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IUCN 2008: T2785A21961347
Bettongia penicillata, Woylie
Assessment by: Woinarski, J. & Burbidge, A.A.
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Citation: Woinarski, J. & Burbidge, A.A. 2016. Bettongia penicillata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened
Species 2016: e.T2785A21961347. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.20162.RLTS.T2785A21961347.en
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THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™
Taxonomy
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Animalia
Chordata
Mammalia
Diprotodontia
Potoroidae
Taxon Name: Bettongia penicillata Gray, 1837
Common Name(s):
• English:
• French:
• Spanish:
Woylie, Brush-tailed Bettong, Brush-tailed Rat-kangaroo
Bettongie à queue touffue, Kangourou-rat à queue touffue
Canguro-rata Colipeludo
Taxonomic Notes:
The taxonomy of Bettongia penicillata is unsettled. The species was once the most widespread of any
member of the Potoroidae with records from all mainland States and the Northern Territory (Start et al.
1995). It is possible that the two subspecies represent distant ends of clines that terminated in
southeastern Australia (subspecies penicillata), southwestern Australia (subspecies ogilbyi) and
northern Queensland (B. tropica, originally described at a subspecies of B. penicillata). Bettongia
penicillata penicillata is Extinct. Bettongia penicillata ogilbyi is Critically Endangered.
Assessment Information
Red List Category & Criteria:
Critically Endangered A2ce ver 3.1
Year Published:
2016
Date Assessed:
December 31, 2012
Justification:
The Woylie has suffered a >90% reduction in population size over the past 10 years and the decline is
continuing.
Previously Published Red List Assessments
2008 – Critically Endangered (CR) – http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2008.RLTS.T2785A9480872.en
1996 – Lower Risk/conservation dependent (LR/cd)
1994 – Endangered (E)
1990 – Endangered (E)
1988 – Endangered (E)
1986 – Endangered (E)
1982 – Endangered (E)
Geographic Range
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Bettongia penicillata – published in 2016.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T2785A21961347.en
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Range Description:
Formerly very widespread, Woylies occupied most of semi-arid and arid Australia, mostly south of the
tropics, including the arid and semi-arid zones of Western Australia, the Northern Territory, South
Australia, New South Wales and Victoria, and possibly extended north along the east coast into
Queensland, the remnant of this population now being accepted as Bettongia tropica. Woylies also
occurred on Saint Francis and St Peter Islands, South Australia (Robinson et al. 1996). Burbidge et al.
(2009), using modern, historical and subfossil records, found that Woylies (excluding B. tropica) are
known to have occurred in 28 of Australia’s 85 bioregions and that they are now extinct in all but two.
By 1970, they remained only in four subpopulations in south-western Australia: Dryandra, Tutanning,
Kingston and Perup. Pacioni et al. (2011) used a molecular approach (12 microsatellite loci and
mitochondrial DNA) to investigate relationships between these subpopulations.
In 1975, the South
Australian National Parks and Wildlife Service began a breeding program for the species at Para Wirra
Recreation Park from animals sourced from Perth Zoo with the goal of providing stock to re-establish the
species in South Australia. The first experimental releases were onto two small islands, Bird Club Island
(8 ha) in 1979 and Venus Bay ‘Island A’ (15 ha) in 1980, followed by three larger islands, St Francis Island
(809ha) in 1980, St Peter Island (3493 ha) in 1981 and Wedge Island (947 ha) in 1983 (Delroy et al. 1986,
Freegard 2008, Yeatman and Groom 2012). Woylies did not survive on Bird Club Island, probably due to
foxes accessing the island. Neither did they survive on St Francis Island (reasons unknown) (Robinson et
al. 1996). These translocated Woylie subpopulations are genetically depauperate (Pacioni 2010), having
been derived mostly from the small Para Wirra founder group.
There have been numerous
reintroductions to parts of the south-west of Western Australia and some to New South Wales, but
some have failed in the medium- to long-term (Priddell and Wheeler 2004, Wayne et al. 2011; Yeatman
and Groom 2012). Remaining unfenced subpopulations from these reintroductions in Western Australia
are Julimar Forest (1995-2011), Avon Valley National Park (2002-2004), Boyagin Nature Reserve (1992),
several sites in the northern and central jarrah forest (the current status of some of these is unknown),
Batalling Forest (1982), and North Karlgarin Nature Reserve (2005).
