culling is often not publicly acceptable, but fertility control offers an acceptable alternative. One potential contraceptive is levonorgestrel, which provides effective long-term contraception in women, and prevents births in some marsupials for up to five years. We evaluated the long-term efficacy of levonorgestrel in free-ranging eastern grey kangaroos (M. giganteus) at two sites in Victoria, Australia. We trapped 25 adult females at one site (Portland Aluminium), treating 18 with two subcutaneous 70-mg levonorgestrel implants and seven with control (inert) implants. We darted 25 adult females at the other site (Woodlands Historic Park), treating all with two 70-mg levonorgestrel implants. We monitored the reproductive status of the kangaroos, as indicated by the obvious presence of a pouch young, in spring each year for up to seven years. In the first three years at Portland, 81–86% of levonorgestrel-treated females were infertile, compared with 12–29% in the control group, but the effectiveness of fertility control declined over time. At this site, the proportions of treated females breeding in the fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh years of the trial were 36%, 50%, 67% and 100% respectively. Fecundity at Woodlands was similar. Although this protocol achieved fertility control for several years, it was likely that more than one treatment or a higher dose rate would be required for effective fertility control in this long-lived species.
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Anderson, David R., G. Caughley, N. Shepherd, and J. Shorts. "Kangaroos: Their Ecology and Management in the Sheep Rangelands of Australia." Journal of Wildlife Management 54, no. 4 (October 1990): 684. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/3809372.
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Faast, Renate, and José M. Facelli. "Grazing orchids: impact of florivory on two species of Caladenia (Orchidaceae)." Australian Journal of Botany 57, no. 4 (2009): 361. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/bt08140.
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Herbivory is considered a major threat in many of the orchid-species recovery plans in Australia. Kangaroos and rabbits are the most commonly implicated herbivores; however, no studies have attempted to confirm their role. Regular monitoring of several populations of Caladenia rigida R.S.Rogers and C. tentaculata Schldl. during 3 years in the Mount Lofty Ranges, South Australia, revealed that up to 94% of flowers and 36% of seed capsules were browsed, whereas leaf herbivory was less prevalent. Furthermore, patterns of herbivory varied markedly among sites and across years. In two seasons, predation of C. rigida flowers inside a kangaroo- and rabbit-proof exclosure was equal to or higher than outside the exclosure. Florivory within populations was influenced by proximity to the habitat edge, although the direction of this response differed among sites. Various types of mesh cages were erected around plants to elucidate the size and type of herbivores. Plants protected from florivores were almost three times more likely to produce seed than were exposed plants; however, some cage types reduced pollination. Video surveillance confirmed the role of the white-winged chough, Corcorax melanorhamphos, as a florivore. The present study is the first one to identify a herbivore unequivocally, quantify the intensity and extent of floral herbivory across a range of populations, and assess the potential cost of florivory to the direct reproductive output of orchids.
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Coulson, G., A. M. MacFarlane, S. E. Parsons, and J. Cutter. "Evolution of sexual segregation in mammalian herbivores: kangaroos as marsupial models." Australian Journal of Zoology 54, no. 3 (2006): 217. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo05062.
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Sexual segregation is best known in sexually dimorphic ungulates. Many hypotheses have been proposed to explain the evolution of sexual segregation in ungulates, but all are reducible to the influence of two factors: body size and sex-specific reproductive strategy. Definitive tests of these hypotheses are lacking in ungulates because these factors are confounded, all males being somewhat larger than females. Kangaroos represent a parallel radiation of terrestrial herbivores, but their populations are composed of a spectrum of adult body sizes, ranging from small males the same size as females to large males more than twice the size. We exploited this heteromorphism to assess the independent influences of size and sex in these ungulate analogues. We conducted a preliminary study of western grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus) in north-western Victoria, Australia. Adult males predominately occupied grassland habitat, whereas females occurred mostly in lakebed, woodland and shrubland. Single-sex groups occurred more often than expected during the non-mating season. The diet of large males had the highest proportion of grass, and females had the least. These initial results indicate that both size and sex influence segregation in this species, confirming the worth of kangaroos as marsupial models for research into the evolution of sexual segregation.
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Arnold, GW, DE Steven, A. Grassia, and J. Weeldenburg. "Home-Range Size and Fidelity of Western Grey Kangaroos (Macropus Fuliginosus) Living in Remnants of Wandoo Woodland and Adjacent Farmland." Wildlife Research 19, no. 2 (1992): 137. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/wr9920137.
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The home ranges were studied from 1977 to 1981 of western grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus) living in a 300-ha remnant of wandoo [Eucalyptus wandoo] surrounded by farmland at Baker's Hill, Western Australia. The M. fuliginosus population varied from 140 to 200 animals during the study. In 1979, four females (>30 kg) and 2 adult males (31 kg and 47 kg) were fitted with radio-transmitters and their movements recorded. The home ranges of these animals varied from 39 to 70 ha; the average overlap in the area used during the day and that used at night was 16.4%. Many of the kangaroos fed on farmland at night. The night ranges of 51 marked kangaroos were recorded using a spotlight. The animals showed a strong fidelity to their home ranges. Only 3 males (about 5-yr-old) shifted their night ranges; the centres of the ranges moved only 600-800 m. Older males had significantly larger night ranges than younger males and females. Individual females and the younger males showed preferences for using particular access points to get onto farmland; the older males showed no preferences. The core areas of the night ranges of many adult females overlapped closely in 'groups', but there was no evidence of 'mob' home ranges that were socially separated.
