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28th Annual Conference Wildlife Management in a Changing Environment 23 - 26 November 2015 Perth Western Australia Book of Abstracts AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 28th AUSTRALASIAN WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT SOCIETY ANNUAL CONFERENCE Wildlife Management in a Changing Environment Hotel Mercure Perth Western Australia 23-26 November 2015 28th AWMS Conference, Perth... i WMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 DISCLAIMER This volume is a pre-conference compilation of abstracts. The contents have not been peerreviewed and abstracts have been printed as received from submitting authors except for minor editing. In many cases the contents contain preliminary results only. Any advice provided in this publication is intended as a source of information only. Please check with the authors before using information. The Australasian Wildlife Management Society does not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropritae for your purpose and therefore discliams liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from persons relying on any information in the publication. For information about the Australasian Wildlife Management Society see http://www.awms.org.au Proceedings Production: Australasian Wildlife Management Society ii AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 Contents 2015 Sponsors and Exhibitors....................... iii Conference Social Programme........................ iv Welcome from the President............................ v The Venue Floor Plan..................................... vi The Conference Programme.......................... vii Abstract Index................................................ 1 Programme Abstracts...................................... 6 Poster Abstracts.......................................... 100 Additional Notes Pages................................ 119 Author Index............................................... 122 AWMS 2015 Sponsors and Exhibitors Australasian Wildlife Management Society Email: [email protected] ABN 74 103 123 552 28th AWMS Conference, Perth... iii WMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 Conference Social Programme AWMS Conference Icebreaker AWMS Photo Competition If you have photos for display in the competition, please submit these to the AWMS Photo Competition table in the Exhibition area. Day: Monday 23 November 2015 Time: 5.00pm - 8.00pm Where: Government House AWMS Conference Dinner Bring your photos to the conference for display as an unframed print (see competition guidelines for acceptable sizes) and in electronic format (jpeg, bmp or png, min. 300 dpi). Entries will be accepted from the Tuesday morning of the conference. Don’t forget to put in your vote for people’s choice! Enjoy some drinks and nibbles during the official opening of the conference. Icebreaker attendance is included in your registration. Day: Wednesday 25 November 2015 Time: 7.00pm - 12 midnight Where: Government House This is a ticketed function. If you have not indicated you wish to attend, no ticket has been issued for you. If you do not have a ticket in the sleeve of your nametag and now wish to attend, please ask at the Registration desk prior to Wednesday. A band will keep you entertained for the evening. AWMS Student Dinner Fran Zewe and Stewart Dawson are coordinating the 2015 AWMS Student Dinner which will be attended by AWMS executive committee members, and all students attending the conference. This dinner is subsidised by AWMS and the aim is to have students meet the AWMS coommittee members, other students and to provide an opportunity for them to extend their network in an informal social setting. If you are a student and not aware of this dinner, keep a look-out for Stewart or Fran to have your name included. AWMS Conference Tours Delegates registered for the Thursday night tour to Karakamia, please meet in the Foyer of the Mercure at 6pm. Please don’t be late. Please ensure you have appropriate clothing and footwear for your tour. Delegates registered for the Friday tour to Rottnest Island, please meet in the Foyer of the Mercure at 8am. Please don’t be late. Please ensure you have appropriate clothing for your tour. AWMS General Meeting Don’t forget the AWMS AGM Day: Wednesday 25 November 2015 Time: 5.30pm Where: Main venue, Mercure, Perth AWMS Poster Programme Poster displays will be set up in the corridor outside the conference venue on Level 1 of the Mercure, Perth and available for viewing from Tuesday morning through to Thursday afternoon. The poster session/Happy Hour on Tuesday 24 November, 5.30-6.30pm will provide a good opportunity to view all the posters on display and also network with the authors present. Each delegate will receive tokens for two free drinks for this event in their registration packs. Directions from the Mercure to Government House iv AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 Welcome... from the President Welcome to the 2015 AWMS conference. It is the 28th consecutive year that AWMS has met to discuss the issues and practice of wildlife management in Australia. As AWMS has grown and matured, so too has the praxis of wildlife management in our region and AWMS can be justifiably proud of the role it has played in this evolution. We have moved from last year’s conference in the east to the west and that brings with it considerations of scale, aridity, invasive pests and working in challenging environments. All these aspects of the business of wildlife management are reflected in the conference program and I am looking forward to the diverse topics that will be discussed over the next few days. Trish Fleming and her team have done a wonderful job organising this year’s conference, which is the first for some time without our long-time conference organiser who retired last year. That arrangements have proceeded so smoothly is a testament to Trish and the other organisers and to the new AWMS conference liaison office, Konnie Gebauer. Everyone involved deserves recognition and thanks. In addition to the generalist symposia that provide an opportunity for practitioners to expose and discuss any aspect of wildlife management in our region, this year there will be specialist symposia on managing feral cats and canids, engineering ecosystems, genetics for wildlife management, and education and engagement. The organisers were also keen to allow participation of as many speakers as possible. As a consequence this year for the first time at AWMS we will have sessions of speed talks, as well as the more traditional poster sessions where the poster author will be present to answer your insightful and probing questions. At this conference we continue the recent tradition of offering a subsidised student dinner on the first night, followed by the themed conference dinner on the second night. At the dinner the winners of this year’s AWMS awards will be announced and I am pleased to say that this year we have a full suite of worthy There are also the post-conference tours for attendees to choose from, to get a little extra value Perth... winners. v from your conference attendance. This year AWMS was successful in securing a grant from LotteryWest to support five members of rural community groups and not-for-profit organisations working in the field of wildlife management to attend this year’s AWMS conference in Perth, WA. To be eligible applicants must have been from rural Western Australia and be part of a group working in wildlife management. We had a strong field of applicants and all five subsidies were offered. I encourage the recipients to make themselves known to conference organisers. Additionally we have been able to maintain our tradition of subsidising travel for students. For those who have not completed the paperwork, please see Will Batson, the AWMS treasurer. AWMS gratefully acknowledges the contribution made to this year’s conference by the Western Australian Government, both in terms of sponsorship and of the time that a number of Parks and Wildlife staff have put into the organisation of the conference. We also acknowledge the sponsorship of the Invasive Animal CRC, which seems particularly appropriate here given the issues and approaches relevant to Western Australia. Having just returned from study leave abroad, I am particularly looking forward to this year’s AWMS conference to catch up with friends and to get in touch with what’s important and new in the wildlife management area. I hope it serves a similarly important function for each of you. Greg Baxter, AWMS President 2015 AWMS CONFERENCE COMMITTEE 2015 AWMS EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE 2014 Convenors: Trish Fleming, Murdoch University President: Greg Baxter Vice President: Ben Allen Secretary: Karen Rusten Treasurer: William Batson Membership: Tarnya Cox Committee: Andrew Bengsen Al Glen Pip Masters Committee: Trish Fleming, Malcolm Kennedy, Manda Page, Tracey Moore, Shannon Dundas, Stuart Dawson, Dorian Moro, Peter Adams, Bill Bateman, Heather Crawford, Narelle Dybing, Judy Dunlop Conference Liaison Officer: Konnie Gebauer WMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 The Mercure Floor Plan Rooms Caroline, Orelia and Georgiana are where the conference will be held. Rooms Anglesea 1 and 2 will be used for the Trade exhibition and Catering. Poster display is in the corridor. This year AWMS received a LotteryWest grant to support members of community groups or volunteer organisations in rural Western Australia to attend this years AWMS conference. We had five awards of $1500 each to award. AWMS is pleased to welcome the following five award winners to this years conference, and we trust that they enjoy the presentations and their time at the 28th AWMS annual conference. Alexandra James, AWC Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary, Derby WA Jo Kuiper, Pilbara Mesquite Management Committee, Karratha WA Sue Metcalf, Chittering Landcare Group, Muchea WA Jodie Quinn, Warren Catchments Council, Manjimup WA Sheila Howart, Bridgetown-Greenbushed Biosecurity Group Inc., Bridgetown, WA vi AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 8:00-8:30 8:30-8:42 Registration Welcome MANAGING FERAL CATS AND CANIDS 8:42-9:06 Keynote Managing the impacts of invasive predators on naïve prey C Dickman 9:06-9:18 Australian Government action of Feral cats J Quinn 9:18-9:30 Eradication of feral cats from Western Australian islands: an update M Johnston 9:30-9:42 Measuring the success of feral cat control programs in the Pilbara L Clausen 9:42-9:54 Predicting The Effects Of Cat-Baiting On The Survivorship Of Northern Quoll In The Pilbara, Western Australia D Moro 9:54-10:06 Conserving Kyloring and the challenge of managing feral cats on the south coast of Western Australia S Comer 10:06-10:18 Predicting feral cat home range size from environmental productivity or population density A Bengsen 10:18-10:30 Movements of feral cats around fragmented conservation reserves – implications for control programs T Friend 10:30-11:00 Morning Tea MANAGING FERAL CATS AND CANIDS CONT’D 11:00-11:12 Leptospira species identified in rodent and feline hosts from island and mainland Australia N Dybing 11:12-11:24 Eradicating introduced species from a fenced area: quantifying efforts and result L Ruykus 11:24-11:36 Exploring the Role of Introduced Predator- Free Enclosures in Wildlife Recovery Programs M Page 11:36-11:48 What’s behind the rise and fall in native mammals? Monitoirng foxes and cats in priority fauna conservation area M Maxwell 11:48-12:00 Foxes at your front door? Movement pathways, landscape connectivity, and the efficacy of control of the inconspicuous yet abundant urban red fox (Vulpes vulpes) E Swinhoe 12:00-12:12 Western Shield – Implementing a state-wide program A Millar 12:12-12:36 Speed talks 12:36-13:30 Lunch MANAGING FERAL CATS AND CANIDS CONT’D 13:130-13:54 Keynote Managing Australian placental predators: Interactions and ecological roles P Fleming 13:54-14:06 Interaction of feral cats, fire and grazing A James 14:06-14:18 Absence of evidence and evidence of absence for dingo control-induced trophic cascades B Allen 14:18-14:30 Manipulating black rat predation pressure to assess impacts on the threatened Christmas Island giant gecko: preparing for a feral cat free future M Wynn 14:30-14:42 Yellowstone National Park two decades after the wolf reintroduction: did they deliver the environmental benefits predicted and what are the lessons for predator and wildlife management here in Australia G Mifsud 14:42-14:54 What can we learn from 90,000 wolf scats? T Newsome 14:54-15:06 Assessment of fox predation of Flatback turtle nests using remote cameras at Mundabullangana Station J King 15:06-15:30 Speed Talks 15:30-16:00 Afternoon Tea MANAGING FERAL CATS AND CANIDS CONT’D 16:00-16:12 Burning the forest to feed the foxes: the influence of planned burning and foxes on the presence of native mammals A Robley 16:12-16:24 Interactions between wild and domestic dogs: implications for rabies spread in Australia J Sparkes 16:24-16:36 The potential (and complexity) of scent fences for wild canid management: a case study on African wild dogs, Lycaon pictus N Jordan 16:36-16:48 Predicting spatial and temporal dynamics of wild dog populations on either of the Western Australian State Barrier Fence M Kennedy 28th AWMS Conference, Perth... vii CONFERENCE PROGRAMME DAY 1 Tuesday 24 November 2015 CONFERENCE PROGRAMME WMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 16:48-17:00 “Opening Pandora’s box”: talking to communities and individuals about wild dog managment in Australia T Howard 17:12-17:24 How to use behavioural science to increase participation in wild dog management in peri-urban and rural landscapes P Please 17:24-17:36 Collective management of wild dogs in Australia: Results from two national landholder surveys B Binks 17:36 Poster Session/Happy Hour 19:00 Student Dinner DAY 2 Wednesday 25 November 2015 REMOTE SURVEILLANCE 8:30-8:42 Using UAV technology to assess body condition in baleen whales F Christiansen 8:42-8:54 Coupling bio-logging with nutritional geometry to reveal novel insights into the foraging behaviour of wild carnivores and herbivores G Machovsky-Capuska 8:54-9:06 Sex, rainfall or resource availability do not affect the size of the home ranges of the quokka V Phillips 9:06-9:18 How many visits? A guide to the effort required to find a wildlife species J Hone 9:18-9:30 Tribulations and trials: lessons learnt whilst investigating the efficacy of thermal sensors to detect free-ranging feral pigs in forest habitats P Adams 9:30-9:42 Seeing spots and joining dots: using camera traps and GPS collars to monitor Spotted- tailed quolls T Forge 9:42-9:54 Smile or “RUN-AWAY!” you are on not-at-all candid camera P Meek 9:54-10:06 Avoiding the subject: the implications of avoidance behaviour for detecting predators B Fancourt 10:06-10:18 Optimising camera trap deployment design across multiple sites for species inventory surveys J Smith 10:18-10:30 Canine vs camera: comparing camera traps with sniffer dogs for detecting feral cats A Glen 10:30-11:00 Morning Tea viii OPEN SESSION 11:00-11:12 What have we learnt from a year of intensive, feral cat monitoring? F Zewe 11:12-11:24 On the right track: Using site-occupancy models to evaluate the effect of vehicle tracks on the detection of dingoes, feral cats, and macropods M Wysong 11:24-11:36 Foxes don’t go on the beach! Do they? M Brown 11:36-11:48 Where are all the ducks? Assessing a novel technique for estimating waterbird abundance S Dundas 11:48-12:00 Decline of Swamp antechinus in the eastern Otways, Victoria: implications for management B Wilson 12:00-12:12 Detecting rabbits: where are they when they’re not there? T Cox 12:12-12:24 Live fast, die young: northern quolls in the Pilbara, Western Australia J Dunlop 12:24-13:30 Lunch GENETICS FOR WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT 13:30-13:42 Environmental DNA detection: applications for wildlife management E Furlan 13:42-13:54 Non-invasive molecular methods for monitoring kiwi population A Ramon-Laca 13:54-14:06 126 living New Zealand kakapo: what can we learn from the dead? Using museum specimens to aid conservation management and gain insight into Biology past L Gray 14:06-14:18 Ancient DNA quantifies genetic decline and former connectivity in a critically endangered marsupial C Pacioni 14:18-14:30 A next-generation sequencing approach to genotyping the Tasmanian devil insurance population B Wright 14:30-14:42 Population genomics as a valuable tool in conservation management: a case study using DArTseq SNPs for endangered earless dragon research K Chaplin 14:42-14:54 Admixture is more important for genetic variation than the number of founders in a translocated dibbler population. R Thavornkanlapachai AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 14:54-15:06 Genetic diversity in the Noisy Scrub-bird (Atrichornis clamosus): immunology, inbreeding and the future S Cowen 15:06-15:18 Monitoring genetic diversity of species reintroduced to the Arid Recovery reserve L White 15:18-15:30 Impacts of neutral and selective forces on the genetic diversity of managed populations C Grueber 15:30-16:00 Afternoon Tea 8:54-9:06 Citizen science to assess population trends in Latham’s Snipe in Australia R Parker 9:06-9:18 Environmental Residential Camp (Case Study at Perth Zoo Camp) P Intuprapa 9:18-9:30 Enhanced PhD candidate training: The Balanced Scientist Program T Buckmaster 9:30-9:42 Integrating Human Dimensions and Ecological Research: Improving Feral Pig Management by Fostering Innovative Community Engagement OPEN SESSION D Marshall 16:00-16:12 Diet selection by black-flanked rock-wallabies 9:42-9:54 Engaging the community to improve flying- (Petrogale lateralis lateralis) in the Central fox management Wheatbelt and Avon Valley of Western M Treadwell Australia 9:54-10:06 Training Wildlife Managers - what skills and A Chauvin knowledge do they need? 16:12-16:24 Comparative efficacy of levonorgestrel and M Braysher deslorelin contraceptive implants in free- DW COOPER STUDENT THESIS AWARD ranging eastern grey kangaroos, Macropus 10:06-10:18 WINNER giganteus Drought, disease or devil declines? G Coulson Identifying the cause of decline of 16:24-16:36 Integrating stress physiology in the the eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus) conservation management of a critically B Fancourt endangered marsupial, the woylie (Bettongia 10:18-10:30 PRACTITIONERS AWARD WINNER penicillata) “Devil tools & tech”: a synergy of S Hing conservation research and management 16:36-16:48 Evaluation of physiological stress in the Koala practice (Phascolarctos cinereus) ensued from C Hogg extreme environmental change 10:30-11:00 Morning tea E Narayan DAY 3 Thursday 26 November 2015 EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT 8:42-8:54 Managing the Managers: Applying Behavioural Science for More Effective Management Outcome L McLeod ENGINEERING ECOSYSTEMS 11:00-11:12 Artificial nest hollows for an endangered cockatoo: why, where and what? P Mawson 11:12-11:24 Nest boxes or roast boxes? Are the temperatures of nest boxes lethal for breeding birds? P Conacher 11:24-11:36 Impact of grazing on the endangered pygmy bluetongue lizard TP Nielsen 11:36-11:48 Temporal patterns in the abundance of a critically endangered marsupial relates to disturbance by roads and agriculture G Yeatman 11:48-12:00 The bulldozer, the bull, and the bilby: microhabitat selection by bilbies is influenced by seismic line clearing and cattle grazing S Dawson 12:00-12:12 Winter Habitat Use of New Zealand Falcons (Falco novaeseelandiae): Responses to Prey Abundance and Forestry Regime C Horikoshi 28th AWMS Conference, Perth... ix CONFERENCE PROGRAMME 16:48-17:00 Disease surveillance in quokkas as a conservation tool P Martinez 17:00-17:12 Combining detection and eradication probabilities to quantify freedom from a wildlife disease G Nugent 17:12-17:24 Australia’s Wildlife Health System: Recent Developments R Woods 17:30 Annual General Meeting Main Venue, Hotel Mercure, Perth 19:00 AWMS Conference ‘Wild West’ Dinner Government House CONFERENCE PROGRAMME WMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 12:12-12:24 Working towards conserving a threatened species in an increasingly urbanised environment C Groom 12:24-13:30 Lunch 16:24-16:36 Outcomes of mammal reintroductions into predator free areas in south-west Australia: 20 years on B Palmer 16:36-16:48 Predicting survivors: animal temperament and translocation ENGINEERING ECOSYSTEMS CONT’D T May Exploiting olfactory communication between 13:30-13:42 Prescribed burning as a conservation tool 16:48-17:00 competing predators to for management of habitat for improve conservation outcomes threatened species: use of the P Garvey quokka (Setonix brachyurus) as a focal species in the southern forests I17:00-17:12 Improving national biosecurity: The potential of Western Australia to adapt the HACCP Model to manage K Bain invasive species in Australia 13:42-13:54 Planning and implementing prescribed fire to M Christy conserve wildlife in reserves and landscapes: 17:12-17:30 Conference Close the Fire Regime Optimisation Planning System (FiReOPS) B Beecham 13:54-14:06 Can you spare 30 seconds for a koala? Managing the impacts of roads on a threatened koala population S Hetherington 14:06-14:18 Why did the possum cross the bridge instead of the road? Because it wasn’t a chicken K Yokochi FROM MANAGEMENT TO STEWARDSHIP 14:18-14:30 Bush Stone-curlews: Have we got it right? (A provocation) M O’Keeffe 14:30-14:42 Monitoring and relocation of Southern Brown Bandicoots – lessons learnt S Thompson 14:42-14:54 Environmental Offsets: are we getting value for money and how can we do it better? G Thompson 14:54-15:06 Creating a ‘no net loss’ for fauna T Moore 15:06-15:18 A novel method for integrating light and marine turtle hatchling orientation data K Pendoley 15:18-15:30 Science informing management; modelling starling control options in Western Australia S Campbell 15:30-16:00 Afternoon tea OPEN SESSION 16:00-16:12 Estimating biosecurity risk from introduced fauna for Pilbara islands using Bayesian belief networks C Lohr 16:12-16:24 Will smart communications technology provide the breakthrough needed for effective surveillance and forecasting of mouse plagues in grain-growing regions of Australia? R Pech x AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 ABSTRACTS & INDEX (in order of Programme) 28th AWMS Conference, Perth... 1 Index of Abstracts AWMS WMS 2015 2015AWMS AWMS2015 2015AWMS AWMS2015 2015AWMS AWMS2015 2015AWMS AWMS2015 2015AWMS AWMS2015 2015AWMS AWMS2015 2015AWMS AWMS2015 2015AWMS AWMS2015 2015AWMS AWMS2015 2015AWMS AWMS2015 2015 Managing Feral Cats and Canids Managing the impacts of invasive predators on naïve prey. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Australian Government action on feral cats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eradication of feral cats from Western Australian islands: an update. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Measuring the success of feral cat control programs in the Pilbara. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Predicting the effects of cat-baiting on the survivorship of northern quoll in the Pilbara, Western Australia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Conserving Kyloring and the challenge of managing feral cats on the south coast of Western Australia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Predicting feral cat home range size from environmental productivity or population density . . . . . . . . . Movements of feral cats around fragmented conservation reserves – implications for control programs.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Leptospira species identified in rodent and feline hosts from island and mainland Australia. . . . . . . . . . Eradicating introduced species from a fenced area: quantifying efforts and results.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Exploring the role of introduced predator-free enclosures in wildlife recovery programs. . . . . . . . . . . . . What’s behind the rise and fall in native mammals? Monitoring foxes and cats in a priority fauna conservation area. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Foxes at your front door? Movement pathways, landscape connectivity, and the efficacy of control of the inconspicuous yet abundant urban red fox (Vulpes vulpes).. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Western Shield – Implementing a state-wide program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Managing Australian placental predators: Interactions and ecological roles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Interaction of feral cats, fire and grazing.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Absence of evidence and evidence of absence for dingo control-induced trophic cascades. . . . . . . . . . . Manipulating black rat predation pressure to assess impacts on the threatened Christmas Island giant gecko: preparing for a feral cat free future. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Yellowstone National Park two decades after the wolf reintroduction: did they deliver the environmental benefits predicted and what are the lessons for predator and wildlife management here in Australia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . What can we learn from 90,000 wolf scats? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assessment of fox predation of Flatback turtle nests using remote cameras at Mundabullangana Station. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Burning the forest to feed the foxes: the influence of planned burning and foxes on the presence of native mammals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Interactions between wild and domestic dogs: implications for rabies spread in Australia. . . . . . . . . . . . The potential (and complexity) of scent fences for wild canid management: a case study on African wild dogs, Lycaon pictus.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Predicting spatial and temporal dynamics of wild dog populations on either of the Western Australian State Barrier Fence. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “Opening Pandora’s box”: Talking to communities and individuals about wild dog management in Australia.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . How to use behavioural science to increase participation in wild dog management in peri-urban and rural landscapes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Collective management of wild dogs in Australia: Results from two national landholder surveys. . . . . . .6 .7 .8 .9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 Remote Surveillance Using UAV technology to assess body condition in baleen whales . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Coupling bio-logging with nutritional geometry to reveal novel insights into the foraging behaviour of wild carnivores and herbivores. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sex, rainfall or resource availability do not affect the size of the home ranges of the quokka (Setonix brachyurus) on Rottnest Island, Western Australia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . How many visits? A guide to the effort required to find a wildlife species . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 34 35 36 37 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 Tribulations and trials: lessons learnt whilst investigating the efficacy of thermal sensors to detect free-ranging feral pigs in forest habitats.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Seeing spots and joining dots: using camera traps and gps collars to monitor spotted-tailed quolls.. . . . Smile or “RUN-AWAY!” you are on not-at-all candid camera. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Avoiding the subject: the implications of avoidance behaviour for detecting predators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Optimising camera trap deployment design across multiple sites for species inventory surveys . . . . . . . Canine vs camera: comparing camera traps with sniffer dogs for detecting feral cats . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 39 40 41 42 43 Open session What have we learnt from a year of intensive, feral cat monitoring?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . On the right track: Using site-occupancy models to evaluate the effect of vehicle tracks on the detection of dingoes, feral cats, and macropods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Foxes don’t go on the beach! Do they?