Recently, ‘insurance’ subpopulations in fenced mainland islands have been established at Whiteman
Park Recreation and Conservation Reserve (near Perth) and Perup Sanctuary (a 420 ha fenced area, east
of Manjimup) (Yeatman and Groom 2012). Neither of these has yet persisted for five years and cannot
be included in this evaluation. A small number of Woylies have recently been translocated to the fenced
Wadderin Sanctuary, Western Australia.
Country Occurrence:
Native: Australia
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Bettongia penicillata – published in 2016.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T2785A21961347.en
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Distribution Map
Bettongia penicillata
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Bettongia penicillata – published in 2016.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T2785A21961347.en
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Population
Accounts by early settlers (e.g. Facey 1981) and Aboriginal people (e.g. Burbidge et al. 1988)
demonstrate that Woylies were once abundant. In arid Australia Woylies declined after European
settlement and survived the establishment of the feral Cat, but disappeared soon after the
establishment of the Red Fox (Burbidge et al. 1988). Abundance in the four remnant Western Australian
wheatbelt subpopulations has varied, with Sampson (1971) at Tutanning and Christensen (1980) at
Perup finding numbers to be relatively high during the 1960s and 1970s. However, numbers fluctuated,
e.g. Kinnear et al. (2002) found Woylies to be rare at Tutanning in 1984. Trap success rates at Tutanning
increased from c. 2% in 1984 to c. 28% in 1992 following the implementation of fox control (Wayne et al.
2010). Following the introduction of widespread fox control under ‘Western Shield’ in 1996, Woylie
numbers rapidly increased at all four of the original locations and translocations were conducted to
several sites in the northern jarrah forest and wheatbelt in Western Australia, a total of 46
translocations in all, and to sites in eastern Australia (Wayne et al. 2008). From about 2000, there was
a significant decline in all free-ranging Woylie populations, natural and reintroduced (Groom 2010). At a
species level Woylies were found to have declined by c. 90% from a peak of c. 250 000 individuals in
1999 to 33 000 in 2010. The largest subpopulation, at Upper Warren, declined by 95% from an
estimated peak of 215 000 in 1999 (Wayne et al. 2011). A major research program coordinated by the
Western Australian Department of Parks and Wildlife investigated the reasons for the decline including
predation (Wayne et al. 2011; 2013; N. Marlow and P. de Tores pers. comm.) and disease (e.g. Botero et
al. 2013), with several further papers yet to be published. Forty-one Woylies were translocated to the
Perup Sanctuary mainland island in October-December 2010. In November 2012, 161 independent
Woylie individuals were captured but due to trap saturation (80 traps x 4 nights) an accurate estimate
could not be achieved. The number is probably around 200 (A. Wayne pers. comm.).
Current Population Trend: Decreasing
Habitat and Ecology (see Appendix for additional information)
Woylies originally inhabited a wide range of country. In the western deserts, Aboriginal people reported
that they occupied sand plains and dunes with spinifex (Triodia spp.) hummock grassland. The remnant
subpopulations in south-western Australia inhabit woodlands and adjacent heaths with a dense
understorey of shrubs, particularly Gastrolobium spp., which contain monofluoroacetic acid, the
compound present as sodium monofluoroacetate in the vertebrate pesticide ‘1080’. Diet is largely
underground fungi, although it includes tubers, bulbs and seeds. Woylies can store seed in their cheek
pouches for later caching and are a major distributor of fungal spores and seeds (Murphy et al. 2005).
Their digging also has a positive impact on the non-wetting property of soils (Garkaklis et al. 1998).
They are solitary animals but nest sharing (usually mother and young at heel) has been recorded
(Sampson 1971, Christensen and Leftwich 1980, Start et al. 1995). They occupy home ranges, the size of
which varies between habitats, sites and according to Woylie density. Small home ranges (less than 6 ha)
are generally observed at high density occurrences (Nelson 1989 in Nelson et al. 1992; Hide 2006).
Males tend to have larger home ranges than females (Sampson 1971, Leftwich 1983), although this is
not always so when Woylies are at higher densities (Yeatman 2010).
Systems: Terrestrial
Threats (see Appendix for additional information)
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Bettongia penicillata – published in 2016.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T2785A21961347.en
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The major reason for past decline has been predation by Red Foxes and feral cats, exacerbated in the
deserts by changed fire regimes. The recent crash in numbers is thought to be primarily due to feral
cats, although exotic disease may be involved. Inappropriate fire regimes may exacerbate fox and cat
predation.