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Riquelme, Linda, Libby Rumpff, David H. Duncan, and Peter A. Vesk. "Understanding the spatiotemporal dynamics of understorey biomass in semi-arid woodlands of south-eastern Australia." Rangeland Journal 44, no. 1 (April 16, 2022): 47–59. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj21060.
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When managing grazing pressure for conservation, understanding forage dynamics is essential. In south-eastern Australia, ongoing grazing is inhibiting regeneration in several semi-arid woodland communities. Western grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus (Desmarest, 1817)) have been identified as a key component of total grazing pressure. They are thought to switch from grass to lower-quality browse, including tree seedlings, when grass biomass falls below 400 kg ha−1. One static threshold may not adequately capture the spatial and temporal hazard associated with kangaroo grazing, and this study aimed to explore how grassy biomass varies across a case-study landscape. Understorey biomass and species composition data were collected in the field on seven occasions between December 2016 and May 2019. We used Generalised Linear Mixed Models (GLMMs) to describe the influence of environmental and herbivory variables on total (live and dead) understorey, live understorey, and grass (live and dead) biomass. Canopy cover showed the strongest influence on understorey biomass, with more biomass found in open sites than in woodland. Understorey biomass levels were lowest in summer and autumn. Grass biomass, in particular, fell below the 400 kg ha−1 forage-switch threshold in wooded areas during this time. We anticipate that an increased understanding of understorey biomass dynamics will inform managers as to when and where to focus management efforts to promote regeneration and sustained recovery of these semi-arid woodlands. Results of this study suggest that conducting management efforts before the summer/autumn decline in understorey biomass, particularly in woodlands, is critical in reducing the browsing risk to seedlings.
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Mayberry, Chris, Shane K. Maloney, Peter Mawson, and Roberta Bencini. "Seasonal anoestrus in western grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus ocydromus) in south-western Australia." Australian Mammalogy 32, no. 2 (2010): 189. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/am09029.
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Public opposition to culling has generated interest in wildlife management through fertility control. Temporary, non-invasive methods of fertility control, such as by xenobiotics, can be best employed with an understanding of the target species’ breeding cycle. We used head length to calculate the conception date of 136 pouch-young of western grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus ocydromus) from four sites around Perth, Western Australia, between May 2006 and October 2008: Thomsons Lake Nature Reserve (n = 80), Harry Waring Marsupial Reserve (n = 11), Melville Glades Golf Club (n = 29), and Marangaroo Golf Course (n = 16). In total, 78% of all pouch-young were conceived in the months of December–February, 11% in November, 6% in March, and less than 2% in each of October, April and May. We examined the ovaries of 134 females culled from Thomsons Lake Nature Reserve during the months of May–July 2006. Only seven ovaries had a follicle of at least 5 mm and none had an active corpus luteum. These data indicate that the breeding activity M. f. ocydromus is restricted almost exclusively to the months of November–February. A practical application of this finding is that temporary fertility controls applied early in October will provide a full year of birth control if they remain active for seven months.
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Sinclair, K., A. L. Curtis, R. B. Hacker, and T. Atkinson. "Stakeholder judgements of the social acceptability of control practices for kangaroos, unmanaged goats and feral pigs in the south-eastern rangelands of Australia." Rangeland Journal 41, no. 6 (2019): 485. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/rj19047.
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Total grazing pressure (TGP) is a key driver of productivity in livestock systems in the south-eastern rangelands of Australia. Sustainable grazing in these environments requires the management of grazing pressure from kangaroos, unmanaged goats and feral pigs, as well as livestock. Any practices used to control these species must be socially acceptable. Twenty-four semi-structured interviews with individuals drawn from key stakeholder groups were conducted to assess the acceptability of control practices for each of these species. Commercial shooting was the most acceptable control practice for kangaroos with a much lower acceptance of non-commercial shooting. A trap yard (at a water point) was the most acceptable practice for control of unmanaged goats with shooting least acceptable. Ground shooting, trapping and 1080 baiting were the most acceptable practices for control of feral pigs with dogging least acceptable. The two key criteria for social acceptance of control practices by stakeholder group interviewees were humaneness and effectiveness. Acceptance was also influenced by interviewees’ attitudes towards particular species. Interviewees typically distinguished between control of native wildlife and ‘feral’ animals, and between ‘resource’ animals and ‘pest’ animals. Importantly, support for control programs to manage TGP must be justifiable and employ practices that are socially acceptable.
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Dannock, R. J., S. P. Blomberg, and A. W. Goldizen. "Individual variation in vigilance in female eastern grey kangaroos." Australian Journal of Zoology 61, no. 4 (2013): 312. http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/zo12122.
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For herbivores, vigilance usually involves a trade-off with foraging, and a further trade-off between antipredator and social vigilance. Thus individual variation in vigilance may result in significant fitness consequences. We used mixed-effects models to document individual variation in vigilance in wild adult female eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) in Queensland, Australia. We tested the effects of group size, presence of adult males and wind on vigilance patterns and variation by analysing 399 five-minute samples on 31 individually identified females who were foraging on the periphery of groups. We determined the proportion of time that individuals spent vigilant, and the proportions of vigilance time spent in social versus antipredator vigilance and in low- versus high-intensity vigilance postures. The proportion of time females spent vigilant decreased with increasing group size but was not affected by wind speed or male presence, while the amount of their vigilance time spent in social vigilance was affected by interactions among the variables. After controlling for these effects, 13 females’ vigilance patterns were significantly different from the population mean. Individual variation was also found in vigilance postures used and the effect of male presence. Understanding individual variation in vigilance is important for understanding individuals’ antipredator and social strategies.