Conservation Actions (see Appendix for additional information)
Hall et al. (1991) was the first edition of the Woylie Recovery Plan and guided work between 1991 and
1993. Nelson et al. (1992) guided work in South Australia. Start et al. (1995) was the second edition of
Woylie Recovery Plan for the period 1994-2003, written with the expectation that the species could be
removed from the threatened species list within a short period of time. Woylies were removed from the
Commonwealth and Western Australian threatened species lists in 1996 following an assessment of
status (Start et al. 1998). However, from about 2000, Woylies have suffered a significant ongoing decline
and they became again the subject of conservation research and management. Woylie conservation was
then guided by an interim recovery plan (Freegard 2008). A revised national recovery plan was finalised
in 2012 (Yeatman and Groom 2012). This recovery plan, guided by a national Recovery Team, has seven
recovery actions: ·
Verify the causes of the decline and suppression of recovery and implement
remedial action to address these. ·
Minimise predation by introduced foxes and cats at priority
sites. ·
Maintain or improve the health, genetic diversity, relative value and viability of wild
populations. ·
Maintain genetic diversity of the insurance captive populations at least at 2012
levels. ·
Maintain captive population sizes sufficient to act as source populations for future
translocations. ·
Undertake targeted translocations as re-introductions (and as introductions where
necessary) to achieve an enhanced conservation status for the species. ·
Inform and educate the
community about, and involve the community in, recovery actions. It is too soon to evaluate progress.
There has been considerable research and management of Woylies in the south-west of Western
Australia over a long period of time. Recently, with a serious decline of unknown causes under way, the
Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation initiated a major research program to
investigate Woylie decline and that of other ‘critical weight range’ (Burbidge and McKenzie 1989)
mammals. The ‘Mesopredator release’ project and ‘Woylie conservation research project’ involved the
Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre, DEC staff, and people from Murdoch University, Perth
Zoo, Australian Wildlife Conservancy, South Australian Department of Environment and Heritage,
Australian Wildlife Health Network, Wildlife Disease Association (Australasia), University of Adelaide,
Data Analysis Australia, UWA and a number of other professionals and organisations. The major
hypotheses examined were that the declines were due to fox predation, cat predation (possibly partly
due to mesopredator release), epizootic disease, and/or changes to food resources. Twenty-four
university student research projects have also been associated with this research. The results (Wayne
et al. 2011, in press; N. Marlow, P. de Tores and K. Morris et al., pers. comm.) indicated that: ·
feral
cat predation is currently the most significant cause of Woylie mortality and effective operational cat
control for the south-west of Western Australia is urgently required ·
the current fox baiting regime
is approximately >90% effective in removing foxes from baited reserves despite a high non-target uptake
of fox baits by Common Brushtail Possums Trichosurus vulpecula and birds (Australian Ravens Corvus
coronoides and Grey Currawongs Strepera versicolor) ·
there may be a mesopredator release of
feral Cats in the presence of effective fox control in at least some circumstances but mathematical
quantification of this phenomenon has not yet been completed ·
the Woylie subpopulations in the
Upper Warren at least, provide evidence that potentially pathogenic parasites may be associated with
the declines and that it is possible disease is making Woylies more vulnerable to predation.
Introductions of Woylies to Katarapko Island on the River Murray floodplain (South Australia) (Katarapko
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Bettongia penicillata – published in 2016.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T2785A21961347.en
5
Community Action Group 2001) and to Flinders Ranges National Park (South Australia) (Bellchambers
2000, 2001) both failed due to predation, primarily by introduced Red Foxes and feral Cats. The Red
Fox is controlled via aerial and ground baiting in >30 000 km2 of conservation lands in the south-west of
Western Australia. There is ongoing, long-term research aimed at developing operational feral Cat
control technology. Conservation lands in the south-west of Western Australia with Woylie
subpopulations and the Perup Sanctuary are managed by the Western Australian Department of
Environment and Conservation. The South Australian Department of Environment and Natural
Resources manages islands in South Australia with Woylie subpopulations. The Australian Wildlife
Conservancy manages Karakamia, Yookamurra and Scotia Sanctuaries, plus Mt Gibson Sanctuary (where
Woylies will be reintroduced in 2014). Wadderin Sanctuary (430 ha) is managed by a local community
group with assistance from Wildlife Research and Management Ltd and the Shire of Narambeen.
Captive colonies are housed at Monarto Zoological Park, Hall Gap Zoo, Perth Zoo, Cleland Wildlife Park,
Adelaide Zoo, Alice Springs Desert Park (Ford and Hogg 2012) and some zoos in the USA and Europe.
Credits
Assessor(s):
Woinarski, J. & Burbidge, A.A.
Reviewer(s):
Johnson, C.N. & Hawkins, C.
Contributor(s):
Wayne, A., Morris, K., Groom, C., Copley, P., Dixon, J., Legge, S. & Short, J.
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Bettongia penicillata – published in 2016.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T2785A21961347.en
6
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Citation
Woinarski, J. & Burbidge, A.A. 2016. Bettongia penicillata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016:
e.T2785A21961347. http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T2785A21961347.en
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External Resources
For Images and External Links to Additional Information, please see the Red List website.
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Bettongia penicillata – published in 2016.
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10
Appendix
Habitats
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Habitat
Season
Suitability
Major
Importance?
1. Forest -> 1.4. Forest - Temperate
Resident
Suitable
Yes
3. Shrubland -> 3.4. Shrubland - Temperate
Resident
Suitable
Yes
Threats
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Threat
Timing
Scope
Severity
Impact Score
7. Natural system modifications -> 7.1. Fire & fire
suppression -> 7.1.1. Increase in fire
frequency/intensity
Ongoing
Majority (5090%)
Slow, significant
declines
Medium
impact: 6
Stresses:
1. Ecosystem stresses -> 1.2. Ecosystem degradation
Ongoing
Unknown
Stresses:
2. Species Stresses -> 2.1. Species mortality
Ongoing
Majority (5090%)
Stresses:
2. Species Stresses -> 2.1. Species mortality
Ongoing
Majority (5090%)
Stresses:
2. Species Stresses -> 2.1. Species mortality
8. Invasive and other problematic species, genes &
diseases -> 8.1. Invasive non-native/alien
species/diseases -> 8.1.1. Unspecified species
8. Invasive and other problematic species, genes &
diseases -> 8.1. Invasive non-native/alien
species/diseases -> 8.1.2. Named species (Vulpes
vulpes)
8. Invasive and other problematic species, genes &
diseases -> 8.1. Invasive non-native/alien
species/diseases -> 8.1.2. Named species (Felis catus)
Unknown
Very rapid
declines
Very rapid
declines
Unknown
High impact: 8
High impact: 8
Conservation Actions in Place
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Conservation Actions in Place
In-Place Research, Monitoring and Planning
Action Recovery plan: Yes
Systematic monitoring scheme: Yes
In-Place Land/Water Protection and Management
Conservation sites identified: Yes, over entire range
Occur in at least one PA: Yes
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Bettongia penicillata – published in 2016.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T2785A21961347.en
11
Conservation Actions in Place
Percentage of population protected by PAs (0-100): 91-100
Area based regional management plan: Yes
Invasive species control or prevention: Yes
In-Place Education
Included in international legislation: Yes
Subject to any international management/trade controls: Yes
Conservation Actions Needed
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Conservation Actions Needed
2. Land/water management -> 2.2. Invasive/problematic species control
3. Species management -> 3.2. Species recovery
3. Species management -> 3.3. Species re-introduction -> 3.3.1. Reintroduction
3. Species management -> 3.4. Ex-situ conservation -> 3.4.1. Captive breeding/artificial propagation
Research Needed
(http://www.iucnredlist.org/technical-documents/classification-schemes)
Research Needed
1. Research -> 1.5. Threats
1. Research -> 1.6. Actions
3. Monitoring -> 3.1. Population trends
Additional Data Fields
Distribution
Estimated area of occupancy (AOO) (km²): 512
Extreme fluctuations in area of occupancy (AOO): No
Estimated extent of occurrence (EOO) (km²): 199900
Continuing decline in extent of occurrence (EOO): Yes
Extreme fluctuations in extent of occurrence (EOO): No
Number of Locations: 12
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Bettongia penicillata – published in 2016.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T2785A21961347.en
12
Population
Number of mature individuals: 12000-18000
Extreme fluctuations: No
Population severely fragmented: Yes
No. of subpopulations: 10-15
Extreme fluctuations in subpopulations: No
All individuals in one subpopulation: No
Habitats and Ecology
Generation Length (years): 4
Movement patterns: Not a Migrant
© The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species: Bettongia penicillata – published in 2016.
http://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T2785A21961347.en
13
The IUCN Red List Partnership
The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species™ is produced and managed by the IUCN Global Species
Programme, the IUCN Species Survival Commission (SSC) and The IUCN Red List Partnership.
The IUCN Red List Partners are: Arizona State University; BirdLife International; Botanic Gardens
Conservation International; Conservation International; NatureServe; Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew;
Sapienza University of Rome; Texas A&M University; and Zoological Society of London.
THE IUCN RED LIST OF THREATENED SPECIES™