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Where are all the ducks? Assessing a novel technique for estimating waterbird abundance. . . . . . . . . . . Decline of Swamp antechinus in the eastern Otways, Victoria: implications for management. . . . . . . . . Detecting rabbits: where are they when they’re not there?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Live fast, die young: northern quolls in the Pilbara, Western Australia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 Genetics for Wildlife Management Environmental DNA detection: applications for wildlife management. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Non-invasive molecular methods for monitoring kiwi populations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 126 living New Zealand kakapo: what can we learn from the dead? Using museum specimens to aid conservation management and gain insight into Biology past. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ancient DNA quantifies genetic decline and former connectivity in a critically endangered marsupial. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A next-generation sequencing approach to genotyping the Tasmanian devil insurance population. . . . . Population genomics as a valuable tool in conservation management: a case study using DArTseq SNPs for endangered earless dragon research. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Admixture is more important for genetic variation than the number of founders in a translocated dibbler population. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Genetic diversity in the Noisy Scrub-bird (Atrichornis clamosus): immunology, inbreeding and the future. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monitoring genetic diversity of species reintroduced to the Arid Recovery reserve. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Impacts of neutral and selective forces on the genetic diversity of managed populations. . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 Open session 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 Education and Engagement Managing the managers: applying behavioural science for more effective management outcomes . . . . Citizen science to assess population trends in Latham’s Snipe in Australia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Environmental Residential Camp (Case Study at Perth Zoo Camp). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Enhanced PhD candidate training: The Balanced Scientist Program. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 69 70 71 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...3 Index of Abstracts Diet selection by black-flanked rock-wallabies (Petrogale lateralis lateralis) in the Central Wheatbelt and Avon Valley of Western Australia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Comparative efficacy of levonorgestrel and deslorelin contraceptive implants in free-ranging eastern grey kangaroos, Macropus giganteus. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Integrating stress physiology in the conservation management of a critically endangered marsupial, the woylie (Bettongia penicillata) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Evaluation of physiological stress in the Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) ensued from extreme environmental change. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Disease surveillance in quokkas as a conservation tool. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Combining detection and eradication probabilities to quantify freedom from a wildlife disease . . . . . . . Australia’s Wildlife Health System: Recent Developments. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Index of Abstracts AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 Integrating human dimensions and ecological research: improving feral pig management by fostering innovative community engagement.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Engaging the community to improve flying-fox management . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Training Wildlife Managers - what skills and knowledge do they need?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Drought, disease or devil declines?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Identifying the cause of decline of the eastern quoll (Dasyurus viverrinus) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . “Devil tools & tech”: a synergy of conservation research and management practice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72 . 73 . 74 . 75 . 75 . 76 Engineering ecosystems Artificial nest hollows for an endangered cockatoo: why, where and what? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nest boxes or roast boxes? Are the temperatures of nest boxes lethal for breeding birds? . . . . . . . . . . . Impact of grazing on the endangered pygmy bluetongue lizard. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Temporal patterns in the abundance of a critically endangered marsupial relates to disturbance by roads and agriculture. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The bulldozer, the bull, and the bilby: microhabitat selection by bilbies is influenced by seismic line clearing and cattle grazing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Winter habitat use of New Zealand falcons (Falco novaeseelandiae): responses to prey abundance and forestry regimes. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Working towards conserving a threatened species in an increasingly urbanised environment . . . . . . . . Prescribed burning as a conservation tool for management of habitat for threatened species: use of the quokka (Setonix brachyurus) as a focal species in the southern forests of Western Australia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Planning and implementing prescribed fire to conserve wildlife in reserves and landscapes: the Fire Regime Optimisation Planning System (FiReOPS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Can you spare 30 seconds for a koala? – managing the impacts of roads on a threatened koala population. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Why did the possum cross the bridge instead of the road? Because it wasn’t a chicken!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 . 78 . 79 . 80 . 81 . 82 . 83 . 84 . 85 . 86 . 87 From Management to Stewardship Bush Stone-curlews: Have we got it right? (A provocation) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Monitoring and relocation of Southern Brown Bandicoots – lessons learnt. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Environmental Offsets: are we getting value for money and how can we do it better?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Creating a ‘no net loss’ for fauna. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . A novel method for integrating light and marine turtle hatchling orientation data.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Science informing management; modelling starling control options in Western Australia.. . . . . . . . . . . . . 88 . 89 . 90 . 91 . 92 . 93 Open session Estimating biosecurity risk from introduced fauna for Pilbara islands using bayesian belief networks. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Will smart communications technology provide the breakthrough needed for effective surveillance and forecasting of mouse plagues in grain-growing regions of Australia?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Open session (translocations and human-altered environments). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Outcomes of mammal reintroductions into predator free areas in south-west Australia: 20 years on.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Predicting survivors: animal temperament and translocation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Exploiting olfactory communication between competing predators to improve conservation outcomes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Improving national biosecurity: The potential to adapt the HACCP Model to manage invasive species in Australia. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 . 95 . 96 . 96 . 97 . 98 . 99 Posters Are negative effects of ecotourism over-reported?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100 Freshwater turtles in the urban landscape: investigating the human interaction factor.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 101 The use and misuse of continental-scale wildlife abundance estimates. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 102 4 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 Ecology of the feral cat (Felis catus) in ecosystems of the south coast of Western Australia. . . . . . . . . . . Cats on the run!. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Influenza A exposure in feral swine of South Australia.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Food subsidies for pest animals? An outdoor piggery study. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assessing multiple paternity within litters of a male-semelparous dasyurid, Dasykaluta rosamondae . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mammal translocation successes and habitat utilisation on Faure Island . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shelter site use of western quolls (Dasyurus geoffoii) reintroduced to a semi-arid environment. . . . . . . Quality not quantity for low mobility and dispersal species in urban remnant vegetation. . . . . . . . . . . . . Positive results from management measures for a threatened microbat species, the southern myotis (Myotis macropus) in North-eastern NSW. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Urban waterway health: identifying key stressors in a flat sandy landscape.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Invertebrates as ecosystem engineers: influence of ground-dwelling invertebrates on litter decomposition on bauxite mining restoration. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Does familiarising devils through latrine manipulation increase reintroduction success?. . . . . . . . . . . . . The WWF Rakali Community Survey: identifying threats through community involvement . . . . . . . . . . . Community mapping of Australia’s worst pest animals with the FeralScan App. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vehicles, pet predators, and diseases, oh my! Reptile rehabilitation admissions in a city using volunteer records from wildlife centres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . When roadways cause roadkill: assessing intentional motor vehicle strikes of reptiles. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 Index of Abstracts Notes Pages . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 119 Author Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 122 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...5 Managing Feral Cats and Canids AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 MANAGING THE IMPACTS OF INVASIVE PREDATORS ON NAÏVE PREY Chris Dickman School of Biological Sciences University of Sydney, New South Wales [email protected] Invasive mammalian predators have on average twice the impact on prey populations than do native predators, with impacts on prey populations in Australia and New Zealand being greater still. These large impacts may result from high levels of naïveté by local prey species to novel predators, in particular the red fox and feral cat. Theory predicts that widespread and genetically diverse prey species should experience strong selection to reduce predation risk upon arrival of a novel predator, and some common species such as forest-dwelling antechinuses, native rats, brushtail and ringtail possums seem to provide examples of this. However, many prey species, especially those in open habitats, remain predator-naïve and at great risk from invasive predators. Three broad management options are available: (i) prevent contact between predators and prey (e.g. fences), (ii) reduce predator numbers or activity (e.g. culling, poison baiting), or (iii) increase the probability of prey escape. Option (i) maximises prey security but precludes the operation of selection against naïveté, while option (ii) is currently easier to achieve for the red fox than the feral cat; impacts of feral cats may increase if fox activity is reduced. Here I focus on option (iii) and explore how increasing the complexity of habitat in open areas may allow selection for less-naïve prey and provide increased protection from both fox and cat-predation. I will review case-study examples from published work and present new findings from ongoing research in central Australia to show how habitat manipulation may complement current approaches to predator management. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 6 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT ACTION ON FERAL CATS Julie Quinn Environmental Biosecurity Section Department of the Environment [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...7 Managing Feral Cats and Canids Predation by feral cats is formally recognised as a key threatening process under the Australian Government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The Australian Government has the Threat abatement plan for predation by feral cats to guide and coordinate Australia’s response. The threat abatement plan has objectives to effectively control feral cats in different landscapes; improve effectiveness of existing control options for feral cats; develop or maintain alternatives strategies for threatened species recovery; and increase public support for feral cat management and promote responsible cat ownership. Ultimately, the actions under these objectives are intended to assist people who are actually undertaking feral cat control programs on ground. Tackling feral cats is also one of five areas for immediate action under the Threatened Species Strategy, where there is a strong focus on getting on-ground actions to reduce the impacts of feral cats. These are two examples of the policy framework underpins funding that is provided for on-ground action to control feral cats or implement other actions to prevent predation on native fauna. Currently funding can be provided by the Australian Government via the National Landcare Programme and includes some resources that the Threatened Species Commissioner is able to mobilise for specific projects. The Australian Government is able to assist through actions such as seeking feral cats to be declared as pests in all states and territories to ensure there are no impediments to landholders and other land managers undertaking control now or in the future when other tools are available. Managing Feral Cats and Canids AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 ERADICATION OF FERAL CATS FROM WESTERN AUSTRALIAN ISLANDS: AN UPDATE Dave Algar and Michael Johnston Department of Parks and Wildlife Western Australia [email protected] There is extensive evidence that the introduction of cats (Felis catus) to both offshore and oceanic islands around the world can have deleterious impacts on endemic land vertebrates and breeding bird populations. The Australian region is no exception where cats have caused or contributed to population declines and extinctions on many islands. Today, the impact of cats is broadly acknowledged and control of feral cats specifically is recognised as one of the most important fauna conservation issues in Australia. The eradication of feral cats from offshore islands is seen nationally as a significant element in the recovery of species threatened by predation by feral cats. To date, cats have been successfully eradicated from four Western Australian offshore islands: Serrurier Island; Hermite Island in the Montebellos; Faure and Rottnest Islands to enable reconstruction of the original fauna or protection of extant species. In addition, we report on two eradication programs that are now also well advanced on much larger islands, namely Christmas and Dirk Hartog Islands. Baiting, using the feral cat bait Eradicat® is the primary technique used to successfully eradicate cats on islands off the Western Australian coastline. In addition, recent advances in cat control technologies and management strategies are likely to further assist eradication of feral cats from many islands around Australia and elsewhere in the world. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 8 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 MEASURING THE SUCCESS OF FERAL CAT CONTROL PROGRAMS IN THE PILBARA Lucy Clausen, Peter Speldewinde, Sarah Comer, and Dave Algar Department of Parks and Wildlife Western Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...9 Managing Feral Cats and Canids The impact of introduced predators is widely accepted as a major factor limiting survivorship and recruitment of many native species throughout Western Australia. The feral cat and fox have been implicated in range reductions and population declines of many conservation dependent species in northern Australia; including ground nesting birds and small to medium-sized mammals. An increase in predation pressure by feral cats is thought to have had a major recent influence on the structure of native fauna communities in the Pilbara. To reduce the pressure on native fauna from these introduced predators a landscape scale project has been developed in the Fortescue Marsh. The Fortescue Marsh project aims to maximise efficacy of baiting and provide robust techniques for monitoring control outcomes. Annual feral cat baiting using Eradicat® has been conducted on the Marsh since 2012; the efficacy of these baiting campaigns has been examined using remote cameras and occupancy models. There was a significant decrease in probability of site occupancy in baited sites for the first three years of this study, demonstrating the effectiveness of aerial baiting for landscape scale removal of feral cats. Managing Feral Cats and Canids AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 PREDICTING THE EFFECTS OF CAT-BAITING ON THE SURVIVORSHIP OF NORTHERN QUOLL IN THE PILBARA, WESTERN AUSTRALIA Dorian Moro, Judy Dunlop and Matthew Williams School of Veterinary & Biological Science Murdoch University [email protected] The Department of Parks & Wildlife and Rio Tinto plan a landscape-scale introduced predator control program at Yarraloola (Pilbara, WA) that will include baiting of feral cats. The potential risk to northern quolls (Dasyurus hallucatus) through non-target bait consumption is being assessed a priori using Population Viability Analyses (PVA) to determine any impact of cat baiting on population persistence. The Population viability model used empirical data derived from northern quoll monitoring programs across the Pilbara and from demographic studies elsewhere in Australia. We then modelled a set of alternative scenarios to examine potential changes to a northern quoll population under increased bait-related quoll mortalities, or increased quoll survivorship, over a 20-year period. Improving adult or juvenile quoll survivorship above current levels (i.e. reducing mortalities due to cat predation) increased population size and reduced the risk of local extinction. Population growth rate was most sensitive to perturbations in adult and juvenile mortality: increasing mortality of more than 10 % above current (baseline) levels led to dramatic declines in adult quoll numbers. Importantly, increasing juvenile mortality by as little as 5 % caused a predicted 2254% decline in population size, with a moderate to high chance (20-96%) of local extinction within 20 years. From a management perspective, an increase in cat-predation – particularly on juvenile northern quolls that emerge at the beginning of each year – and the real possibility of an introduction of cane toads to the area, have potentially serious implications for the persistence of local populations of northern quoll. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 10 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 CONSERVING KYLORING AND THE CHALLENGE OF MANAGING FERAL CATS ON THE SOUTH COAST OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA Sarah Comer, Dave Algar, L Bell, Andrew Burbidge, Lucy Clausen, Saul Cowen, A Danks, J Pinder, & J Pridham Department of Parks and Wildlife, Albany Western Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...11 Managing Feral Cats and Canids In 2010 the first landscape scale delivery of the feral cat bait Eradicat® occurred on the south coast of Western Australia, with baits first delivered to the Fitzgerald River National Park. Working on the hypothesis that an increase in predation pressure by feral cats has had a major recent influence on the decline of the critically endangered western ground parrot, Parks and Wildlife have since baited over 300,000 ha of conservation reserves from Albany to east of Esperance each year with Eradicat®. This adaptive management program has focussed on the challenges of integrating feral cat control into existing fox control programs in mesic ecosystems, and the goals of improving management of habitat for the ground parrot and a suite of other EPBC listed fauna including Gilbert’s potoroo, dibbler and noisy scrub-bird. We have concentrated on developing monitoring techniques to assess and improve baiting efficacy and uptake, while demonstrating the effectiveness of the program by measuring native species’ response to baiting. In this paper we highlight some of the challenges and successes of delivering feral cat control in south coastal ecosystems. Managing Feral Cats and Canids AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 PREDICTING FERAL CAT HOME RANGE SIZE FROM ENVIRONMENTAL PRODUCTIVITY OR POPULATION DENSITY Andrew Bengsen, Dave Algar, Guy Ballard, Tony Buckmaster, Sarah Comer, Peter Fleming, J. Anthony Friend, Michael Johnston, Hugh McGregor, Katherine Moseby, Frances Zewe Vertebrate Pest Research Unit NSW Department of Primary Industries [email protected] Home range size estimates are important for planning the spatial extent and intensity of pest animal control or monitoring operations. Feral cats show great variation in home range sizes among populations, making it difficult to generalise across locations. Spatial ecology models predict that home range sizes of polygynous carnivores, such as feral cats, should be smallest in highly productive areas with abundant prey and greatest in areas characterised by poor productivity and sparse prey. Other models predict that home range size should scale negatively with population density or that home range should vary with average body mass. We collated feral cat home range estimates from a geographically and climatically diverse range of sites (mostly southern hemisphere), and used linear models to evaluate relationships between average home range sizes and: estimated population densities; body mass; or indices of environmental productivity derived from remotely sensed fPAR (fraction of Photosynthetically Active Radiation) data. Average home range size scaled negatively with indices of annual productivity, but the relationship broke down at a small number of highly seasonal sites. Home range size also decreased with increasing population density, but no relationship with body mass was apparent. The relationships we describe between home range size and productivity should, in many cases, provide a useful starting point for designing feral cat control programs where specific local information is not yet available. The approach we used in this study should also be applicable to other species. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 12 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 MOVEMENTS OF FERAL CATS AROUND FRAGMENTED CONSERVATION RESERVES: IMPLICATIONS FOR CONTROL PROGRAMS J. Anthony Friend, Corey Mosen and Timothy Button Department of Parks and Wildlife Albany, Western Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...13 Managing Feral Cats and Canids Despite the widespread clearing of native vegetation in the agricultural area of southwest Western Australia, large and important conservation areas remain, surrounded by productive farmland. In two of these reserves, Dryandra Woodland and Tutanning Nature Reserve, spectacular recovery amongst Critical Weight Range mammals was observed in the 3-5 years after fox control commenced. In all cases this was followed by declines, in some cases approaching pre-fox control levels. Recent research at these sites has shown that with fox control in place, predation by feral cats has become the most important single cause of mortality amongst numbats (Myrmecobius fasciatus) and woylies (Bettongia penicillata). Between March 2013 and March 2015, 38 cats were fitted with GPS collars at Dryandra, Tutanning and Dragon Rocks Nature Reserve. Due to logistical constraints, most were captured on the reserve perimeter, providing an opportunity to document the movements of feral cats in relation to the farmland-bushland interface. Amongst 25 cats captured on the perimeter, 15 spent almost all of their time in adjacent farmland, with very few locations recorded in the bushland. The other ten used the reserves to varying degrees. Amongst eight cats captured inside the reserves, six spent significant time in the bushland. Only one cat remained within the reserve for the entire study period. Control by actions within the reserves, including trapping and broadscale baiting, will target those cats likely to prey on resident native animals. Perimeter baiting and use of appropriate control methods on adjacent farmland in collaboration with neighbouring landholders may be more effective in reducing overall cat density. Managing Feral Cats and Canids AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 LEPTOSPIRA SPECIES IDENTIFIED IN RODENT AND FELINE HOSTS FROM ISLAND AND MAINLAND AUSTRALIA Narelle Dybing, Carolyn Jacobson, Peter Irwin, Dave Algar and Peter Adams School of Veterinary & Life Sciences Murdoch University, Western Australia [email protected] Leptospirosis is a bacterial disease of global significance that has the ability to persist in diverse environments. The main reservoir hosts are rats and domestic dogs; however, leptospires can infect over 160 mammalian species including cats. Introduced cats and black rats are present on many offshore and inshore Australian islands, and the Leptospira infection status of these populations is unknown. Feral cats were collected from Christmas Island (n=59), Dirk Hartog Island (n=22) and southwest Western Australia (n=59) and black rats were collected concurrently from Christmas Island (n=68). Individuals were necropsied and kidney tissue collected for PCR analysis to detect Leptospira DNA. Overall 25 of 59 (42.4%) feral cats and 2 of 68 (2.9%) black rats on Christmas Island were positive for pathogenic Leptospira interrogans whilst feral cats from Dirk Hartog Island and southwest WA returned negative PCR results. The potential public health and conservation significance of these findings are discussed. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 14 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 ERADICATING INTRODUCED SPECIES FROM A FENCED AREA: QUANTIFYING EFFORTS AND RESULTS Laura Ruykys and Andrew Carter Australian Wildlife Conservancy Mt Gibson Sanctuary Wubin, Western Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...15 Managing Feral Cats and Canids There is currently a focus on the role of fenced areas (‘mainland islands’) in protecting native threatened species, especially in the absence of landscape-scale control mechanisms for introduced cats and foxes. However, the effort required to eradicate introduced species from fenced areas remains poorly-researched. This study was conducted at Mt Gibson Wildlife Sanctuary, a 132,500 ha property in the semi-arid Wheatbelt Region of Western Australia. In June 2014, a 43 km fence around 7,800 ha was completed and reintroductions of ten mammal species commenced in August 2015. The effort expended in eradicating foxes and cats from the fenced area, plus controlling rabbits, was logged on a daily basis. A suite of ‘effort’ data, such as number of hours worked, kilometres driven and traps set, and ‘output’ data, including number of animals trapped and shot, have thus been collated for a total of 15 months and will be presented. The project could provide a baseline for other eradication projects of this nature. Managing Feral Cats and Canids AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 EXPLORING THE ROLE OF INTRODUCED PREDATOR-FREE ENCLOSURES IN WILDLIFE RECOVERY PROGRAMS Manda Page, Juanita Renwick and Adrian Wayne Department of Parks and Wildlife Western Australia [email protected] Typically the ultimate goal of threatened fauna recovery programs are to have multiple, self-sustaining, wild populations which represent the genetic diversity of the species. However for many species this goal is not currently achievable because there are threats affecting wild populations that we cannot yet reduce to an acceptable level. The threat that is most common to threatened mammals in Australia is introduced predators, namely foxes and feral cats. One tool being increasingly used to combat the impact of introduced predators on threatened species is introduced predator-free enclosures. But how do managers of threatened species programs incorporate this increased enthusiasm, and funding, for fenced enclosures into recovery programs while ensuring that we are not losing sight of the ‘end game’. Here we explore the role of introduced predator-free enclosures in threatened fauna recovery, and how to ensure we keep things in perspective, using the critically endangered woylie (Bettongia penicillata ogilbyi) as a case study. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 16 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 WHAT’S BEHIND THE RISE AND FALL IN NATIVE MAMMALS? MONITORING FOXES AND CATS IN A PRIORITY FAUNA CONSERVATION AREA Marika Maxwell, Adrian Wayne, Colin Ward, Chris Vellios Department of Parks and Wildlife Western Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...17 Managing Feral Cats and Canids Having reliable methods for monitoring introduced foxes and cats is fundamentally important to their efficient and effective management and the conservation of the native species that are principally threatened by them. For example, the cascading declines of seven terrestrial native mammals in the jarrah forests of the Upper Warren region of south-western Australia have resulted in the recent elevation in the conservation status of at least two species; the critically endangered woylie Bettongia penicillata and endangered ngwayir Pseudocheirus occidentalis. Understanding the causes of these population changes is critical to their conservation. Here we investigate the possible role of cats and foxes and discuss the challenges to improve our understanding of their population trends. Forensic evidence from survivorship and mortality studies identifies the feral cat as the main predator of woylies during their 95% decline. Monitoring using arrays of sand plots show differences in the activity of introduced predators over space and time. Comparative trials demonstrate the detection differences between sand plots and two models of remote sensor cameras. Camera set-up trials used to test lure and camera locations identify better methods for detecting cats and foxes. And predator removal experiments are used to validate and calibrate introduced predator survey methods and density estimates. Together, these studies are helping to improve the methods used to monitor introduced predators. Managing Feral Cats and Canids AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 FOXES AT YOUR FRONT DOOR? MOVEMENT PATHWAYS, LANDSCAPE CONNECTIVITY AND THE EFFICACY OF CONTROL OF THE INCONSPICUOUS YET ABUNDANT URBAN RED FOX (VULPES VULPES) Edward Swinhoe, Peter Adams, Bill Bateman and Trish Fleming Veterinary & Life Sciences Murdoch University, Western Australia [email protected] The red fox (Vulpes vulpes) is widespread across much of the Australian mainland and is a declared pest due to its impacts on agriculture and native wildlife in rural landscapes. Very little is known about the habits of foxes in urban settings, where this highly cryptic predator not only persists, but thrives. Indeed, the abundance and impact of foxes within local government boundaries is typically unknown. The Western Suburbs Regional Organisation of Councils (WESROC) in Perth, Western Australia, is concerned that foxes are having a negative impact on the biodiversity in their area, with water bird deaths and excavation of long necked turtle nests attributed to these predators. Implementation of control measures is a costly undertaking and the rate of re-invasion post-control is unknown. Investigating fox movement patterns using GPS tracking collars will reveal landscape connectivity as well as foraging and shelter resource sites. These data will enable local government to better cooperate and coordinate control programs to mitigate the impacts of foxes across the urban landscape. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 18 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 WESTERN SHIELD – IMPLEMENTING A STATE-WIDE PROGRAM Ashley Millar, Michelle Drew, Juanita Renwick and Gareth Watkins Department of Parks and Wildlife Western Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...19 Managing Feral Cats and Canids The Department of Parks and Wildlife’s Western Shield program was established in 1996 as one of the largest wildlife conservation programs ever undertaken in Australia. In the 19 years of operation Western Shield has contributed significantly to the conservation of threatened native fauna in WA. In 2013/2014 a strategic review was undertaken to identify what was working well and where the program needed improvement. While the review highlighted the key successes of the program, including the persistence of at least 53 threatened mammal, bird and reptile species it also identified that the program required a clear strategic direction to ensure the program evolved with improved knowledge and changes in the systems being managed. This process is not without challenges. Delivering and adapting such a large-scale program is complex. We reveal some of the realities and challenges of delivering a state-wide threat abatement program across a range of ecosystems, for a variety of fauna and with a multitude of stakeholders. From integrating science into operational practice, logistics of fox and feral cat control, monitoring of fauna and engaging with community and our partners, the task is far from simple. Managing Feral Cats and Canids AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 MANAGING AUSTRALIAN PLACENTAL PREDATORS: INTERACTIONS AND ECOLOGICAL ROLES Peter Fleming, Guy Ballard and Ben Allen School of Environmental and Rural Science University of New England, New South Wales [email protected] The roles of free−ranging dogs in Australia, particularly dingoes, are being enthusiastically deliberated in scientific and lay forums, and the debate and its implications have great potential to impact upon on−ground predator management. The concept of mesopredator suppression by dogs is focal to the debate, as are the postulated trophic responses of foxes and cats, their prey and vegetation to lethal control of dogs. Dingoes are viewed both positively, because of putative biodiversity conservation potential through mesopredator suppression, and negatively because of impacts on livestock and some endangered fauna like koalas. Foxes and cats are almost universally condemned as detrimental to biodiversity, although “compassionate conservationists” wish to let sleeping dogs, foxes and cats lie and hang the consequences for agriculture, the environment and the general community. It is prudent to examine all the possible interactions and outcomes to set up alternative hypotheses for testing. As a first step in our Predators, Prey, Plants and People project, we conducted a facilitated workshop with eight of Australia’s predator experts to identify all the possible trophic interactions that are likely in response to wild dog control. Here, we summarise the outcomes of the workshop, which include a comprehensive list of Australian terrestrial World Heritage Areas that listed dingo conservation or introduced predators as a conservation threat, and a prospectus of likely trophic responses to lethal control of placental predators. Because many of the interaction possibilities are untested, alternative explanations of ecological processes require equal consideration before lethal control of some or all placental predators is discontinued. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 20 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 INTERACTION OF FERAL CATS, FIRE AND GRAZING Hugh McGregor, Alex James, Menna Jones, Katherine Tuft, Danielle Lisle, James Smith, Sarah Legge, Christopher Johnson Australian Wildlife Conservancy Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary, Western Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...21 Managing Feral Cats and Canids Predation by feral cats, intensification of fire regimes, and intensified grazing by introduced herbivores have all been implicated as possible causes of declines of small mammals across the savannah biome of northern Australia. We report on interactions between predation by feral cats and vegetation structure in a study area in the central Kimberley region of northwestern Australia. The aim of the study was to test whether fire and grazing regimes impacts on small mammals via predation by feral cats. We measured population density of cats with contrasting fire and grazing regimes, using camera traps to derive density estimates. We also used GPS telemetry to examine how the movements of individual cats were influenced by vegetation and habitat structure, to determine whether cats preferentially hunted in burnt or grazed areas. Our final objective was to derive direct measures of kill rates of feral cats using collar-borne video cameras, and show how these were influenced by habitat characteristics. Managing Feral Cats and Canids AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 ABSENCE OF EVIDENCE AND EVIDENCE OF ABSENCE FOR DINGO CONTROL-INDUCED TROPHIC CASCADES Benjamin Allen School of Agriculture and Food Sciences The University of Queensland, Queensland [email protected] The direct and indirect effects that human actions have on top-predators are of major importance to ecosystems and the people that study them. However, evidence for the ecological roles of top-predators is often disputed and highly context-specific, much of what is known about top-predator function is derived from a few unique case studies, and the effects of temporary suppression of common top-predators has received little attention. Here I present a logical progression of publications that interrogate and provide evidence about the effects of contemporary lethal control programs on the ecological roles of Australia’s iconic top-predator, the dingo (Canis lupus dingo and hybrids). I demonstrate that the available literature is characterised by speculative reviews built on snap-shot or correlative studies of low inferential value, which are often confounded by a range of factors that render their results unreliable. I further provide compelling, demonstrable evidence that contemporary dingo control practices do not release mesopredators or initiate trophic cascades, consistent with the results of all other manipulative experiments addressing this issue. In essence, the research program outlined here provides evidence of absence for dingo control-induced trophic cascades and demonstrates an absence of reliable evidence to the contrary. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 22 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 MANIPULATING BLACK RAT PREDATION PRESSURE TO ASSESS IMPACTS ON THE THREATENED CHRISTMAS ISLAND GIANT GECKO: PREPARING FOR A FERAL CAT FREE FUTURE Melissa Wynn and Don Driscoll Fenner School of Environment and Society The Australian National University, Australian Capital Territory [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...23 Managing Feral Cats and Canids In less than 20 years, Christmas Island has undergone catastrophic declines in four of six species of native reptiles, with only one species now common, the endemic giant gecko, (Cyrtodactylus sadleiri). Introduced feral cats, black rats, yellow crazy ants, centipedes and wolf snakes are all implicated in their declines. It is well documented that the removal of top predators from complex systems can alter predator-prey dynamics and disrupt ecosystem balance, even when heavily influenced by invaders. In this regard, feral cat removal from islands can often have negative impacts on conservation targets when rat populations increase. On Christmas Island, Parks Australia and the W.A. Dept. of Parks and Wildlife are leading island-wide feral cat eradication. While targeted rat control is planned as part of the feral cat eradication, a greater understanding of the potential for rats to impact on the island’s threatened reptile species is warranted. We discuss preliminary findings of a large-scale field experiment; assessing the impacts of rat predation on giant geckos as cats are eradicated from the island. This research may predict the consequences of increased rat predation on the Christmas Island’s threatened reptile fauna, and help to guide future management of the island’s invasive black rats. Managing Feral Cats and Canids AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK TWO DECADES AFTER THE WOLF REINTRODUCTION: DID THEY DELIVER THE ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS PREDICTED AND WHAT ARE THE LESSONS FOR PREDATOR AND WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT HERE IN AUSTRALIA Greg Mifsud National Wild Dog Facilitator Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre Toowoomba, Queensland [email protected] Yellowstone National Park two decades after the wolf reintroduction: did they deliver the environmental benefits predicted and what are the lessons for predator and wildlife management here in Australia. The Gray Wolf was eliminated from Yellowstone National Park (Yellowstone NP) by the 1930’s, however after a 70 year absence the species was reintroduced to the park with the release of 31 wolves captured in Western Canada in 1995-96. With the addition of the Gray Wolf to Yellowstone National Park the ecosystem once again supported all of its large carnivores including mountain lions, grizzly and black bears as well as a full array of native large ungulate species. The reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone NP is possibly one of the most ambitious ecosystem restoration efforts undertaken in the recent past. Considerable efforts were made by scientists to predict the ecological effects of wolves on Yellowstone prior to the release in 1995. Wolves were predicted to impact on ecosystem within Yellowstone NP through direct effects on coyotes (Canis latrans), benefitting scavengers and through the direct and indirect cascading effects of wolf interactions with prey. It has now been twenty years since wolves were reintroduced into Yellowstone NP and a significant body of research into the effects of wolves on the ecosystem in the park have been conducted in that time frame. This presentation will provide a brief review of the research undertaken since the reintroduction of wolves into Yellowstone NP and investigate if the wolf has delivered the environmental benefits predicted and what if any lessons can be learnt regarding predator and wildlife management here in Australia. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 24 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM 90,000 WOLF SCATS? Thomas Newsome School of Biological Science The University of Sydney, New South Wales [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...25 Managing Feral Cats and Canids Grey wolves (Canis lupus) are one of the most extensively studied large carnivores, but there has been no detailed review of the species’ feeding ecology across the globe. This is despite growing debate about how to conserve or restore wolf populations while limiting their impacts on wild or domestic ungulates. In order to facilitate an informed discussion of grey wolf conservation and management, it is critical to develop a clear understanding of grey wolf dietary ecology across landscapes with varying levels of human influence. In this presentation I will summarise the results of a review that compiled grey wolf dietary data from 167 studies incorporating 89,674 scat and stomach samples. I will outline the extent to which grey wolf diet varies among and within North America, Europe and Asia. Finally, I will highlight the extent to which grey wolves have adapted to human-altered ecosystems and discuss the broader implications of the results for the conservation and management of other canid species throughout the globe. Managing Feral Cats and Canids AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 ASSESSMENT OF FOX PREDATION OF FLATBACK TURTLE NESTS USING REMOTE CAMERAS AT MUNDABULLANGANA STATION Joanne King, Peter Adams, Trish Fleming, Bill Bateman and Scott Whiting Department of Parks & Wildlife Western Australia [email protected] The red fox is widespread on the Pilbara mainland and known to excavate turtle nests. During the 2013-14 and 2014-15 nesting season a nest monitoring study using remote cameras was implemented to quantify the threat to inform management decisions and guide any mitigation. The study site was Mundabullangana Station, located approximately 70km south of Port Hedland which is a significant Flatback rookery with an estimated 1800 nesting females per year (Pendoley et al, 2014). A total of 31 remote cameras were installed and focused upon new nests immediately after laying to monitor predation by foxes throughout the incubation period until hatching. Egg numbers were counted prior to camera placement so that survivorship comparison could be made between predated and undisturbed nests. An additional 38 nests were monitored without cameras and were checked daily so a comparison between cameras and traditional monitoring techniques could be made. Findings include: an optimum method to install cameras for turtle nest monitoring, there is a significant difference in predation events being captured by camera compared to physical observation, of the 69 nests 19 were predated upon with 8 of these revisited by foxes, predation began on day 12 of incubation with a low nest predation rate until day 38 of incubation where it increases, 12 of the 19 nests were predated from day 38 onwards. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 26 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 BURNING THE FOREST TO FEED THE FOXES: THE INFLUENCE OF PLANNED BURNING AND FOXES ON THE PRESENCE OF NATIVE MAMMALS Alan Robley, P Moloney, C Moxham and G Neave Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research Victoria [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...27 Managing Feral Cats and Canids It is assumed that planned burning helps reduce the size, severity and impact of large-scale fires, and plays a role in maintaining healthy and resilient ecosystems. However, there is very limited quantitative evidence that informs managers on the impact planned fire has on the role that foxes play in limiting the post-fire recovery of native species. In one of the few examples, half of the Brush-tailed Bettongs that survived a wildfire in south-west Western Australia were subsequently killed by predators. We assess the impact of planned burning on habitat attributes related to the occurrence of native mammals. We used Bayesian hierarchical occupancy models to assess changes in habitat attributes, the occupancy of several native species and foxes and fox dietary response before and after the implementation of planned burns across two sites in autumn 2013/14. We show that fire and predation can have interactive effects that limit the recovery of native species up to 2 years post-burn, that habitat attributes often associated with native mammal presence failed to recover post-fire, that foxes within planned burn areas not only survive planned burns but adjust their use of space to take advantage of the burns, and that fox diet shifted in response to the burn. While land managers often undertake introduced predator control post-fire, there is little empirical information available to land managers and policy makers informing them of the impact planned fire and any subsequent predation by foxes has on biodiversity values, We provide recommendations on what to do, when to act, when considering biodiversity values in relation to planned burning. Managing Feral Cats and Canids AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 INTERACTIONS BETWEEN WILD AND DOMESTIC DOGS: IMPLICATIONS FOR RABIES SPREAD IN AUSTRALIA Jessica Sparkes, Ben Allen, Gerhard Körtner, Guy Ballard, Peter Fleming and Paul Meek School of Environmental and Rural Sciences Armidale, New South Wales [email protected] Canine rabies, a fatal viral zoonosis, is now less than 300 kilometres from Australia’s mainland and continues to spread eastwards through the Indonesian archipelago, providing an imminent threat to Australia’s diverse fauna. Rabies incursion into Australia will not only impact upon conservation efforts, but will alter society’s perceptions of wild dog management, particularly in peri-urban areas where contact can occur between wild dogs, pets and people. Quantifying interactions within and across wild and domestic dog populations in the peri-urban environment is critical for epidemiological modelling and will allow for the development of risk profiles for disease transfer between these dog groups. This has the potential to reduce response times, thereby improving our chances of containing a rabies outbreak and reducing the potential for rabies to spill over into human populations. Here, we present remote surveillance data collected from eastern Australian peri-urban environments. GPS-telemetry collars were fitted to domestic and wild dogs in north-east New South Wales (NSW) and south-east Queensland to quantify temporal activity patterns and contact rates within and between these dog groups. Camera monitoring stations were also established across eight sites in north-east NSW for comparison against telemetry data. Preliminary results suggest that interactions primarily occurred within wild dog social groups, but also infrequently between social groups. Contact between wild and domestic dogs was infrequent despite substantial spatial overlap, which may limit rabies transmission at the wild-domestic interface. Data presented here will be used to strengthen epidemiological models, and improve prediction capabilities and the potential to implement effective control strategies for rabies management in Australia. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 THE POTENTIAL (AND COMPLEXITY) OF SCENT FENCES FOR WILD CANID MANAGEMENT: A CASE STUDY ON AFRICAN WILD DOGS, LYCAON PICTUS Neil Jordan, Peter Apps, Krystyna Golabek, J. Weldon McNutt Centre for Ecosystem Science School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales, Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...29 Managing Feral Cats and Canids Manipulating the movements of wild canids may be an important management objective, especially where those species are invasive or contribute to human-wildlife conflict. While traditional wire fences may successfully restrict canid movement, they are static by design and may also impact detrimentally on non-target species. Importantly however, most canids maintain their own “fences”, using scent or sound to advertise a commitment to defend their territory. By understanding the mechanisms and ‘language’ of territorial communication, the potential exists to develop biologically-relevant boundaries (“bioboundaries”), and these have the potential added advantages of being species-specific and ‘easily’ moved. By combining chemical analyses, behavioural observations and field experiments, the Botswana Predator Conservation Trust’s African wild dog (Lycaon pictus) bioboundary project aims to produce synthetic scents to manipulate their ranging behaviour and reduce human-wildlife conflict. Analysis of wild dog scent-marking behaviour (1179 scent-marks, from 9 packs) suggests that dominant urine over-marks (DUOs) - where one member of a pair deposits urine on that of its partner - are the most likely source of signals. DUOs were most likely to be deposited with leg postures, and received the highest frequency of investigation and over-marking. From >990 separated chemical components detected in DUOs, 10 enabled statistical discrimination of specific territorial pairs. Ongoing experimental work will confirm whether these components contribute to an effective African wild dog bioboundary. We propose that species-specific bioboundaries may be developed for canid (and felid) management in Australia, but caution that their complexity - as well as their potential must be considered. Managing Feral Cats and Canids AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 PREDICTING SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL DYNAMICS OF WILD DOG POPULATIONS ON EITHER OF THE WESTERN AUSTRALIAN STATE BARRIER FENCE Malcolm Kennedy and Carlo Pacioni Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia [email protected] The Western Australian State Barrier Fence separates the state’s agricultural region from rangelands. For several decades the agricultural region was largely free of wild dogs, due to effective control programs and the State Barrier Fence limiting movement of wild dogs from the rangelands. Wild dog impacts on small stock have increased at the periphery of the agricultural region in the last decade. Between 2011 and 2013 the State Barrier Fence was upgraded to reduce wild dog movement into the agricultural region. We use spatially-explicit population modelling to determine the effect of the fence upgrades and plausible management scenarios on wild dog populations inside and outside the State Barrier Fence. Scenarios were developed for different levels of baiting, trapping/shooting and permeability of the State Barrier Fence. We then examined wild dog demographic trajectories and social structure inside and outside the State Barrier Fence, and change in distribution in the agricultural region. Preliminary analysis indicates that the State Barrier Fence alone, irrespective of permeability, does not prevent wild dog populations within the agricultural region from reaching carrying capacity in the explored timeframe (30 years). Similarly, expansion of wild dog distribution into the agricultural region follows similar temporal patterns regardless of the permeability of the State Barrier Fence. However, the population growth rate is reduced in scenarios with co-ordinated baiting and trapping/shooting regimes. The results highlight a need for increased co-ordinated control effort within the inside of the fence to prevent increase in wild dog abundance and distribution with in the agricultural region. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 30 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 “OPENING PANDORA’S BOX”: TALKING TO COMMUNITIES AND INDIVIDUALS ABOUT WILD DOG MANAGEMENT IN AUSTRALIA Tanya Howard, P Skoien, L J Thompson, P Fruscento Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre University of New England, New South Wales [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...31 Managing Feral Cats and Canids This presentation reports on findings from wild dog management case studies in Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia. These case studies focus on understanding how communities and individuals think about existing control strategies and the ‘problem’ of wild dog management. The case studies also investigate how communities engage in successful collective action and what elements can make or break this approach. Using narrative interview and analysis techniques, the case studies uncover stories of success, complexity and trade offs, particularly in relation to biodiversity and agricultural productivity. Analysis shows that land managers hold diverse and nuanced perspectives about wild dog control, the role of collective action and the barriers and opportunities for improvement in management practices. This research is part of a current multi-disciplinary research program that integrates behavioural science, institutional analysis and community engagement scholarship to build more effective and equitable strategies for invasive species governance. The program seeks to augment technical and scientific knowledge of invasive species with applied research about the human dimension of invasive species management. The human dimensions approach aims to integrate legal and policy frameworks, behaviour change and motivations for collective action into a strategic approach to this complex problem. The presentation reports on a recent research collaboration between the Invasive Animals CRC and the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Food (QDAF) where the use of narratives has been trialled. The presentation concludes with reflections about the suitability and application of this research approach for addressing ‘wicked’ problems such as feral species management. Managing Feral Cats and Canids AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 HOW TO USE BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCE TO INCREASE PARTICIPATION IN WILD DOG MANAGEMENT IN PERI-URBAN AND RURAL LANDSCAPES Patricia Please, Petra Skoien, K Phillips and Don Hine Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre University of New England, New South Wales [email protected] An impressive set of technologies and best practices for managing wild dogs currently exist. These solutions will have limited success unless the community is sufficiently motivated and empowered to change their behaviours and adopt new approaches. Changing behaviour and sustaining these changes over time is a difficult process. Community-Based Social Marketing (CBSM) was applied in two Queensland-based behaviour change projects to promote landholder engagement in the management of wild dogs in periurban and rural communities. The CBSM approach is well-tested and effective, going beyond the commonly used objective of ‘changing attitudes’ and seeks to change specific actions on the ground. The two projects focussed on different cultural and landscape contexts with contrasting opportunities and challenges for developing behaviour change interventions. The peri-urban project, based at the Gold Coast, is characterised by a fragmented, multi-use landscape. There are limited conventional control options in these more densely populated environments. The rural project, based in south-west Queensland, is less densely populated with a mixture of grazing and cropping enterprises. By contrast a range of control options are available. Uptake of options depends on perception of wild dogs, impacts and motivations. The aim of this presentation is to focus on the research findings. This includes: 1) A behavioural impact analysis to determine which wild dog management behaviours to target; and 2) A barriers/benefits analysis to determine which behaviour change techniques to apply to increase participation. Finally we review how this framework can be applied in two different cultural and landscape contexts. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 32 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 COLLECTIVE MANAGEMENT OF WILD DOGS IN AUSTRALIA: RESULTS FROM TWO NATIONAL LANDHOLDER SURVEYS Bill Binks, Robert Kancans and Nyree Stenekes Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences Department of Agriculture, Australian Capital Territory [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...33 Managing Feral Cats and Canids Wild dogs pose a serious management concern in sheep and cattle farming systems in mainland Australia, through stock losses, control costs, personal distress and flow-on social and environmental effects. In 2014 ABARES, supported by Australian Wool Innovation Ltd, collected a valuable national dataset of landholders’ views on management of wild dogs (and foxes). This gives a picture of trends in management, severity of wild dog problems and impacts, and the important factors influencing collective action by building on a similar collection four years earlier. This paper highlights key results from the longitudinal survey of landholders. The results show an overall stabilisation in wild dog problems with fewer landholders in 2014 than in 2010 reporting that problems had become more severe on their property. In 2014 there was an increase in landholders reporting they undertook management because of the impacts wild dogs have on native wildlife (among other reasons). There was wider acceptance of responsibility for management of wild dogs among landholders, and this time the survey also included details of the role groups have in management. A quarter of respondents participate in wild dog management groups. Internal functioning of these groups (including decision making processes, participation and cooperation), and access to support (secure funding, planning and skills resources) were identified as the two key components that contribute to groups reducing dog problems. Remote Surveillance AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 USING UAV TECHNOLOGY TO ASSESS BODY CONDITION IN BALEEN WHALES Fredrik Christiansen, Lyn Irvine, Antoine Dujon and Lars Bejder Cetacean Research Unit School of Veterinary and Life Sciences Murdoch University, Western Australia [email protected] An animal’s body condition can provide valuable information about bioenergetics, energy storage and costs of reproduction. Being a capital breeder, baleen whales (Mysticetes) undertake annual migrations between high latitude feeding grounds in summer and low latitude breeding grounds in winter. Traditionally, seasonal variation in body condition has been investigated from scientific whaling records. Here we present a non-invasive method to measure body condition in humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae), using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and photogrammetry techniques. During the austral winter of 2015, we used a quadcopter, operated from a small boat, to photograph over a hundred humpback whales from the air in Exmouth Gulf, Western Australia. From the photos obtained, we measured the length-width ratio of the whales, which we used as a proxy for body condition. Using this proxy, we investigated seasonal changes in body condition of humpback whales throughout the breeding season. We also looked at the relationship between female body condition and their calves, to better understand the costs of reproduction. Our findings show strong support for the use of UAVs to non-invasively assess body condition in baleen whales. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 34 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 COUPLING BIO-LOGGING WITH NUTRITIONAL GEOMETRY TO REVEAL NOVEL INSIGHTS INTO THE FORAGING BEHAVIOUR OF WILD CARNIVORES AND HERBIVORES GE Machovsky Capuska, P Jones, CA Herbert, D Priddel, M Pye, PHW Leong, M Dassis, N Carlile, A McEwan, L Shannon and D Raubenheimer The Charles Perkins Centre University of Sydney, New South Wales [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...35 Remote Surveillance One of the main challenges in studying the nutritional ecology of animals in the wild is undertaking the prolonged observations necessary to interpret behaviour and food intake. The development of a multidimensional nutritional geometric framework (NG) has enabled scientists to unravel the importance of food quality in relation to macronutrient (protein, lipid, carbohydrate) ratios in a wide range of taxa in the laboratory and a few species in the wild. Bio-logging technologies have made significant contributions to understanding how animals utilize three-dimensional spaces while foraging. Here, for the first time, we use a novel «state-of the art” miniaturised video cameras combined with GPS continuous data loggers, food sampling and nutritional geometry (right-angled mixture triangle -RMT-) to unravel fine-scale details of the nutritional ecology of a wild carnivore: the masked booby (Sula dactylatra tasmani) and a wild herbivore: the Eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus). We analysed GPS tracks and up to 200 hours of video footage collected simultaneously. We established diets and nutritional niches using foods choices combined with their proximate composition (protein, lipid, ash and moisture). Our results demonstrate that this novel approach should be considered in future studies that aim to address animals’ behavioural and physiological responses to the nutritional environment. These findings can be used to enhance conservation measures for threatened species, monitor the fate of rehabilitated animals post-release and manage human-wildlife conflict. Remote Surveillance AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 SEX, RAINFALL OR RESOURCE AVAILABILITY DO NOT AFFECT THE SIZE OF THE HOME RANGES OF THE QUOKKA (SETONIX BRACHYURUS) ON ROTTNEST ISLAND, WESTERN AUSTRALIA Veronica Phillips, Brian Chambers and Roberta Bencini School of Animal Biology The University of Western Australia [email protected] The home ranges of 22 male and 23 female quokkas were investigated through radio telemetry in the coastal dunes, grasslands, settlement and woodlands, on Rottnest Island, Western Australia. Radio tracking was conducted over a period of two years to test the hypothesis that quokka home ranges on the island will be greater in habitat types and seasons with less water and fewer available resources. The mean home range size of quokkas was 1.91 ± 0.230ha, while core ranges averaged 0.64 ± 0.860ha. Nocturnal home and core ranges were larger than diurnal, owing to the primarily nocturnal behaviour of the quokkas. There was no effect of sex or weight, habitat type or wet or dry periods on the size of the total or core home ranges. The mean overlap between males and females however, was significantly greater in the coastal dunes at 30.36%, compared to the grasslands (18.97%), settlement (20.51%), and woodlands (22.82%), possibly because quokkas congregate around the few resources available in the coastal dune areas. Overlap of night over day home ranges was significantly lower in the Settlement areas at 25.94%, compared to costal dunes (78.5%), grasslands (66.56%) and woodlands (70.31%). This is because near the settlement, areas for feeding and shelter were spatially separated, as quokkas rest outside developed areas during the day and travel into them to feed at night. These results demonstrate the importance of remnant vegetation around the settlement for the quokkas and highlight the importance of management of this vegetation, to reduce grazing pressure. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 36 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 HOW MANY VISITS? A GUIDE TO THE EFFORT REQUIRED TO FIND A WILDLIFE SPECIES Jim Hone Institute for Applied Ecology University of Canberra [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...37 Remote Surveillance Wildlife managers, scientists, spotters and photographers can be keen to record a species and will spend a lot of time and money to do so, as part of conservation and pest control efforts. The keenness begs the question, how much effort is required to have a high probability of recording a species? Guidebooks and websites describe locations where a species “can”, “may”, “could”, “should” be recorded. Probability theory is used to answer the question about how many visits. The required number of visits to a site decreases exponentially as the probability of recording a species on one visit increases. The estimated number of visits to a site increases exponentially as the desired probability of recording the species increases. It is recommended that wildlife guidebooks and websites include, as a simple table, calculations of the number of visits required, given a predetermined desired probability of recording a species, and an estimate of the detection probability during one visit. Such a tabulation will assist wildlife managers, scientists, spotters and photographers to plan and finance their efforts. Remote Surveillance AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 TRIBULATIONS AND TRIALS: LESSONS LEARNT WHILST INVESTIGATING THE EFFICACY OF THERMAL SENSORS TO DETECT FREE-RANGING FERAL PIGS IN FOREST HABITATS Peter Adams and Paul Rampant Veterinary and Life Sciences Murdoch University, Western Australia [email protected] Feral pigs (Sus scrofa) are a widespread and destructive pest species, and populations of them are present in all states and territories of Australia. Despite their frequent occurrence within a wide range of landscapes, they are a highly cryptic species which makes it difficult to quantify their numbers or local abundance. Additionally, in many instances feral pig movement patterns and behaviours are not well understood. Current research investigating the effectiveness of aerially-deployed thermal sensors to detect feral pigs under forest canopies aims to develop a broad-scale census methodology for quantifying feral pig abundance and distribution. This work has involved fitting GPS tracking collars to feral pigs in southwest WA to elucidate detection rates, with the added bonus of collecting data on their movement patterns and behaviours. In the process, as with most research projects, a diverse range of obstacles have been encountered, affecting the timeline and completion of this work. Some of these include wildfire, equipment failure, illegal hunting interference, and uncooperative pigs. Here we discuss our findings and observations, and response to adversity by both researchers and feral pigs alike. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 38 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 SEEING SPOTS AND JOINING DOTS: USING CAMERA TRAPS AND GPS COLLARS TO MONITOR SPOTTED-TAILED QUOLLS Trent Forge, Gerhard Körtner, Guy Ballard and Peter Fleming School of Environmental and Rural Sciences University of New England, New South Wales [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...39 Remote Surveillance Monitoring populations is key to the management of species. Effective monitoring, however, depends on robust methods. Camera traps and GPS telemetry are two advances in animal surveillance technology that are now widely used in wildlife research. While both can provide us with a plethora of information where other approaches fall short, neither is without its limitations. This begs the question: when employing either technique, how much of the picture are we actually missing? What constitutes best practice monitoring is still unclear for our mainland’s largest native mammal predator – the spotted-tailed quoll (Dasyurus maculatus). We simultaneously camera trapped and GPS collared a population of quolls in Oxley Wild Rivers National Park, northeast NSW. Here we present the results of this study and discuss how we can use these to inform future monitoring of this endangered carnivore. Remote Surveillance AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 SMILE OR “RUN-AWAY!” YOU ARE ON NOT-AT-ALL CANDID CAMERA Paul Meek, Guy Ballard, Peter Fleming and Greg Falzon Vertebrate Pest Research Unit New South Wales Department of Primary Industries [email protected] Cameras are a commonly used survey tool in wildlife management but their potential biases and limitations are still poorly understood. We evaluated the behavioural responses of four Australian mammalian predators to the presence of camera traps in road-based surveys, and evaluated how this might affect ecological investigations. Wild dogs, European red foxes, feral cats and spotted-tailed quolls all detected the presence of camera traps. Negative (startle, retreat, aversion) and positive (approach, investigation) responses were recorded by all four predators although negative behaviours were slightly more common during the day. Startle responses were more likely to result in the animal moving away from the device and many wild dogs and foxes showed avoidance behaviour towards camera traps. Within species, there was no consistent behavioural response to camera traps, with individuals displaying both approach and retreat, although feral cats were less likely than foxes and wild dogs to respond negatively to camera traps. For some species, camera trapping is an intrusive sampling method, which could bias population estimates and influence conclusions about animal behaviours that are reliant on non-intrusive observation methods. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 40 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AVOIDING THE SUBJECT: THE IMPLICATIONS OF AVOIDANCE BEHAVIOUR FOR DETECTING PREDATORS Bronwyn Fancourt School of Biological Sciences University of Tasmania [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...41 Remote Surveillance Estimating predator abundance can be challenging. Many predators are inherently difficult to detect due to their low population densities, large home ranges and cryptic behaviour. Detection rates derived from camera-traps, sand plots and spotlight surveys are often used as indices of abundance. However, many factors can influence a species’ detection rate and the extent to which it might reflect the species’ actual abundance. I used camera-traps to investigate differences in the abundance and activity of devils and feral cats across eastern Tasmania, where devil populations have progressively declined following the spread of the fatal Devil Facial Tumour Disease. Devil and cat detections on individual cameras were negatively correlated, however this was unrelated to abundance. Cats appeared to avoid devils temporally, with separation less evident in areas where devils had been in decline for the longest time. While cats and devils were detected at the same sites, cats appeared to avoid devils over short distances. This suggests that negative relationships in detections may reflect fine-scale behavioural avoidance rather than suppression of abundance. These findings provide a cautionary tale that highlights the need to consider alternative hypotheses to explain observed patterns, as the implications for species conservation and management outcomes could vary dramatically. Remote Surveillance AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 OPTIMISING CAMERA TRAP DEPLOYMENT DESIGN ACROSS MULTIPLE SITES FOR SPECIES INVENTORY SURVEYS James Smith, Sarah Legge, Alexandra James and Katherine Tuft Mornington Wildlife Sanctuary Western Australia [email protected] Camera traps are being increasingly used in biological surveys. One of the most common use of camera trap data is the generation of species inventories and estimations of species richness. In general most species are recorded quite quickly after deployment but many authors have advocated for increased camera trap nights (long deployment times or more cameras in an array) to detect rare or wide ranging species. Here we investigate the effect of deployment time, camera array size and number of sites on species detection times. We examined this by bootstrapping a large dataset of saxicoline mammals and varanid species from surveys of discrete rainforest pockets in tropical Australia. Here we provide an analysis method for optimising decisions about how a limited number of cameras should be deployed across sites. We found that increasing the number of sites leads to larger species richness estimates in a shorter period of time. Increasing the number of cameras per site also leads to higher species richness estimates in quicker time, but not to the same extent as increasing the number of sites. With fewer sites used or smaller arrays deployed at each site, a longer deployment duration is required, especially for rarer or wider ranging species, or those not attracted to bait. Finally, we compared estimates of species richness generated by our camera trapping to those generated by live trapping at a subset of our sites, and found camera traps generated much larger estimates. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 42 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 CANINE VS CAMERA: COMPARING CAMERA TRAPS WITH SNIFFER DOGS FOR DETECTING FERAL CATS Al Glen, Dean Anderson, Clare Veltman, Patrick Garvey and Maggie Nichols Landcare Research Auckland, New Zealand [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...43 Remote Surveillance Carnivores are notoriously difficult to monitor because they often occur at low density and have cryptic behaviours. We compared the cost-effectiveness of camera traps and wildlife detector dogs for estimating abundance of feral cats on two pastoral properties in Hawke’s Bay, North Island, New Zealand. Cats were removed by trapping on one property, while the other property had no recent history of pest control. Camera traps (Reconyx Hyperfire PC900) and wildlife detector dogs detected similar numbers of cats at each site. The total cost of each method was also comparable, but camera traps had a higher set-up cost and lower operating cost. Depending on their operating life, camera traps may therefore be cheaper for long-term, repeated use. Wildlife detector dogs have the advantage of being able to locate and flush cats that have survived a control operation, and may therefore be useful in ‘mopping up’ survivors. Open Session AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 WHAT HAVE WE LEARNT FROM A YEAR OF INTENSIVE, FERAL CAT MONITORING? Frances Zewe, Guy Ballard, Peter Fleming, Gerhard Körtner, K Vernes, J van der Eyk and M Śmielak School of Environmental and Rural Science University of New England, New South Wales [email protected] Camera trapping is the weapon of choice for monitoring feral cats. This typically involves 1-6 week deployments of camera traps to detect cats, often before and after a cat removal exercise is conducted. What is not clear is whether these surveys have sufficient statistical power to achieve meaningful cat monitoring. Do they accurately reflect changes in cat abundance in the environment in which they are monitored? Camera-trap survey efforts are bounded by time and budget constraints. We aimed to determine the minimum effort required to achieve sufficient power for cat population monitoring. Here we present the results of a oneyear, continuous camera-trap monitoring program for feral cats in tall, mesic forests of Oxley Wild Rivers National Park. We comment on the minimum effort required to meaningfully monitor changes in feral cat abundance by using a sub-sampling approach to analyse our dataset. Our objectives are to provide clear, minimum standards with sufficient power to determine the current population density, and to detect any change in that population. This information is particularly useful to land managers who wish to integrate cat monitoring into their ever-expanding list of land management duties. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 44 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 ON THE RIGHT TRACK: USING SITE-OCCUPANCY MODELS TO EVALUATE THE EFFECT OF VEHICLE TRACKS ON THE DETECTION OF DINGOES, FERAL CATS, AND MACROPODS Michael Wysong, G Lacona, Leonie Valentine, Keith Morris, Euan Ritchie School of Plant Biology University of Western Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...45 Open Session The occupancy model framework allows for the ability to examine how different observational-level covariates potentially affect the detection of a target species while simultaneously estimating an ecological state variable. Increasingly, occupancy models are being used in terrestrial predator research in conjunction with camera trap technology as a cost and labour-saving alternative to traditional methods such as track counts or spotlighting. Despite this increasing trend, relatively few studies have exploited the detection aspect of these models to answer basic questions regarding the influence of camera trap design features – such as the placement of cameras on roads – on the detectability of predators and other sympatric species with which they interact. We used camera traps to detect dingoes (Canis dingo), feral cats (Felis catus) and two species of macropods – the red kangaroo (Macropus rufus) and the euro (M. robustus) – in a semi-arid conservation reserve in Central Western Australia. Our objectives were to 1) determine how aspects of camera trap design, specifically placement of cameras either on or off of unpaved vehicular tracks, influence our ability to detect these species and 2) examine the role of habitat in determining their occurrence. Based on the results of this study, we show that we can obtain robust estimates of dingo and feral cat occurrence from cameras placed on roads while also accounting for and estimating detection. We encourage future research to adopt this methodology and modelling framework as a means to deal with imperfect detection inherent in camera trap studies. Open Session AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 FOXES DON’T GO ON THE BEACH! DO THEY? Marion Brown University of the sunshine Coast Queensland [email protected] The European Fox has had a dramatic impact on the native fauna of Australia. Their deleterious effects are geographically widespread, frequently massive, and evident in all vertebrate groups and habitats. Coastal dunes and beaches, and the threatened species inhabiting the coastal fringe of sandy shorelines, are no exception. Invasive foxes have caused catastrophic breeding failures in both shore-nesting bird and marine turtle colonies. Globally, foxes are known to capitalise on carrion supplies and in coastal areas, their populations are supported by marine inputs across the land/sea interface. The principal and proven technique to measure the dynamics, attributes and spatial variation of such coastal scavenging is by intensive, replicated camera trapping at the beach-dune interface. Our lab has optimized this technique, documenting elusive and rare species: in a pilot study in February 2015, we were able to record vulnerable tiger quolls (Dasyurus spp.) and Tasmanian devils (Sarcophilus harrisii) scavenging on experimentallyplaced fish carcasses in Tasmania. We have also found this method to be highly effective in enumerating fox populations because foxes regularly scavenge on the shoreline, maximising the probability of detection. Habitat use and movement data is essential in order to identify the spatial parameters of fox control actions (e.g. which habitats to target, spacing and density of traps). This information eludes us in many areas, chiefly because systematic fox surveys are lacking. Determining the risks from invasive carnivores is a critical step in the conservation management of Australia’s unique fauna: this research provides that missing data. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 46 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 WHERE ARE ALL THE DUCKS? ASSESSING A NOVEL TECHNIQUE FOR ESTIMATING WATERBIRD ABUNDANCE Shannon Dundas and Jessica Sparkes Vertebrate Pest Research Unit Department of Primary Industries, New South Wales [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...47 Open Session Ongoing surveys are important when managing native species to track general population trends over time. In NSW, ten duck species are culled to protect rice crops and accurate population surveys are required to ensure harvesting practices are sustainable. Ground-based surveys are the most common method used to count waterbirds but such surveys are labour intensive and likely to be subject to bias. Also, one-off surveys only provide an estimate of abundance at a single point in time, which has potential to influence population estimates for migratory waterbirds. To improve population estimates for native ducks, we compared two survey techniques; traditional ground-based surveys (point counts), and novel, continuous monitoring using time lapse cameras set to trigger every 30 minutes for the entire survey period. We found that time lapse cameras were less intrusive than ground surveys for surveying waterbirds. Birds often moved in response to the presence of an observer, but habituated to cameras rapidly. We experienced difficulties with waterbirds being present non-uniformly across the study site which was strongly influenced by wind conditions. In addition, each of the 10 species has different feeding habits which influence detectability during ground surveys (e.g. diving, grazing on land). Further work is needed to investigate factors influencing detection probability and other sources of bias. Here, we will present the results of our pilot study and discuss the feasibility of remote surveillance for future waterbird surveys. Open Session AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 DECLINE OF SWAMP ANTECHINUS IN THE EASTERN OTWAYS, VICTORIA: IMPLICATIONS FOR MANAGEMENT Barbara Wilson, L Zhuang-Griffin, and Mark Garkaklis School of Life and Environmental Sciences Faculty of Science Engineering & Built Environment Deakin University, Victoria [email protected] Long-term studies quantifying population changes and disturbance impacts are required to activate effective management and conservation actions. The aim of this paper is to report on long-term studies of Antechinus minimus, the swamp antechinus which is listed under EPBCA 1999 and Victorian FFGA 1988. The species was recorded at 25 sites in the eastern Otways between 1969 and 2001, and studies (1980 - 2006) found that the species occurs in small spatially fragmented populations. Local population extinctions occurred after wildfire (1983), with recolonisation taking some 20 years. Mammal surveys conducted at 95 sites in 2011-13 (DEPI), resulted in the capture of only one swamp antechinus, however, the program did not focus on the species. In this paper we report on a systematic assessment of the current status and distribution of the species (2013 – 2015). Live-trapping and camera trapping surveys were implemented at 15 sites where the species had been recorded previously. Only five individuals were captured at three sites, and one individual was photographed at another site. Previously the species had been present at maximal densities at one site (1998- 2007), and at high abundance at the other sites. The results indicate that although the species is extant in the area, it has declined significantly in site occupancy and abundance. Factors including habitat decline and fragmentation, climate change, changed fire regimes and predation are likely to have contributed the decline. There is need to evaluate the efficacy of current management such as fire and predator control. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 48 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 DETECTING RABBITS: WHERE ARE THEY WHEN THEY’RE NOT THERE? Alyssa Trotter, Gavin Melville and Tarnya Cox Vertebrate Pest Research Unit New South Wales Department of Primary Industries [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...49 Open Session Spotlight counts are widely used to monitor the abundance of rabbits and other fauna; however, their correlation to actual abundance is unknown. Associated biases and variable detection probability may compromise their validity to compare wildlife populations in time and space. We used line-transect methods and logistic regression to explore the factors influencing the probability of detecting rabbits during recommended spotlight counts. We also estimated bias using a known number of artificial rabbit silhouettes (cardboard cut-outs) placed randomly along a fixed transect, stratified into four vegetation types. Eight observers conducted 12 spotlight counts, recording GPS location, distance, bearing and group size. Other climatic variables were also recorded. Vegetation assessments and selection were conducted just prior to the counts. The data were analyzed using logistic regression with binomial variance and allowing for overdispersion (the dispersion parameter was estimated as 0.99). Results indicate that detection probability and bias varied significantly with group size (P<0.001), vegetation (P<0.001), perpendicular distance (P<0.001) and observer (P<0.001). Predicted detection was below 0.3 at 30m for all vegetation types and was highest where groups of rabbits were present. These data suggest that the use of recommended spotlight counts to monitor rabbit populations may not be as robust as previously thought. We discuss the advantages and outline some of the difficulties correcting for this bias. Open Session AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 LIVE FAST, DIE YOUNG: NORTHERN QUOLLS IN THE PILBARA, WESTERN AUSTRALIA Judy Dunlop, S Molloy, M Henderson, RA Davis and Keith Morris Science and Conservation Division Department of Parks and Wildlife, Western Australia [email protected] The northern quoll Dasyurus hallucatus is a medium sized carnivorous marsupial once widespread across northern Australia, but now restricted to several disjunct populations within its former range and classified as Endangered. The Pilbara population has been identified as a genetically and spatially distinct clade in need of special protection due to the potential impacts of mining and infrastructure development, in addition to introduced predators, altered fire regimes and overgrazing. Northern quoll populations elsewhere in Australia have been particularly impacted by the invasion of the poisonous cane toad Rhinella marina, predicted to arrive in the Pilbara unassisted between 2030 and 2040. The Department of Parks and Wildlife has established a long-term regional research program to better understand the spatial and temporal variation in the distribution and abundance of the Pilbara northern quoll. Here, we present preliminary results from the monitoring program along with those from extension studies employing GPS tracking and species distribution modelling. Other aspects of the project will also be discussed (diet, genetics, population demographics) along with appropriate management strategies relevant to the conservation of this species. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 50 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 ENVIRONMENTAL DNA DETECTION: APPLICATIONS FOR WILDLIFE MANAGEMENT Elise Furlan, Richard Duncan, Jonas Bylemans, Rheyda Hinlo and Dianne Gleeson Institute for Applied Ecology University of Canberra [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...51 Genetics for Wildlife Management Environmental DNA (eDNA) is increasingly being used to infer species distributions. It relies on the detection of trace amounts of DNA in the environment (from shed cells, faeces or urine, for example) to infer species presence. Environmental DNA surveys have been shown to be highly specific and highly sensitive, but until recently, the detection probability of the technique had not been fully evaluated. We will present a framework to model the sensitivity of an eDNA survey, or probability of detecting a target species in the environment. We apply this model to species-specific eDNA surveys to detect three species of fish that are invasive in Australia. We show how eDNA surveys are being used to assist in the management of these invasive species in three situations: i) detection of the invasion front of Oriental weatherloach, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus, along the Murray River, SA; ii) informing the location of a containment barrier for redfin perch, Perca fluviatilis, along the Upper Lachlan Catchment, NSW, and; iii) assisting in the eradication of European carp, Cyprinus carpio, from Lake Sorell, Tasmania. Genetics for Wildlife Management AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 NON-INVASIVE MOLECULAR METHODS FOR MONITORING KIWI POPULATIONS Ana Ramón-Laca EcoGene®, Landcare Research Auckland, New Zealand [email protected] Unmanaged populations of kiwi (Apteryx spp.) are estimated to be declining at a rate of 2% per annum. The current monitoring techniques available for kiwi are laborious and expensive and rely on experienced welltrained personnel and dogs. Robust and cost-effective techniques are necessary to estimate the size of the populations and thus measure the response to management actions and the status and trends of unmanaged populations. Remote and reliable identification of kiwi individuals is expected to improve the robustness of the data, but also be more cost-effective than traditional telemetry, dog surveys and direct observation. Non-invasive DNA has been extensively implemented for mammals in the last decade. It is becoming more common in avian ecological and demographic studies (eg. moulted feathers, eggshells, regurgitations and faeces). Nonetheless, obtaining good quality DNA from faecal material remains a challenge. While DNA has been extracted from bird droppings before, there is no widely high-throughput method applicable for the individualisation of bird faeces, in opposition to the extensive literature on DNA recovery from mammalian scats. Preliminary results on the use of faecal material as a source of DNA to identify kiwi are presented here. Different methods of collection and DNA extracting were examined by subjecting them to DNA quantity and quality tests. The results of this study are compared to the performance of faecal DNA tests in mammals. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 52 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 126 LIVING NEW ZEALAND KAKAPO: WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THE DEAD? USING MUSEUM SPECIMENS TO AID CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT AND GAIN INSIGHT INTO BIOLOGY PAST Lindsey Gray Macleay Museum University of Sydney, New South Wales [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...53 Genetics for Wildlife Management 19th Century natural historian’s enthusiastic collecting of bizarre antipodean organisms, combined with present day threatening processes, has led to individuals of many endangered species being more numerous preserved in museums than live in the wild. The evolutionarily incomparable parrot, the kakapo, is no exception. While 126 living kakapo persist in New Zealand, entirely dependent on intensive conservation management, many 100s of historic kakapo ‘study specimens’ are held across museums worldwide, presenting as un-tapped research resources. Museum specimens can act as portals to the past yielding information valuable to the future. My study uses historic kakapo specimens, collected in the 1870’s, to gather information relevant to current Kakapo conservation management practices and to gain insight to the culture of 19th Century biology. My research program has four domains from which I will present findings: With Dr Bruce Robertson (Otago University) using ancient-DNA techniques to identify changes in genetic diversity between the tiny modern population and historic populations of kakapo to inform mating pedigrees; Comparing bill and claw morphology between modern and historic specimens to identify changes due to inbreeding and/ or captive management practices (e.g. artificial diets); With Dr Matt Renner (National Herbarium of NSW), identifying the bryophytes used as in situ specimen-stuffing by 19th Century field collectors to determine past kakapo habitat type and potential location; Together with the ancient-DNA work, using museum archives to determine the provenance of the Macleay Museum Kakapo collection, adding breadth to our knowledge of 19th Century natural history networks. Genetics for Wildlife Management AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 ANCIENT DNA QUANTIFIES GENETIC DECLINE AND FORMER CONNECTIVITY IN A CRITICALLY ENDANGERED MARSUPIAL Carlo Pacioni, Helen Hunt, Morten Allentoft, Timothy Vaughan, Adrian Wayne, Alexander Baynes, Dalal Haouchar, Joe Dortch and Michael Bunce Murdoch University Western Australia [email protected] The extent of genetic diversity loss and former connectivity between fragmented populations are often unknown factors when studying endangered species. Yet, these data are critical for an adequate management and establishment of targets. We evaluated whether ancient DNA (aDNA) can be a tool to improve our accuracy in the estimation of these essential variables. We used both mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and nuclear microsatellite loci from 64 historical fossil and skin samples of the critically endangered Western Australian woylie (Bettongia penicillata ogilbyi), to calculate a number of genetic parameters and compared them with 231 (n=152 for mtDNA) modern samples. Through modelling, we also assessed demographic changes over time and quantified the demographic reduction of the woylie with respect to its species-wide historical population size. We estimated the loss of control region mtDNA diversity to be between 46% and 91%. This genetic diversity reduction occurred in association with a dramatic population decline. In agreement with the mtDNA data, nuclear genetic diversity loss was greater than 20%. Moreover, we demonstrated a high degree of gene flow across the woylie›s historical range. These findings have an immediate impact on how the extant populations are managed and, more generally, our study demonstrates the value of integrating aDNA data into current-day conservation strategies. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 54 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 A NEXT-GENERATION SEQUENCING APPROACH TO GENOTYPING THE TASMANIAN DEVIL INSURANCE POPULATION Belinda Wright, Katrina Morris, Catherine Grueber, Cali Willet, Rebecca Gooley, Carolyn Hogg, Denis O’Meally, Rodrigo Hamede, Menna Jones, Claire Wade, Katherine Belov Faculty of Veterinary Science University of Sydney [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...55 Genetics for Wildlife Management The Tasmanian devil has suffered recent drastic population declines due to a rare form of transmissible cancer, devil facial tumour disease (DFTD). In less than 20 years DFTD has wiped out 85% of the devil population, threatening the species’ survival in the wild. An insurance population has now been established to prevent extinction of the species with the goal of maintaining 95% of wild genetic diversity in captivity for 30 years. Reintroductions to the wild of captive bred animals are already taking place in protected areas such as offshore islands. For reintroduction to be successful it is imperative that genetic diversity in the captive population is maximised and wild behaviours are maintained. We have used a next generation sequencing approach to develop a new genotyping assay to assess the captive population of Tasmanian devils. We have utilised whole genome sequences of Tasmanian devils to identify regions of high polymorphism and have designed amplicons targeting single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in regions expected to be involved in neutral as well as adaptive variation. To date, we have sequenced around 100Kb of genomic DNA from over 300 individuals within the insurance population. We are incorporating this genetic data into the captive breeding program to ensure the survival of the species and enhance the success of future reintroductions to the wild. Genetics for Wildlife Management AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 POPULATION GENOMICS AS A VALUABLE TOOL IN CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT: A CASE STUDY USING DARTSEQ SNPS FOR ENDANGERED EARLESS DRAGON RESEARCH Kirilee Chaplin, Rod Hobson, Joanna Sumner, and Jane Melville Department of Sciences Museum Victoria [email protected] The field of conservation genetics has been revolutionised by rapid advances in next generation sequencing techniques. Lowered costs, increased accessibility of reference genomes and availability of services have prompted many ecologists to consider utilising genomic data to enhance their research. Population genomics analyses allow highly comprehensive and accurate studies of population structure, inbreeding, evolutionary history, distribution and adaptive potential of species, and provide knowledge that cannot be inferred from classic field ecology. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are a highly informative genetic marker due to their genome-wide abundance and robustness, and are the preferred nuclear genetic marker used in contemporary genomics studies. A new Australian genome-reduction technique, DArTseq, has been used to genotype thousands of SNPs in a number of species of conservation concern, including several species of north-eastern Australian grassland earless dragons. Analyses using the SNP library have allowed us to assess the population connectivity, inbreeding and dynamics of each species of earless dragons, and identify evolutionarily significant units which we recommend be managed independently of each other. Using this case study, we demonstrate the effectiveness and usefulness of genomic analyses, and the types of information that can be inferred and utilised in conservation management. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 56 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 ADMIXTURE IS MORE IMPORTANT FOR GENETIC VARIATION THAN THE NUMBER OF FOUNDERS IN A TRANSLOCATED DIBBLER POPULATION Rujiporn Thavornkanlapachai, Harriet Mills, Cathy Lambert, Tony Friend, W Jason Kennington School of Animal Biology University of Western Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...57 Genetics for Wildlife Management Using individuals from multiple source populations is one way to bolster genetic variation and avoid inbreeding in newly established populations. However, mixing isolated populations, especially those on islands, can lead to outbreeding depression. In this study, we investigate the genetic consequences of mixing individuals from two island populations of dibbler (Parantechinus apicalis) in an island translocation over multiple generations. Despite a high level of genetic divergence between the two source populations (FST = 0.46), and significant differences in male body size, individuals with different source population ancestries were able to successfully interbreed in captivity and the wild with no obvious effects on reproductive fitness. However, the genetic contribution from one source population was higher than the other, possibly due to the higher mating success of larger males. Nevertheless, the genetic contributions from both source populations in the translocated population were maintained over multiple generations. Overall, genetic diversity within the captive and translocated populations was significantly higher than one of the source populations. However, estimates of the effective population size of the island populations were very low (< 23.7) and both the source and translocated populations exhibited significant fluctuations in allele frequency and lost genetic variation over a six years period (~ two generations). Body size of males in the translocated population was intermediate of those from the source populations except for head length while female body sizes were similar. Population viability analysis suggests supplementing 20 animals every five years will prevent a predicted extinction within 80 years and maintain at least 90% of genetic variation in the translocated population. Genetics for Wildlife Management AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 GENETIC DIVERSITY IN THE NOISY SCRUB-BIRD (ATRICHORNIS CLAMOSUS): IMMUNOLOGY, INBREEDING AND THE FUTURE Saul Cowen, Sarah Comer and David Groth Curtin University/Department of Parks and Wildlife Western Australia [email protected] Maintaining genetic diversity and mitigating the risks associated with inbreeding and low genetic variability is understood to be an important part of managing the recovery of threatened species. However, understanding the implications of previous management strategies can also be important for developing future approaches. We undertook a study of genetic diversity in the Noisy Scrub-bird (Atrichornis clamosus), which experienced a population bottleneck during its apparent extinction between the late 1800s and 1961. This bottleneck was potentially exacerbated by subsequent translocations of small numbers of birds to establish new populations, which was a key action in the recovery of this species. We examined diversity in two types of marker: microsatellites and the Major Histocompatibility Complex (MHC), which is a gene group with a crucial role in immuno-competence. Variability in the neutral microsatellite loci was generally very low, with slightly higher diversity but significant inbreeding in the original population. In contrast, diversity in the fitness-related MHC was surprisingly high, with a large number of sequences identified for all three populations. This study illustrates the complexity of interpreting the results of genetic diversity analyses, and highlights how this can influence the development of management strategies. While the outcome of this study is being used to shape future management decisions for the Noisy Scrub-bird, it also provokes more questions that require further investigation. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 58 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 MONITORING GENETIC DIVERSITY OF SPECIES REINTRODUCED TO THE ARID RECOVERY RESERVE Lauren White, Jeremy Austin, Stephen Donnellan, Katherine Moseby and Kylie Piper Australian Centre for Ancient DNA, School of Biological Sciences University of Adelaide, South Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...59 Genetics for Wildlife Management Genetic diversity is a vital aspect of reintroduction programs as low genetic variation can lead to reduced adaptive capacity, decreased population fitness, and increased risk of extinction. These problems are often exacerbated in reintroduced populations due to founder events, bottleneck effects, small population size and the isolated nature of sanctuaries. The Arid Recovery reserve is an exclosure site in northern South Australia to which four native mammal species were reintroduced 12 years ago. Tissue or blood samples were taken from every founder individual so the reintroduced species provide a unique opportunity to study changes in genetic diversity through time in managed populations. We use next-generation sequencing techniques to generate a large dataset of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) for two of the reintroduced species, the burrowing bettong (Bettongia lesueur) and the western barred bandicoot (Perameles bougainville). We analyse this dataset to determine the relative contribution of each founder, estimate the amount of genetic diversity lost and investigate selection in the reintroduced vs. source populations. We use this information to determine whether additional reintroductions are necessary at Arid Recovery and make recommendations for future reintroduction programs. Genetics for Wildlife Management AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 IMPACTS OF NEUTRAL AND SELECTIVE FORCES ON THE GENETIC DIVERSITY OF MANAGED POPULATIONS Catherine Grueber Faculty of Veterinary Science The University of Sydney [email protected] Preserving population genetic diversity is a priority for many conservation management programs. It is well known that management activities that increase fragmentation (such as translocations to islands, establishment of fenced reserves) can have complicated genetic management implications. For example, although populations may be protected from threatening processes, such protected populations are often small and therefore at risk from negative consequences of genetic drift or inbreeding. In addition, selection regimes may change if animals are managed outside of their natural range, such as in captivity. For the most part, research targeting these challenges has employed neutral genetic markers, such as microsatellites, or a small set of functional loci, typically MHC. In this talk, I draw on a series of recent work on threatened birds in New Zealand, and Tasmanian devil here in Australia, in which we have examined how management processes influence genetic diversity of a range of putatively functional genes. We have examined whether drift can outweigh selection, and how neutral and selective loci provide different perspectives on the population genetic characteristics of managed populations. Importantly, these findings have implications for the conservation management of threatened species, a theme I emphasise throughout my talk. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 60 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 DIET SELECTION BY BLACK-FLANKED ROCK-WALLABIES (PETROGALE LATERALIS LATERALIS) IN THE CENTRAL WHEATBELT AND AVON VALLEY OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA Ashleigh Chauvin, Peter Adams, Bill Bateman and Trish Fleming Veterinary and Life Sciences Murdoch University, Western Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...61 Open Session Populations of black-flanked rock-wallabies (Petrogale lateralis lateralis) historically occurred throughout much of central and southern Western Australia. Today, they are currently restricted to a small number of isolated populations associated with suitable rock outcrops within their former range. Petrogale l. lateralis face a number of serious threats, including habitat loss and degradation, predation, competition, changing fire regimes, small population sizes and disease. Successful management of P. l. lateralis populations requires robust data on the dietary requirements of the species in order to ensure sufficient food resources are available for the sustainable conservation of remaining populations. Plant reference libraries were created for six P. l. lateralis populations in the Central Wheatbelt and one in the Avon Valley Gorge of WA. Microhistological examination of plant cuticles was used to compare with P. l. lateralis faecal samples collected along transects radiating out from refuge sites to identify species consumed in relation to distance from rock face. P. l. lateralis diet comprised from six to 20 plant species across the seven study sites. On average, 64.9% of P. l. lateralis dietary composition consisted of monocots and 23.3% of dicots. Grass species were, on average, eaten the most (44.2%), followed by species of forbs (13.8%), browse (10.4%), sedges (4.1%) and fern species (1.1%). Both exotic and native plant species were consumed. Petrogale l. lateralis diet differed significantly between the Avon Valley NP population and central Wheatbelt locations, while differences were also found between diets of central Wheatbelt populations. Open Session AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 COMPARATIVE EFFICACY OF LEVONORGESTREL AND DESLORELIN CONTRACEPTIVE IMPLANTS IN FREE-RANGING EASTERN GREY KANGAROOS, MACROPUS GIGANTEUS Michelle Wilson and Graeme Coulson School of BioSciences The University of Melbourne, Victoria [email protected] Fertility control using levonorgestrel or deslorelin implants shows promise for non-lethal management of overabundant eastern grey kangaroos, Macropus giganteus. Although these implants have been tested separately in captive and free-ranging kangaroos, there has been no direct comparison under equivalent conditions. We investigated the long-term efficacy of both implants in a side-by-side trial on free-ranging kangaroos in a realistic management setting. We captured 63 adult females over 11 days at a golf course in Anglesea, Victoria, Australia, assigning each female to one of three groups: levonorgestrel (210 mg, n = 18), deslorelin (9.4 mg, n = 24) or procedural control (n = 23). We monitored reproductive success for eight years by observing young in the pouch each winter and spring. Natural fertility was high: at least 82% of control females reproduced each year, discounting the initial year, when existing young were removed. Both implants provided fertility control over multiple years, but levonorgestrel had the longer life-span. The contraceptive effect of deslorelin declined steadily from zero reproduction in the first year to 100% of females breeding in the sixth. In contrast, females treated with levenorgestrel had low fertility (< 10%) for five years; efficacy declined in the last three years of the study, when 57-75% of females had pouch young. Although deslorelin implants are slightly easier to administer, both techniques require capture of animals, so this minor advantage is outweighed by the superior efficacy of levonorgestrel. We conclude that only levonorgestrel implants fulfill their promise for control of kangaroo populations. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 62 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 INTEGRATING STRESS PHYSIOLOGY IN THE CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT OF A CRITICALLY ENDANGERED MARSUPIAL, THE WOYLIE (BETTONGIA PENICILLATA) Stephanie Hing, RC Andrew Thompson, Edward Narayan and Stephanie Godfrey School of Veterinary and Life Sciences Murdoch University, Western Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...63 Open Session Managing wildlife requires an understanding of how animals respond to environmental challenges. Stress physiology offers a window into the underlying neuroendocrine mechanisms which determine animals’ response to challenges and their ability to cope. Despite increasing evidence that stress can influence conservation outcomes, stress physiology parameters are rarely measured or monitored as part of routine management. One of the barriers to the application of stress physiology in management is the difficulty obtaining ‘true’ baseline values when capture and sample collection themselves represent stressors. Noninvasive field endocrine sampling overcomes this problem by allowing ‘nominal’ baseline samples to be obtained for evaluation of physiological fluctuations. To investigate fluctuations in faecal cortisol metabolites (FCM), we trapped 15 individually identified adult woylies (9 females, 6 males) at a wildlife facility in Perth, monthly for twenty months 2013 to 2015 and collected faecal samples (n=300). FCM were quantified by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and possible factors influencing FCM were explored including sex, season, female reproductive status and parasite parameters. Further work is also underway using this conservation physiology tool to understand how woylies respond to unpredictable environmental change particularly fire as well as management interventions including translocation. Open Session AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 EVALUATION OF PHYSIOLOGICAL STRESS IN THE KOALA (PHASCOLARCTOS CINEREUS) ENSUED FROM EXTREME ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE Edward Narayan and Sheridan Lathe School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences Charles Sturt University, New South Wales [email protected] Koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) are the only extant representatives of Australia’s unique marsupial family Phascolarctidae and were listed as nationally Vulnerable in 2012. Causes of mortality are diverse, although the disease chlamydiosis, dog attacks, collisions with cars, and loss of habitat represent the principal reasons for the continued species decline. Sick and/or injured wild Koalas that are rescued and enter into wildlife hospitals can provide useful information on the sub-lethal impacts of environmental stressors on wildlife. In this research, we evaluated physiological stress in wild koalas during treatment and recuperation in a veterinary clinic setting. A recently validated non-invasive faecal glucocorticoid metabolite (FGM) enzymeimmunoassay (EIA) was employed to quantify nominal baseline levels of stress hormones in the koala. The intensity of stressors was identified using routine health checks. Stressors were categories as acute environmental trauma (dog-attacks and collision with cars) and prolonged disease (chlamydia) and climatic variability (summer heat waves/forest fires). We provide results to show the variation in FGMs in these rescued wild koalas and their association with the stressor categories. We also show the changes in FGMs in Koalas during treatment and recuperation period. Our non-invasive FGM EIA provides a sensitive assay system to detect the physiological response of wildlife to extreme environmental changes. We recommend the integration of conservation physiology tools into wildlife management programs that will provide vital information on the animal response to environmental change and management interventions from a unique physiological perspective. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 64 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 DISEASE SURVEILLANCE IN QUOKKAS AS A CONSERVATION TOOL Pedro Martínez-Pérez, Timothy Hyndman and Trish Fleming School of Veterinary & Life Sciences Murdoch University, Western Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...65 Open Session Between 1901 and 1931, there were at least six anecdotal records of disease outbreaks in mainland quokkas (Setonix brachyurus) that were associated with mass mortalities of quokkas. This time period pre-dates the arrival of the red fox (Vulpes vulpes). Despite these outbreaks, little or no research has been carried out to establish health and disease baseline data of the fragmented and scattered, extant populations. We determined epidemiological data for a range of potential pathogens and established physiological reference intervals of apparently healthy, wild quokkas on Rottnest Island (RI) and mainland (ML) locations. There were significant differences between RI and ML quokkas. Some key findings include a widespread presence of a novel herpesvirus (MaHV-6), the recovery of Cryptococcus neoformans var. grubii from quokkas in highly altered ecosystems on RI, and chronic salmonellosis in RI animals. We found atypical lymphocytes considered to be suspicious of leukaemia in RI animals, and results suggest that the immune system of quokkas on Rottnest Island may be compromised. We found no evidence of exposure to Toxoplasma gondii in RI and ML quokkas. The presence of potentially-pathogenic organisms is likely to increase synergistic effects of ongoing and future threats (e.g. habitat clearing, climate change), and could increase quokka extinction risk. Disease surveillance would make a valuable contribution to Recovery Plans for the quokka, enabling preparedness for a rapid response if clinical disease is to happen, and to manage populations in a more integrated way. Open Session AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 COMBINING DETECTION AND ERADICATION PROBABILITIES TO QUANTIFY FREEDOM FROM A WILDLIFE DISEASE Graham Nugent, Jackie Whitford, Maria Cecilia Latham and Andrew Gormley Landcare Research Lincoln, New Zealand [email protected] New Zealand is making good progress in eradicating bovine tuberculosis (TB) from wild brushtail possum populations. The eradication process involves first reducing possum density to low levels for >10 years to break the TB cycle and then undertaking surveys to quantify the probability that the disease is locally absent from possums. Currently, the latter phase requires a major surveillance effort to achieve a high TB detection probability. Here we describe a new concept in which a lesser amount of surveillance is conducted just before (rather than after) the end the control phase. This enables the probability of TB freedom in possums to be calculated using not only the detection probability but also the probability of eradication. We calculate (for each plausible number of TB possums potentially present) the probabilities that (i) our empirical surveillance would have detected infection, and (ii) the final control operation would have eradicated all infected possums. Combining these two probabilities enables estimation of the joint probability that any TB possum survived undetected, the converse of the probability of TB freedom. A field trial demonstrating the approach was conducted in in 2014, and provided high confidence that the trial area is now free of infected possums. This new concept offers faster and cheaper quantification of TB freedom, and should be applicable to many other pest or disease surveillance contexts. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 66 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AUSTRALIA’S WILDLIFE HEALTH SYSTEM: RECENT DEVELOPMENTS Rupert Woods Wildlife Health Australia Mosman, New South Wales [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...67 Open Session Wildlife Health Australia Incorporated (Wildlife Health Australia; WHA) is an initiative of the Australian government comprising a network of stakeholders across Australia with an interest in wildlife health. WHA evolved from the Australian Wildlife Health Network (AWHN) as the next step in the development of Australia’s wildlife health system. In 2012, after ten years of operation it seemed timely to review the AWHN in preparation for it’s next ten years of activity. After consultation with key stakeholders and funding bodies a decision was made by the AWHN Management Group to re-brand and incorporate AWHN as a not-forprofit, separate legal entity under the New South Wales Incorporated Associations Act 2009. The association would be named WHA and would become the peak body for wildlife health in Australia. It would continue managing and growing programs already developed by AWHN, but its objectives and activities would be reviewed and better targeted to suit the needs of the country for its next ten years of operations. The core business activity would remain coordination of wildlife health surveillance information that can be used to improve decision making, management and policy development to protect Australia’s trade, human health, livestock health, biodiversity and tourism. Funding is primarily from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture through the Caring for Our Country program, with the understanding that, with other funding, WHA could also become more involved with biodiversity, human health and environmental issues. This paper notifies AWMS members of the formation of WHA and presents WHA’s future priorities. Education and Engagement AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 MANAGING THE MANAGERS: APPLYING BEHAVIOURAL SCIENCE FOR MORE EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT OUTCOMES Lynette McLeod, Don Hine and Andrew Bengsen School of Behavioural, Cognitive and Social Sciences University of New England, New South Wales [email protected] A key challenge for wildlife management is to convince land managers and the general public to participate in control actions. This involves changing current behaviours and encouraging the adoption of new behaviours. Providing information through educational interventions is an important strategy for increasing awareness and shifting attitudes. But many studies in the psychological literature indicate that providing information by itself is insufficient to change behaviour. A successful behaviour change program requires that practitioners first understand the specific behaviours that contribute to the issue and those that will help resolve it, as well as who should be engaging in these behaviours. They then need to identify what circumstantial, ability and motivational factors drive or impede this behaviour. Once these drivers and barriers are properly understood in context, appropriate behaviour change techniques and delivery method can then be identified and implemented. This talk will examine the steps required to design an effective intervention, using a new integrative behavioural science framework. This framework has been developed from the behaviour change literature and research already conducted in other fields, such as health and pro-environmental behaviour, to improve on the traditional information-intensive educational approach. Examples from current research on free-roaming cats in Tasmania will be used to illustrate the process and highlight some limitations in current design practice. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 68 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 CITIZEN SCIENCE TO ASSESS POPULATION TRENDS IN LATHAM’S SNIPE IN AUSTRALIA Ryl Parker University of Canberra Australian Capital Territory [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...69 Education and Engagement As development encroaches upon natural wetlands, artificial and highly modified wetlands are increasingly relied upon in urban settings to moderate and filter water, and to provide adequate habitat for native species. These wetlands are typically functionally isolated and simplistic, making them inaccessible and undesirable to almost all species except migratory birds. Migratory birds may also value these habitats as resting areas during migrations. Latham’s Snipe (Gallinago hardwickii) is a migratory bird that is especially likely to use these areas, given their high tolerance of degraded and artificial wetlands and their tendency to disperse widely across Eastern Australia. Their density is so low that any naturally occurring freshwater wetland in Australia that harbours at least 18 Latham’s Snipe and possesses nearby vegetation cover is protected by the EPBC Act. However, if Latham’s Snipe crosses a critical threshold in their population size, it is unlikely that researchers will know about it soon enough to take action, let alone know what action to take. Their solitary nature, erratic behaviour and low abundance in any particular area has made small-scale studies insufficient to understand them sufficiently enough to protect them. My Honours research study uses citizen science and records of bird occurrence and population size to assess population trends in Latham’s Snipe in Australia and to determine their key habitat requirements in modified wetlands in urban settings. Trends in occurrence and population size of potential surrogate species are also analysed. Education and Engagement AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 ENVIRONMENTAL RESIDENTIAL CAMP (CASE STUDY AT PERTH ZOO CAMP) Patamasuda Intuprapa and Nancy Longnecker Centre for Science Communication University of Otago, New Zealand [email protected] Most modern zoos promote environmental education and wildlife conservation to increase awareness of environmental threats and biodiversity loss. School children attending an overnight Perth Zoo Camp conducted by the Perth Zoo Education Program heard messages about wildlife conservation. This research examined the camp. Mixed methodologies were used to collect data from 233 students from four primary schools in Western Australia who attended a Perth Zoo Camp. Analysis comprised thematic analysis of qualitative data and statistical analysis using SPSS. After attending the camp, there was a significant increase in the number of students who agreed that their lifestyles have an impact on wildlife conservation. Furthermore, there was a significant increase in the number of students who agreed that they know more about how to help wildlife. The students reported that they learned about conservation and animals at the camp. The data collected from mind maps illustrated that students remembered types of animals, types of habitat and animal behavior. They also demonstrated positive attitudes towards animals and an awareness that many animals are in need of help. Approximately 25% of the students mentioned the relationship between biodiversity and animals. Statistic results revealed that girls were more excited about going to the camp than boys. The level of student engagement reflected the engagement of camp leaders and the two were positively correlated. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 70 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 ENHANCED PHD CANDIDATE TRAINING: THE BALANCED SCIENTIST PROGRAM Tony Buckmaster and Stephen Sarre Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre University of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...71 Education and Engagement The Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre (IA CRC) is funded under the Commonwealth Government CRC program and committed to train PhD students as part of their core activities. It is increasingly recognised that many of the conservation management problems that graduates will face in the workplace are multifaceted and require a collaborative multidisciplinary approach to solve. To enable PhD students to effectively deal with these types of problems, the IA CRC instigated the Balanced Scientist Program where participants are trained in a broader range of skills and develop a wider range of collaborations and networks than would generally be possible through a traditional PhD program. There are several crucial elements to the training program. Students receive training in core areas of leadership, management, innovation and creativity, and business and entrepreneurial skills that complement and enhance their research training. Additionally, each student undergoes a placement within industry, both government and non-government, to work in programs that contribute to the overall goals of the parent organisation. Students are under the supervision of at least one industry based professional in addition to their university based primary academic supervisor. To ensure that their ability to produce an exceptional research thesis is not compromised through undertaking this added training, the program fully funds an additional six months of full scholarship for the students. The program has resulted in exceptional completion rates for IA CRC PhD students, enhanced collaborations and networks within the industry and has fostered a strong sense of belonging to a common community. Education and Engagement AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 INTEGRATING HUMAN DIMENSIONS AND ECOLOGICAL RESEARCH: IMPROVING FERAL PIG MANAGEMENT BY FOSTERING INNOVATIVE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Darren Marshall Queensland Murray-Darling Committee Toowoomba, Queensland [email protected] Working with the Queensland Murray-Darling Committee, Santos GLNG and Origin Energy APLNG, I will implement innovative research techniques to investigate feral pig (Sus scrofa) movement ecology to gather scientific data whilst also create a strong interface for community ownership and change. This presentation will discuss an integrated scientific and community engagement approach, and discuss the implications for improved feral pig management. I aim to integrate community engagement research with research on feral pig ecology to create more effective management and extension programs. These programs will be grounded in collaborations across a wide range of communities, organisations, and scientific experts. While excellent advances have been made in the biophysical sciences to address feral pig control, a major barrier remains the low participation by landholders in the implementation of control techniques, most importantly, at a landscape scale. This problem creates a suite of interrelated problems preventing effective feral pig control. However, it also presents an important opportunity to blend scientific research on biophysical feral pig ecology with social science research on community engagement. I seek to test the basic hypothesis that the early incorporation of community engagement techniques can be similarly applied to the development of locally-appropriate solutions for invasive pest management. It is anticipated this engagement will build an improved sense of ownership over the project, leading to higher levels of community participation, broader uptake of management techniques, less resistance to proactive management, and ongoing monitoring of feral pig populations by the community, ultimately leading to more effective control of this invasive species. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 72 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 ENGAGING THE COMMUNITY TO IMPROVE FLYING-FOX MANAGEMENT Maree Treadwell Australian Bat Society Kuranda, Queensland [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...73 Education and Engagement Flying-fox management is a wicked problem. Despite being keystone species for hardwood and rainforests for their crucial role in long-distance seed dispersal and pollination, flying-foxes are vilified and indeed sometimes demonised as dirty, disease ridden, noisy, orchard raiding pests. History of flying-fox management in Australia is a dismal story and in recent years has become even more problematic as flying-foxes move into our cities. Current flying-fox management practices and policies rarely consider science or flying-fox ecology. Following on from last year where I presented the history of management, or mismanagement, of flyingfoxes, I will talk about community engagement and education programs that have changed attitudes to bats and influenced management regimes. I will look at three case studies, the successful community education program in Austin, Texas that has resulted in a community proud of their bats with positive outcomes in tourism, conservation and the local economy; the Ku-ring-gai Bat Conservation Society education program, one of the longest running community engagement programs raising awareness of bats in Australia; and the potential of community education and wildlife tourism at Cairns CBD flying-fox camp site. I will finish with a brief introduction of my research study into societal attitudes to flying foxes, focusing on the second part of the proposal, assessing various community engagement programs including Australasian Bat Night program, wildlife tourism and digital gaming, to raise awareness of flying-foxes and the influence this can have on conservation and management policies. Education and Engagement AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 TRAINING WILDLIFE MANAGERS - WHAT SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE DO THEY NEED? Jasmyn Lynch and Mike Braysher Faculty of Education, Science, Technology, and Mathematics University of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory [email protected] Increasing recognition is being given to the importance of transdisciplinary, collaborative approaches for addressing environmental issues. Effective wildlife management similarly requires a transdisciplinary approach and awareness of the practice and constraints involved in policy, planning and management. Skills in problem definition, strategic planning, stakeholder identification and engagement, and program management are key areas that enable wildlife managers to address both the human and wildlife aspects of wildlife management. Non-disciplinary skills such as communication, networking, teamwork, leadership and critical thinking are also critical areas highlighted in the recent literature as important to employers of environmental management graduates. Yet, many wildlife graduates feel they do not have the breadth of skills that they need to apply their scientific knowledge. Universities can improve the understanding and capacity of graduate students in a number of ways, as evident in some courses being taught at Deakin University and the University of Canberra. In this paper, we briefly discuss some of these skills and knowledge areas and explain how the third year Environmental Management course at the University of Canberra conveys them to students. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 74 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 DROUGHT, DISEASE OR DEVIL DECLINES? IDENTIFYING THE CAUSE OF DECLINE OF THE EASTERN QUOLL (DASYURUS VIVERRINUS) Bronwyn Fancourt School of Biological Sciences University of Tasmania [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...75 DW Cooper Thesis Award Winner The eastern quoll is a medium-sized carnivorous marsupial that has recently undergone severe and rapid decline for reasons not understood. The aim of this study was to investigate a number of candidate causal agents to determine which factors have contributed to the recent decline. My investigations centred on two key events that I considered had elevated particular agents as the most likely candidate causal factors: the increasing frequency of extreme weather events such as the millennium drought, and the potential mesopredator release of feral cats following the decline of the island’s largest marsupial carnivore, the Tasmanian devil, due to the spread of the fatal Devil Facial Tumour Disease. Based on my findings, I suggest that a period of unsuitable weather reduced quoll populations to an unprecedented low abundance, and that populations are now too small to withstand existing levels of threats to which they were robust when at higher densities. Contrary to predictions, feral cat abundance has not increased following devil declines. Instead, quolls appear to be trapped in a ‘predator pit’: environmental conditions have caused a sudden collapse in quoll abundance, leading to a significant per capita increase in predation pressure on small surviving quoll populations, thereby preventing quolls from increasing their abundance when environmental conditions improved. Accordingly, the recent quoll decline does not appear to be temporary, and recovery is unlikely without management intervention. I propose a recommended study design to experimentally test this hypothesis, and outline priority areas for future research, management and conservation of the species. Practitioner Award Winner AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 “DEVIL TOOLS & TECH”: A SYNERGY OF CONSERVATION RESEARCH AND MANAGEMENT PRACTICE Carolyn Hogg, Catherine Grueber, David Pemberton, Samantha Fox, Andrew Lee, Jamie Ivy and Katherine Belov Zoo and Aquarium Association, New South Wales [email protected] Biodiversity conservation continually presents new challenges, yet conservation resources are limited, and funding for applied conservation research projects more so. Recently, many have reported on the “researchimplementation gap”, whereby conservation research findings are infrequently translated into conservation actions. In 2012, we established the “Devil Tools & Tech” project as a way of overcoming this implementation gap and a way to use the latest conservation genomic research in the management of the Tasmanian devil Insurance Meta-Population. We will describe our experiences working in a large multi-institutional, multidisciplinary team and how our approach is focussed on developing conservation tools needed to address the conservation challenges faced by Tasmanian devils. We will discuss our project’s history, lessons learnt, outcomes, and future plans to provide insights that may help others, particularly management practitioners, develop multi-institutional projects, designed to target rapid and direct implementation of conservation research into management action. A case study of using the latest genomic research to make better management decisions pertaining to the release of Tasmanian devils in 2015 will be presented. Our goal has been to establish an enduring research-management framework, to facilitate improved integration of scientific research into the management needs of Tasmanian devil conservation, and serve as a template for other species management projects. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 76 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 ARTIFICIAL NEST HOLLOWS FOR AN ENDANGERED COCKATOO: WHY, WHERE AND WHAT? Peter Mawson, Denis Saunders and Rick Dawson Perth Zoo Western Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...77 Engineering Ecosystems Carnaby’s cockatoo is an endangered cockatoo dependent on large, mature eucalypts for nesting. Loss of mature trees due to a variety of causes has meant that nest hollows are a limited resource in some areas. Artificial hollows are advocated as a solution, and have been stipulated as part of some development offset approvals. However, there are few data to show whether artificial hollows work on a landscape scale; where they should be applied; or what design(s) work best. We have tested a series of different designs in one of the largest remaining nesting areas used by Carnaby’s cockatoo. We examined the rate of use, fledging success and the health (measured indirectly) of the nestlings produced in artificial and natural hollows. Initial data indicate that artificial hollows are readily accepted, and that larger diameter artificial hollows work better. Artificial hollows were found to act as heat sinks providing significantly warmer nest chambers for nestlings, but without any apparent adverse effects. Incubating females actively positioned eggs and newly hatched nestlings to take advantage of (early nesting season nests), or avoid (later nesting season nests) the increased heat absorbed by the artificial hollows. Further work is needed to determine the utility of artificial hollows in those parts of the species’ range subject to higher and more extreme temperatures. Data to hand provide a firm basis on which to test how limiting nest hollows are across the species range, and to improve nestling production on a landscape scale. Engineering Ecosystems AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 NEST BOXES OR ROAST BOXES? ARE THE TEMPERATURES OF NEST BOXES LETHAL FOR BREEDING BIRDS? Phil Conacher University of New England New South Wales [email protected] Constructed nest boxes are now regularly utilized as replacements for three hollows in patches of remnant vegetation or for supplementary breeding sites for bird recovery programs. The seasonal variation of temperatures in six types of timber nest boxes was recorded using ibutton data recording devices. Boxes were situated in exposed sun and tree canopy shade conditions in each of the four climate seasons, with a range of aspect orientations. Internal temperatures of the nest boxes in the exposed sun conditions regularly exceeded the ambient temperature by up to 25 degrees to levels exceeding 45 degrees. As lethal body temperatures for nestlings is 37 degrees the use of nest boxes in some situations may result in death to nestlings. This could result in further threats to declining populations of cavity nesting woodland birds which may use these constructed nest boxes. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 78 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 IMPACT OF GRAZING ON THE ENDANGERED PYGMY BLUETONGUE LIZARD Torben Nielsen and Michael Bull School of Biological Sciences Flinders University, South Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...79 Engineering Ecosystems The pygmy bluetongue lizard (Tiliqua adelaidensis) is an endangered scincid lizard, endemic to native grassland, in the Mid North region of South Australia. Today only a few isolated patches of this formerly widespread habitat remain. These areas are all privately owned and almost exclusively used for grazing, mainly by sheep. Grazing can be used to manage invasive plants and keep areas between grass tussocks clear for the lizards to bask and detect prey. The downside to grazing is that a reduction in plant biomass can lead to fewer grasshoppers, an important food source for the pygmy bluetongue lizard. In this study we investigated the effect of different levels of grazing on pygmy bluetongue lizards. We found that in paddocks with heavy grazing, there were fewer and smaller grasshoppers. We also found that lizards in paddocks with heavy grazing had reduced body condition, and produced smaller litters in late summer. Although this species has persisted for many decades in natural grasslands grazed by sheep, future management will require careful monitoring of the level of sheep grazing. Engineering Ecosystems AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 TEMPORAL PATTERNS IN THE ABUNDANCE OF A CRITICALLY ENDANGERED MARSUPIAL RELATES TO DISTURBANCE BY ROADS AND AGRICULTURE Georgina Yeatman, Adrian Wayne, Harriet Mills and Jane Prince School of Animal Biology, Faculty of Science University of Western Australia [email protected] We used data collected over two decades on the abundance of a species (Bettongia penicillata) with a long history of conservation intervention to visualise temporal patterns in its distribution before, during and after a substantial population decline. We aimed to identify if landscape attributes relating to disturbance, fragmentation and land use were associated with changes in abundance over time. Data were collected from an area of 140,000 ha of forest known as the Upper Warren region in south-western Australia. The abundance of B. penicillata was measured at 22 grid and five transect locations with varying degrees of landscape disturbance. We found evidence that the distribution and abundance of B. penicillata over time might be influenced by the level of landscape disturbance, specifically the degree of fragmentation by roads and proximity to agriculture. Prior to the implementation of broad scale invasive predator control, sites that were the furthest from agriculture supported a greater abundance of B. penicillata and during population decline, these sites declined at a slower rate. Sites with fewer roads had a greater abundance of B. penicillata generally and a greater rate of increase in abundance post the implementation of invasive predator control. The difference in the magnitude of response post predator control suggests that sites disturbed by roads represent damaged sites, less able to respond to a reduction in predation pressure. At peak population densities, landscape disturbance may be less important but during times of environmental and population change, less disturbed sites may prove more resilient. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 80 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 THE BULLDOZER, THE BULL, AND THE BILBY: MICROHABITAT SELECTION BY BILBIES IS INFLUENCED BY SEISMIC LINE CLEARING AND CATTLE GRAZING Stuart Dawson, Peter Adams, Bill Bateman, Kris Waddington, Halina Kobryn, Katherine Moseby and Trish Fleming School of Veterinary and Life Sciences Murdoch University, Western Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...81 Engineering Ecosystems The distribution of the bilby has declined substantially since European settlement of Australia, however the Canning Basin (WA), is an area where populations of bilbies are still commonly encountered. This area has had pastoral industry since the 1880’s and is more recently, is the focus of increasing oil and gas exploration activity. The current study investigated the interactions between the petroleum and pastoral industries and bilby ecology. We examined the impact of seismic line clearing and cattle grazing on a bilby population on a cattle station where clearing had occurred 4 years prior (2011). We used spool-and-line tracking to investigate the microhabitat selected by bilbies. Bilbies showed a significant selection for more open undergrowth (030cm in height). In addition we used a paired camera trapping array to compare the use of recovering seismic lines to ‘undisturbed’ vegetation. Bilbies preferred seismic lines to uncleared vegetation. Camera trapping and vegetation surveys showed seismic lines were preferably used for movement by cattle. Importantly, cats too showed a preference for using these tracks. This work highlights the complex relationships that exist between disturbance, introduced species and native species in the Kimberley region of Western Australia. Engineering Ecosystems AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 WINTER HABITAT USE OF NEW ZEALAND FALCONS (FALCO NOVAESEELANDIAE): RESPONSES TO PREY ABUNDANCE AND FORESTRY REGIMES Chifuyu Horikoshi, Phil Battley, Richard Seaton and Edward Minot Ecology Group Massey University, New Zealand [email protected] New Zealand falcon populations occur in managed timber forests. Thus, the viability of the species is linked to forest management. From extant information of falcon breeding ecology, expanding knowledge of winter falcon activity in lieu of forestry operations is critical to improving existing conservation sachems. We radio-tracked non-migratory adult falcons (n = 36) during three winters in Kaingaroa pine plantation in New Zealand’s Central Plateau. We used tracking data to establish the extent and habitat composition of winter home-ranges. We then examined the predictive impact value of prey occurrence and habitat modification on these variables. We also looked at how harvesting influenced nest site and mate fidelity between years. Prey species distribution varied significantly by habitat classes but prey abundance did not differ between available classes or sizes of feeding sites. Mean falcon home-range size was 26 km2. Falcons occupied young (30.4 %) and borderline mature habitat (31.2 %) most frequently despite its remarkable limited availability (20.1 % and 3.7 % respectively). Winter home-range size was positively correlated to size of open habitat availability but inversely correlated to borderline mature habitat availability. This may indicate borderline mature habitat availability within a home-range is a key factor in determining home-range size during winter. Males showed stronger site fidelity (92%) than females (50%), irrespective of clear-cutting sizes. Female site fidelity appeared to determine mate fidelity. We recommend forestry practices organise timberharvesting by generating young to borderline mature habitat that is consistently available to falcons. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 82 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 WORKING TOWARDS CONSERVING A THREATENED SPECIES IN AN INCREASINGLY URBANISED ENVIRONMENT Christine Groom, Dale Roberts, Nicola Mitchell and Peter Mawson Perth Zoo Western Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...83 Engineering Ecosystems The human population of Perth, Western Australia is currently 1.9 million and is predicted to more than double by 2061. The increased housing and infrastructure required to support this population will conflict with the habitat requirements of Carnaby’s cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus latirostris), a threatened parrot that inhabits the suburbs of Perth during the non-breeding season. To understand how this species uses the landscape and identify possible ways to mitigate the impact of future development, we undertook flock follows, assisted by satellite telemetry. The cockatoos have adjusted to urban living by using non-native trees for communal night roosting, artificial water sources and they now also rely heavily on exotic food sources. By developing a better understanding of how this species uses the urban and peri-urban landscape we can develop alternative strategies to complement traditional habitat conservation measures. These strategies include increasing urban tree canopy cover, planting suitable future food and roost trees, and considering the needs of the cockatoos when making urban and landscape planning decisions. Community involvement is going to be integral to efforts to create a resilient landscape that will meet the needs of Carnaby’s cockatoo both now and into the future. Engineering Ecosystems AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 PRESCRIBED BURNING AS A CONSERVATION TOOL FOR MANAGEMENT OF HABITAT FOR THREATENED SPECIES: USE OF THE QUOKKA (SETONIX BRACHYURUS) AS A FOCAL SPECIES IN THE SOUTHERN FORESTS OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA Karlene Bain, Adrian Wayne and Roberta Bencini School of Animal Biology The University of Western Australia [email protected] The application of fire for biodiversity conservation in the southern forests of Western Australia was investigated. In particular, we examined factors driving the recolonisation of burnt areas by a model species, the quokka (Setonix brachyurus), the spatial arrangement and refuge value of unburnt vegetation and fire prediction parameters that may help to guide fire planning. Retention of vertical vegetation structure, > 20% of the total area as unburnt vegetation, and multiple unburnt patches larger than 36 ha, were found to be important for rapid recolonisation of burnt areas. These outcomes were associated with surface and soil moisture and field conditions that contributed to a fire rate of spread of <40 m/hr. Intense wildfire resulted in the complete loss of vertical vegetation structure and a lack of unburnt patches, which contributed to these areas remaining uncolonised. Burning with high moisture differentials, maximizing the effectiveness of edaphic barriers to fire, retaining unburnt vegetation associated with mesic and rocky habitats, and maintaining vegetation structure were found to be important elements of fire regimes in this region. This study has important implications for the application of prescribed fire for biodiversity conservation in fireprone ecosystems. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 84 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTING PRESCRIBED FIRE TO CONSERVE WILDLIFE IN RESERVES AND LANDSCAPES: THE FIRE REGIME OPTIMISATION PLANNING SYSTEM (FIREOPS) Brett Beecham and Peter Lacey Department of Parks and Wildlife Western Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...85 Engineering Ecosystems Land managers are often confronted with competing objectives when using prescribed fire to protect life, property and biodiversity. Whilst the importance of fire for maintaining biodiversity is understood, designing and implementing an appropriate fire regime to achieve this is potentially complex. Ecological theory suggests that a diverse fire regime, by creating a spatial and temporal mosaic of different habitats, maximises biodiversity - the ‘pyrodiversity–biodiversity’ paradigm. This is particularly significant for many wildlife species that depend on this habitat heterogeneity to provide resources critical to their persistence. Our aim was to design a relatively simple system to reduce this inherent complexity and assist decisions about when and where to prescribe fire. The system combines a species vital-attributes approach (flora and fauna) and a fire history model to calculate the ideal amount of each vegetation or habitat type in each fire-age classe, and compares this with current amount within the reserve or landscape of interest. Through an iterative process the program identifies areas to prescribe burn that reduce the deviation between the actual and ideal age-class distributions across all vegetation communities or habitat types. We initially developed the system to support prescribed fire planning in Tutanning Nature Reserve, a 2420 ha reserve in the Western Australian Wheatbelt, where long-term fire exclusion is leading to vegetation senescence and species loss in a proteaceous heath. However we believe that FiReOPS has great potential for further development, and are looking for opportunities to improve its functionality and broaden its application. Engineering Ecosystems AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 CAN YOU SPARE 30 SECONDS FOR A KOALA? – MANAGING THE IMPACTS OF ROADS ON A THREATENED KOALA POPULATION Scott Hetherington Tweed Shire Council New South Wales [email protected] Roads are widely acknowledged as one of the key threats to koalas throughout their range. The impact of roads features heavily in the story of koala decline in far north coast NSW where the loss of even small numbers of animals to road mortality has been identified as sufficient to cause local extinction. A combination of major highways, arterial roads, rural and local roads all contribute to the ongoing challenge of addressing the impacts of roads on koalas. Tweed Shire Council has commenced a program to address koala road mortalities combining strategic planning, monitoring, habitat restoration, signage and community engagement. Through regulatory planning mechanisms, remote camera monitoring, traffic data and on ground works, an integrated approach to reducing the impact of roads on local koala populations is underway. This work has resulted in the first known confirmation of koala use of a constructed fauna overpass, innovative signage solutions and introduction of the concept of ‘koala roads’. The unique nature of each road scenario is acknowledged and management actions designed to best suit the opportunities to reduce koala mortality and increase human road user safety. Based on examples of a range of treatments, I will share the key outcomes, lessons learned and future challenges for minimising the impact of roads on koalas. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 86 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 WHY DID THE POSSUM CROSS THE BRIDGE INSTEAD OF THE ROAD? BECAUSE IT WASN’T A CHICKEN! Kaori Yokochi and Roberta Bencini School of Animal Biology The University of Western Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...87 Engineering Ecosystems Roads can cause mortality and habitat fragmentation in wildlife populations. Arboreal species are thought to be especially vulnerable to these impacts because of their limited mobility on the ground and strong fidelity to the canopies. Rope bridges have been built to mitigate these negative impacts on arboreal animals; however, these structures are not monitored in many cases and assessment of their effectiveness is still rare. Using motion sensor cameras and microchip readers, we monitored a rope bridge built across a busy road that dissected a stronghold population of the endangered western ringtail possum (Pseudocheirus occidentalis) in Busselton, Western Australia. The number of complete crossings was estimated for each night, and the factors influencing the crossing behaviour were examined using generalised linear models. Possums were photographed on the bridge on the first night of monitoring, and the first complete crossing was recorded only 36 days after the bridge installation. The rate of crossings increased over 270 nights of monitoring and reached the remarkably high level of 8.87 ± 0.59 complete crossings per night. The number of crossings decreased on windy, warm or bright nights probably because of the higher risk of falling off the bridge, heat stress or predation. Our results suggest that rope bridges are a potential effective mitigation measure against the negative impacts of roads on this endangered species. Longer monitoring and investigating whether the bridge reduces roadkills and increases gene flow across the road are necessary to further assess the true conservation value of this crossing structure. From Management to Stewardship AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 BUSH STONE-CURLEWS: HAVE WE GOT IT RIGHT? (A PROVOCATION) M Scott O’Keeffe and Bertram Lobert Environmental Futures Research Institute Griffith University, Queensland [email protected] There are at least 4 recovery programs addressing the decline of Bush Stone-curlews (Burhinus grallarius) in southern Australia. Although there have been no comprehensive surveys of Bush Stone-curlews in northern parts of Australia where the birds are still common, these populations are assumed to be ‘secure’. Basic curlew biology is documented in scientific literature, but there are few published ecological studies of the species. Recent research contradicts the view of curlews as necessarily shy, rigid in behaviour and incapable of persisting in anthropogenic landscapes. Our incomplete knowledge of the species is probably hampering recovery efforts. The information gaps exist partly because most studies of curlews are conducted where the species is rare and knowledge is acquired slowly. Further, since conservation initiatives are run by groups that do not publish accounts of their work, the knowledge accumulated from recovery programs is difficult to access. What we need to know to manage curlews successfully is needlessly unavailable. We contend that: 1. A cooperative effort among researchers and those working for recovery of the species will enhance stewardship; 2. There is sufficient evidence to suggest that urban areas are key to the recovery of the species. The resources available to conserve curlews are limited. Knowledge gaps for curlews could be reduced with close collaboration between researchers. Adopting complimentary recovery approaches based on the results of existing programs and new research in urban landscapes could enhance stewardship of the species. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 88 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 MONITORING AND RELOCATION OF SOUTHERN BROWN BANDICOOTS – LESSONS LEARNT Scott Thompson and Graham Thompson Terrestrial Ecosystems Western Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...89 From Management to Stewardship This presentation will provide a summary of the past four years of biannual monitoring of a Southern Brown Bandicoot population in a remnant bushland adjacent to a development site on the southern Swan Coastal Plain. We will discuss distances between recaptures, recapture patterns, patterns in the breeding cycle and the trapping effort necessary to capture sufficient individuals for monitoring purposes. These data will be complemented by a discussion of capture and relocation data for bandicoots at the same location and other sites on the Swan Coastal Plain where individuals have been relocated prior to and during vegetation clearing activities associated with land development. Southern Brown Bandicoots are regularly relocated prior to vegetation clearing for residential developments and impacts of these developments on bandicoots are occasionally monitored, although rarely reported. We will discuss the implications of our data for other sites and make recommendations on how we might improve relocation outcomes and monitoring programs on the Swan Coastal Plain. It is hoped that these recommendations will be incorporated into future development conditions applied by government regulators to achieve more effective monitoring and relocation programs so that the species can persist in an urban environment. From Management to Stewardship AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 ENVIRONMENTAL OFFSETS: ARE WE GETTING VALUE FOR MONEY AND HOW CAN WE DO IT BETTER? Graham Thompson and Scott Thompson Terrestrial Ecosystems Western Australia [email protected] This presentation will provide a very brief overview of the Western Australian Auditor General’s report (2011) on compliance with environmental offset conditions in the mining industry and the follow up Public Accounts Committee (2012) review of responses of government departments to this report. We will provide a brief critical assessment of the state government offsets policy and guideline statements, and the usefulness of the state government’s Environmental Offsets Register website. We will then look at the available information from the WA Department of Parks and Wildlife and issues of accountability and transparency for an offset project on Western Ringtail Possums for $200,000 and the use of offset funds associated with Bilbies, Mulgara, Night Parrots, Pilbara Leaf-nosed Bats, Pilbara Olive Pythons and Northern Quolls that were the subject of six workshops conducted in 2013. It is our view that there are better ways to utilise the funds made available through state and commonwealth government offsets to increase the conservation outcomes for species and ecosystems. We will provide suggestions on how these offset funds can be spent to increase environmental outcomes, accountability and transparency which will lead to better value for money and better species outcomes than the current arrangements. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 90 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 CREATING A ‘NO NET LOSS’ FOR FAUNA Tracey Moore, Barbara Wilson and Trish Fleming School of Veterinary and Life Sciences Murdoch University, Western Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...91 From Management to Stewardship In the last 300 years, 7 to 11 million km2 of forest has been cleared across the globe, a value that is increasing every year. Land developers around the world are utilising ‘biodiversity offsets’ to mitigate the impacts of land clearing. Biodiversity offsets are often revegetation projects that are implemented, managed, and monitored over a short time frame, usually several years. Such projects generally incorporate the reconstruction of wildlife habitat and monitor the return of fauna species. After management ceases, it is assumed that the revegetation sites will continue to improve and function. What can be gained from these short term revegetation projects that are subject to snap shot monitoring and management? More specifically how do we plan for management of wildlife at these sites and ensure the return of ecosystem services? Here I discuss the return of fauna to two revegetated offset sites in the urban Perth area and examine what lessons can be learnt from the early days of revegetation and fauna monitoring at these sites. Observations made on species’ richness, habitat quality, and ecosystem functions were lower in the revegetation sites compared to the reference sites. Despite the early stage of the revegetation not only were generalist fauna species (e.g. western grey kangaroos) frequently observed in the young revegetation sites, some species requiring complex habitat (e.g. southern brown bandicoot) were also noted. Future offsets to be successful should have a simple, yet robust design for ease of replication, and be located in close proximity to remanent vegetation. From Management to Stewardship AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 A NOVEL METHOD FOR INTEGRATING LIGHT AND MARINE TURTLE HATCHLING ORIENTATION DATA P Whittock, B Goodsell and Kelly Pendoley Pendoley Environmental Pty Ltd Western Australia [email protected] A critical aspect of environmental management in the vicinity of marine turtle rookeries is the measurement, monitoring and management of artificial light and its impact on marine turtle hatchings. Coastal developments frequently cause conflicting pressures on night time lighting conditions where there is a perception that bright lighting of coastal industrial facilities is needed for Health and Safety purposes while nesting female turtles and emerging hatchlings engaging in sea finding require dark skies. Environmental Practitioners with responsibilities for the protection of marine turtles are required to incorporate a range of biological, physical and social data into the monitoring and management of this interaction between human and marine turtle needs. Complications around precisely and accurately measuring light, in a biologically meaningful way, together with the inherent variability in biological data, have impeded the development of a tool that can be used to quickly and easily collect, process, and present data in a way that is easily interpreted and understood by both scientific and non-scientific personnel. This presentation outlines a novel tool we have developed to integrate light and biological data. Results will be presented to demonstrate the collection, processing and interpretation of light data collected using charge coupled device technology, together with hatchling sea finding (fan data). The result is a graph that is intuitive, easily read and interpreted by local managers, and one that can be easily updated with new data. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 92 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 SCIENCE INFORMING MANAGEMENT; MODELLING STARLING CONTROL OPTIONS IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA Susan Campbell, EJ Roberts, Carlo Pacioni, L-A Rollins and Andrew Woolnough Department of Agriculture and Food Western Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...93 From Management to Stewardship The common starling (Sturnus vulgaris) has a proven invasion history in many countries and the species is firmly established in eastern Australia. However, over four decades of targeted control in Western Australia (WA) has, to date, prevented successful establishment by starlings in this State. To maintain such an achievement requires commitment to ongoing surveillance, detection and control. Deriving life-history parameters from genetic analysis of WA starlings, field studies in WA, the international literature and from expert opinions, we performed 10,000 iterations of a PVA model with VORTEX software. We present models of starling population dynamics that incorporate environmental and control effort variability and combine these outcomes with economic data to assess the potential cost of starlings establishing in WA. In the absence of any control activities, starling population growth is exponential and reaches carrying capacity (12.5 million birds throughout all of WA) within 30 years, conservatively costing $43.7 million annually. The only management scenarios which notably suppressed population growth involved a combination of increased investment and incorporation of new technology to improve the efficacy of control. Given the significant economic costs that will be incurred by WA agriculture should starlings establish in this State, management of this pest species needs to continue to operate within the realm of the far ‘left-hand-side’ of the invasion curve. We present predictive population growth models that support the need for ongoing investment in both on-ground control operations and investment in innovative applied research. Open Session AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 ESTIMATING BIOSECURITY RISK FROM INTRODUCED FAUNA FOR PILBARA ISLANDS USING BAYESIAN BELIEF NETWORKS Cheryl Lohr, Amelia Wenger, Owen Woodberry, Bob Pressey and Keith Morris Department of Parks and Wildlife Western Australia [email protected] There are 598 islands with an approximate total area of 500km2 in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. Many of the islands are the last refuges for species facing numerous threatening processes on the mainland. The islands are also important sites for recreation, cultural activities, and industrial development. Quarantine and surveillance are arguably two of the more effective tools against the spread of non-native species to islands. Effective quarantine focuses on likely source populations of non-native species, and effective surveillance is applied to higher-risk islands more often. Application of quarantine and surveillance is complicated, however, by lack of information on source populations and the diverse vectors for species dispersal. We used Bayesian Belief Networks (BBNs) to estimate the risk of non-native species arriving and establishing on each island and to prioritise quarantine and surveillance activities on the Pilbara Islands. BBNs are a network of variables linked by conditional dependences which are particularly useful for modelling complex systems with incomplete data or uncertainty. The BBNs were built using data on island characteristics, recreational visitor load, infrastructure, habitat mapping, and animal dispersal pathways via human movement, across land bridges, and via wind, ocean currents, or flooded river plumes. Ultimately, the biosecurity risk profiles for non-native animal and plant species generated by the BBN will be incorporated into new conservation planning software that is being designed to support the decisions of island managers by optimizing a wide range of biological data and improving the cost-effectiveness of island management. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 94 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 WILL SMART COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY PROVIDE THE BREAKTHROUGH NEEDED FOR EFFECTIVE SURVEILLANCE AND FORECASTING OF MOUSE PLAGUES IN GRAIN-GROWING REGIONS OF AUSTRALIA? Steve Henry, Peter West, Jen Cruz, Peter Brown, Andrea Byrom, Lyn Hinds, Dean Anderson and Roger Pech Landcare Research New Zealand [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...95 Open Session Management of mouse plagues has been notoriously difficult: they are episodic and difficult to predict, they can be localised or regional, and early intervention is needed to prevent agricultural damage and adverse social impacts. We are developing a new spatial model to predict seasonal transitions between low, medium and high levels of mouse abundance, where the levels correspond to intervention thresholds for farmers. At present the model uses quantitative monitoring data, e.g. trapping, chew cards and burrow counts, which are feasible to collect only infrequently from a small sample of farms, and at small scales. The new model is also designed to work with qualitative observations recorded by farmers, obtained over much larger spatial scales. In 2014/15 we launched the MouseAlert website and phone ‘app’ for this surveillance and forecasting. A ‘National Mouse Census week’ in April was one promotion event that generated strong media interest and farmer support. In principle, there is real potential for the grains industry to use MouseAlert for tracking levels of mouse activity throughout grain-growing regions and to provide farmers with up-to-date surveillance information, forecasts for their local area, and easy access to advice on the management of mouse plagues. Open Session AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 OUTCOMES OF MAMMAL REINTRODUCTIONS INTO PREDATOR FREE AREAS IN SOUTH-WEST AUSTRALIA: 20 YEARS ON Bryony Palmer, Michael Smith, Chantelle Jackson, Laura Ruykys and John Kanowski Australian Wildlife Conservancy Chidlow, Western Australia [email protected] Predator exclosures have recently, and increasingly, become a major tool to conserve critical weight range mammals. In this talk we assess the efficacy of multiple species reintroductions into four Australian Wildlife Conservancy Sanctuaries in south-western Australia. Three sanctuaries: Faure Island, and fenced areas on Karakamia and Mt Gibson, have been freed from introduced predators and grazers. Paruna is not fenced, but cats, foxes, pigs and goats are managed through trapping and baiting. Initial results indicate that translocations into the feral predator-free island and exclosures are very successful and within a broader management context (i.e. organisation of metapopulations with individuals variously sourced from zoos, exclosure and free-range areas) provide a critical component to successful conservation. Reintroductions into exclosures have been particularly successful for species including Woylies (Bettongia penicillata), Boodies (Bettongia lesueur), Banded Hare-wallabies (Lagostrophus fasciatus), Western Barred Bandicoots (Perameles bougainville), Tammar wallabies (Macropus eugenii), Quenda (Isoodon obesulus), and Common Brush-tailed Possums (Trichosurus vulpecula). _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 96 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 PREDICTING SURVIVORS: ANIMAL TEMPERAMENT AND TRANSLOCATION Tegan May, Manda Page and Trish Fleming School of Veterinary and Life Sciences Murdoch University, Western Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...97 Open Session Translocation is an important management tool that is likely to become increasingly valuable in the future because of global climate change. Success rates of translocations remain low due to a number of factors. Release candidates are typically chosen on criteria of age, sex, health and source location (i.e. captive or wild); however, not all individuals are equally suited to translocation, and temperament traits (e.g. boldness, reactivity, exploration, sociability and aggression) are likely to influence survival in a new environment. We compared behavioural responses to trapping, processing, holding, and release for 56 wild common brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) as part of a translocation to develop temperament evaluation methods that could be applied to wild animals. Twenty individuals were captured twice, once to attach radio-tracking collars, the second time (two weeks later) for the translocation. Consistency of behavioural responses were compared between capture events and radio-tracking allowed estimates of pre-translocation home range and records of rest site selection and foraging behaviour for comparison with post-translocation survival (days) and change in body mass. Survivors (n=10, 5 months later) were individuals showing the most fear or reactivity during holding (less likely to have slept, eaten, defecated or nested), and had the smallest home ranges and selected the safest den sites in their original habitat. Conversely, the largest increase in body mass was recorded for individuals that had demonstrated ‘unsafe’ behaviour in their original habitat. Using such methods to select animals on the basis of behaviour during holding could enhance success of future translocation programs. Open Session AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 EXPLOITING OLFACTORY COMMUNICATION BETWEEN COMPETING PREDATORS TO IMPROVE CONSERVATION OUTCOMES Patrick Garvey, MN Clout, Roger Pech and Alistair Glen University of Auckland New Zealand [email protected] Interference competition is widespread among mammalian carnivores. Natural selection will encourage subordinate predators to develop mechanisms for detecting apex predators and use this information to reduce the risk of confrontation. As olfaction is the primary sense of many predators, we tested whether odour mediates interactions in a guild of invasive predators. In pen trials, stoats (Mustela erminea) were exposed to the body odour of three apex predators: two previously encountered dominant predators (ferret M. furo and cat Felis catus) and a novel predator (African wild dog Lycaon pictus). Foraging areas were created that varied in perceived risk, based on the presence or absence of predator odour. In contrast to our predictions, apex predator odour was an attractant rather than a deterrent for stoats; food was consumed earlier in areas with apex predator odour than in unscented controls. A subsequent field trial tested whether the surprising attraction displayed towards ferret odour could be replicated in the wild. We found that ferret odour significantly improved detection and activity of two invasive mesopredators, stoats and hedgehogs (Erinaceus europaeus), while also improving detections of ship rats (Rattus rattus). Olfactory information has a positive value for an eavesdropping mesopredator, presumably allowing a species to evaluate risks in its environment. A lure based on apex predator pheromones could increase detections of target species, especially when there are plentiful resources that reduce the efficiency of food-based lures for a subordinate predator. Management can therefore benefit by exploiting behavioural responses to odours to achieve monitoring and conservation goals. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 98 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 IMPROVING NATIONAL BIOSECURITY: THE POTENTIAL TO ADAPT THE HACCP MODEL TO MANAGE INVASIVE SPECIES IN AUSTRALIA Michelle Christy Department of Agriculture and Food South Perth, Western Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...99 Open Session Incursion prevention is considered the cornerstone of invasive species management, but design and delivery of integrated approaches to managing invasion vectors are typically difficult. This is because pathways for introductions are not always obvious or easy to control. Pathways can be diverse and dynamic, and have enormous taxonomic and/or geographic variability. Understanding incursion pathways is critical to improve policy actions, guide integrated management strategies, and enhance educational campaigns aimed at reducing the threat of future invasions. To reduce the risks posed by new and emerging vertebrate pests, Australia’s government agencies, through Invasive Plant and Animal Committee (IPAC) are progressively improving the national approach to incursion prevention and response. As part of that approach, a national planning process that uses self-assessment and initial response with government oversight to evaluate and manage risks associated with vertebrate incursions, is being investigated by the Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre. A conceptual framework for an innovative, adaptable, and systematic approach to incursion management based on the Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point (HACCP) planning process is presented. The HACCP model has successfully been applied overseas and there is potential for adoption in Australia for invasive species. Examples are used to illustrate how the process fosters partnerships and cost sharing between industry and government and can be applied at any level, from national to site-specific. Poster Session AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 ARE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF ECOTOURISM OVER-REPORTED? Bill Bateman, Teele Worrell and Trish Fleming Department of Environment and Agriculture Curtin University, Western Australia [email protected] Wildlife tourism is steadily increasing across the globe. We carried out a meta-analysis of wildlife responses to ecotourism to determine whether the reporting rate is biased towards reporting only negative effects of tourism. A literature review of 62 studies of (identified through a Google Scholar search for key terms ‘ecotourism’ and ‘wildlife’), reveals a range of response variables measured for bird and mammal focal species. A third of these studies (35%) examined flight responses, a third examined time budgets (32%; 10% specifically vigilance behaviour), and a third (35%) examined physiological responses of wildlife (e.g. heart rate, cortisol) and reproductive outputs (nesting success). We combined these results with empirical data for quokka behavioural patterns on Rottnest Island. Being touched by humans and high noise levels from people had the greatest affect on whether quokkas moved away from tourists, but there was no effect of number of conspecifics, tourist group size, mode of tourist transport, or whether the quokkas were photographed or fed. Analysis of time budgets indicated that quokkas in high-tourist areas spent more time engaged in group behaviour and in locomotion but less time in vigilance and feeding than quokkas in low-tourist areas, while quokkas located in high-tourist areas had significantly shorter Alert Distance and Flight Initiation Distance than quokkas in low-tourist areas. On historically predator-free islands, many animals lose their natural neophobia and fear responses, making them targets for ecotourism. On many such islands, there is little evidence of the negative impacts of ecotourism reported for most other ecotourism studies. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 100 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 FRESHWATER TURTLES IN THE URBAN LANDSCAPE: INVESTIGATING THE HUMAN INTERACTION FACTOR Catherine Baudains School of Veterinary & Life Sciences Murdoch University, Western Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...101 Poster Session Human perceptions, attitudes and knowledge shape the urban environment. Globally, cities have replaced natural habitat with one that suits human needs. Native species that have managed to survive this change have either adapted to the new environment (e.g. racoons in North America) or are reliant on remnant habitat patches such as Chelodina colliei, the only native freshwater turtle species found in the Perth metropolitan area, in Western Australia. While species survival is dependent on the range and quality of resources available it can also be affected by direct interaction with humans. This paper explores the impact of human interaction on C.colliei, and the potential for community engagement to improve species management through community data, citizen science and community education. Like many other wetland species, C.colliei’s habitat is isolated in a sea of urban sprawl. Through the investigation of the size and distribution of C.colliei’s populations, and the use and resources available in and around anthropogenic and natural wetlands, we were able to identify key factors that affect their survival. Surveys of residents indicating how, when, why and where humans interact with this species, enabled us to identify the positive and negative impacts of human activities and behaviours on turtles. By understanding human-turtle interactions, resource availability and urban hazards, sustainability of turtle populations can be promoted through environmental restoration, modification of the built environment (e.g. road kerbs) and by improving human appreciation of their local native species. This fresh approach to exploring the urban ecology of C.colliei allows us to ascertain how local-scale human interaction can influence the survival of turtle populations and to build a holistic picture to inform freshwater turtle conservation and management within the urban ecosystem. Poster Session AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 THE USE AND MISUSE OF CONTINENTAL-SCALE WILDLIFE ABUNDANCE ESTIMATES Jim Hone and Tony Buckmaster Invasive Animals Cooperative Research Centre University of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory [email protected] Wildlife abundance figures are often quoted by scientists, economists and other authors. Sometimes the figures are quoted correctly but sometimes they are quoted in a biased manner or figures without any evidentiary basis are quoted. We reviewed the quoted abundance figures for the feral cat, the red kangaroo and the feral pig in Australia using all papers found in a Web of Science™ search, those published in Wildlife Research between 1983 and 2013, and Australian and overseas ‘grey’ literature (Hone and Buckmaster 2015). The figures quoted for feral cats were unable to be traced back to an original source however we propose a possible origin for these figures. The estimate for red kangaroos was determined using rigorous methods which included active refining and reviewing of techniques used to calculate those estimates. Feral pig abundance in Australia was estimated using known sources and robust techniques. There is a recent and concerning trend for quoting only the higher abundance estimate for feral cats and feral pigs without acknowledging that it is the higher end of the estimated range. We question if continental-scale abundance estimates are needed for many species and propose four criteria for the acceptable use of abundance estimates when those estimates are necessary for wildlife management. Those criteria are the use of appropriate estimators / statistics to determine the estimate as well as citing the precision of the estimate, the source, and the age of the estimate. None of the abundance estimates reviewed met all four criteria. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 102 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 ECOLOGY OF THE FERAL CAT (FELIS CATUS) IN ECOSYSTEMS OF THE SOUTH COAST OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA Sarah Comer, D Algar, P Speldewinde and JD Roberts Centre of Excellence in Natural Resource Management University of Western Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...103 Poster Session The Department of Parks and Wildlife, WA, has been integrating feral cat (Felis catus) into existing introduced predator control programs on the south coast of Western Australia since 2010. This work is concentrated on establishing baiting efficacy for feral cats and non-target impacts and benefits. Very little research has been undertaken to understand behaviour and habitat use by cats that may influence baiting success in this area. This study is being undertaken in relatively intact landscapes, Fitzgerald River and Cape Arid National Parks, and smaller reserves in the Two Peoples Bay area and Gondwanalink’s Fitz-Stirling corridor, which has complex interfaces between reserves, farming, and small townships. We are examining temporal changes in prey availability, and the role of feral cats as higher order predators in food webs. The influence of land fragmentation, vegetation structure, density and post-fire age on habitat use by feral cats is also being reviewed. The majority of research on feral cats in Western Australia has been undertaken in arid areas. This is the first major study of feral cat ecology in the coastal and mallee heath ecosystems of the south coast of Western Australia. Our work will inform future control programs in these important conservation landscapes. Poster Session AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 CATS ON THE RUN! Heather Crawford School of Veterinary & Life Sciences Murdoch University, Western Australia [email protected] In order to address the concerns of welfare and conservation groups, a humane, simple and cost-effective method is needed to prevent roaming cats from entering urban wildlife refugia to hunt. The CatStop© (CS) is a motion-triggered device that reportedly startles cats with ultrasonic sound. Before it can be recommended as a conservation tool, research should demonstrate that cats detect, and are deterred by, the ultrasonic sound. Trials of the CS were carried out on ten cats (plus two controls) at an animal shelter, and cat behaviours were recorded as relaxed, curious, alert, anxious and fearful. Over the entire 30 minute period in the enclosure, control cats relaxed in their surrounding with alert, anxious and fearful behaviours decreasing. Rapid head turning and ear flicking indicated that all trialled cats detected the CS and all cats increased stressed behaviours (e.g. vocalisations, hiding or escape). However, not all cats experienced a shift in overall behavioural state. There were no effects of age or sex on behaviour frequencies. Shy cats were typically stressed before use of the CS, with several hiding in the box before it was activated. Four of five shy cats did not exhibit changes in behaviour frequencies, and the single shy cat moved from a purely alert state to one of sustained fear. Three friendly cats demonstrated significant responses to the CS, showing more stress behaviour. In conclusion, all trial cats were sensitive to CS. These findings suggest ultrasonic devices may be of some use in deterring cats from hunting in wildlife refugia. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 104 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 INFLUENZA A EXPOSURE IN FERAL SWINE OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA Toni Dalziel School of Biological Sciences The University of Adelaide, South Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...105 Poster Session Wild waterfowl are known to be the main reservoir for circulating avian influenza viruses (AIV) with spill-over into domestic poultry occurring infrequently. In the southern hemisphere the dynamics which perpetuate AIV in populations or waterbirds continues to be investigated. Other wild animals, sharing their environment, may also be exposed to influenza viruses. In other countries, pigs have been found to be a ‘mixing vessel’ for influenza viruses, with occasional viral spillback into waterfowl. The exposure of feral pigs to AIVs has not been investigated in Australia, and the extensive population and distribution of feral pigs in wetland areas creates an opportunity for exposure and infection. Blood samples for serology and nasal swabs for virus identification were obtained from the carcasses of 23 feral pigs shot as part of a State government control cull at two sites in South Australia, Kingston SE in the south-east of the state, and Innamincka in the northeast corner. Three of the 23 samples tested positive for influenza A antibodies, indicating that the feral pigs had been exposed to influenza A across both sites. We propose that feral pigs in these habitats are frequently exposed and could present an appropriate mixing vessel for new strains of AIV. With both avian and swine influenza being notifiable diseases in Australia and worldwide, surveillance methods utilising available species and focusing limited resources by cooperation between agencies could provide a viable adjunctive method of monitoring incursions of disease. Poster Session AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 FOOD SUBSIDIES FOR PEST ANIMALS? AN OUTDOOR PIGGERY STUDY Trish Fleming, Shannon Dundas and Yvonne Lau School of Veterinary & Life Sciences Murdoch University, Western Australia [email protected] Many carnivore species readily exploit high-energy anthropogenic food sources. Even in rural areas, there may be huge amounts of anthropogenic waste that can lead to subsidised predator populations. Using remote sensing cameras, we examined fox activity at an outdoor piggery to identify the level of threat posed by fox predation to piglets and contribute to developing best practice guidelines for outdoor piggeries to control the problem. We recorded a focus of fox activity around the farm carcass pit, where up to five individuals were present in one image. Foxes were observed tracking and taking piglets, despite the presence of sows, and although there are only few piglets recorded as lost to fox predation (recorded by piggery staff as carcasses that are ‘chewed’), they will be contributing substantially to the 20% of piglets born that are later reported ‘missing’. Newborn and young piglets are the most vulnerable, especially when they are born in the paddock (rather than houses provided for sows). Managing offal pits is needed to improve predator control on outdoor piggeries. Covering the pig carcass pit, or fencing it to keep out foxes, would reduce support of artificially high population numbers (and unfit animals). Drawing attention to the behaviour of predators in outdoor/free-range piggeries will increase focus on predator control to improve production figures for the Australian pork industry. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 106 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 ASSESSING MULTIPLE PATERNITY WITHIN LITTERS OF A MALE-SEMELPAROUS DASYURID, DASYKALUTA ROSAMONDAE Genevieve Hayes, Diana Fisher, Harriet Mills and Dale Roberts School of Animal Biology University of Western Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...107 Poster Session Small dasyurid marsupials have fewer species of conservation concern than many other mammal groups in Australia. Approximately 20% of dasyurids exhibit male semelparity – where males die after their first breeding season but females may breed in more than one season. Some of these semelparous dasyurid species have also been shown to be highly promiscuous, with females being polyandrous. Numerous benefits to females of semelparous dasyurids may result from being polyandrous, including increasing the likelihood of complete fertilisation of females, and obtaining better quality mates through sperm competition – experimentally demonstrated to increase offspring survival in at least one species. These benefits may help to account for the apparent resilience of these species. We assessed whether Dasykaluta rosamondae, a small, male-semelparous dasyurid, exhibited multiple paternities within litters. We used microsatellite methods to estimate paternity of wild-captured individuals based on ear clippings from eight different mothers and small biopsies from the tip of the tail of each of their seven or eight pouch-young. We also sampled co-occurring males to recognise potential fathers and the spatial distribution of their offspring. Microsatellite loci were used to analyse paternity patterns within litters. I will report on whether D. rosamondae exhibits multiple paternity within litters and will discuss how the mating system relates to the ability of this species to persist in a harsh environment, where other male-semelparous species are absent. Poster Session AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 MAMMAL TRANSLOCATION SUCCESSES AND HABITAT UTILISATION ON FAURE ISLAND Chantelle Jackson, Michael Smith, Bryony Palmer, Laura Ruykys and John Kanowski Australian Wildlife Conservancy Chidlow, Western Australia [email protected] Faure Island is a 5,000 ha island located in Shark Bay, WA. The pastoral lease over the island was acquired by Australian Wildlife Conservancy in 2000. The island was freed of introduced predators (cats) and grazers (goats) in 2001. A reintroduction program was initiated in 2002, with the translocation of Boodies (Bettongia lesueur) and Shark Bay Mice (Pseudomys fieldi), followed by the translocation of Banded Harewallabies (Lagostrophus fasciatus) in 2004 and Western Barred Bandicoots (Perameles bougainville) in 2005. Populations of all species have established on the island. In this presentation, we discuss methods for monitoring population size and present data on population size and habitat use for reintroduced species. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 108 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 SHELTER SITE USE OF WESTERN QUOLLS (DASYURUS GEOFFOII) REINTRODUCED TO A SEMI-ARID ENVIRONMENT Melissa Jensen, David Paton and Katherine Moseby School of Biological Sciences The University of Adelaide, South Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...109 Poster Session Unsuitable habitat is one of the leading reasons for failed reintroductions. Despite being a highly adaptable species, western quolls require up to five shelter sites per hectare. We investigated the shelter site availability and use of a population of western quolls recently reintroduced to the Flinders Ranges National Park in South Australia. All quolls were radio-tracked for six months following release to determine shelter site choice and how these changed over time, particularly over the breeding season. In areas lacking in natural shelter sites, artificial shelter sites were provided and the use of these were also monitored. Results from this study may assist future quoll reintroduction programs. Poster Session AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 QUALITY NOT QUANTITY FOR LOW MOBILITY AND DISPERSAL SPECIES IN URBAN REMNANT VEGETATION Leanda Mason Curtin University Western Australia [email protected] Urban remnant vegetation is subject to varying degrees of disturbance that may or may not be proportional to the size of the patch. The impact of disturbance within patches on species with low mobility and dispersal capabilities was investigated in a survey targeting nemesiid species of the mygalomorph spider clade. Nemesiid presence was not influenced by patch size. However, patch size significantly correlated with increasing degree of disturbance caused by rabbits. Further, it was significantly less likely nemesiids would be present the higher the degree of invasive grass and rabbit disturbance. During analysis, it was found that patches are not as effective a unit of measurement as quadrats in determining the impact of disturbance on nemesiids presence. We discuss how low mobility and dispersal influence these results in relation to disturbance variables, change in surrounding land-use, threatening processes and conservation management implications. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 110 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 POSITIVE RESULTS FROM MANAGEMENT MEASURES FOR A THREATENED MICROBAT SPECIES, THE SOUTHERN MYOTIS (MYOTIS MACROPUS) IN NORTH-EASTERN NSW Alison Martin Greenloaning Biostudies Pty Ltd Tuncester, New South Wales [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...111 Poster Session The Southern Myotis (Myotis macropus), also previously known as the Large-footed Myotis (M. adversus) is currently listed as Vulnerable in NSW under the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (NSW). This species has quite specific habitat requirements, feeding on small fish and aquatic insects by raking its comparatively large feet through the water. Roosting and breeding sites therefore need to be close to suitable aquatic food resources, with naturally occurring sites comprising tree hollows and caves. In north-eastern NSW however, clearing of native vegetation was extensive during the last century and large sections of riparian zones lack hollow-bearing trees, whilst caves near waterways are not common. Consequently, man-made structures, such as bridges and culverts, have become important habitat features for the Southern Myotis and the type of management procedures implemented during the maintenance and replacement of such structures can have significant and potentially long term effects on local populations of the species. One case study, involving major structural repairs to a timber bridge supporting a colony of Southern Myotis, illustrates how ongoing adaptive management measures and monitoring can facilitate positive outcomes for a species. This case study also highlights the importance of effective communication amongst stakeholders to achieve positive management outcomes and the inherent variation in the behaviour of individual animals that often is not recognised as a contributing factor. Poster Session AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 URBAN WATERWAY HEALTH: IDENTIFYING KEY STRESSORS IN A FLAT SANDY LANDSCAPE J Middleton, L Beesley, PC Close, PM Davies, J Prince, T Storer and B Quinton The University of Western Australia [email protected] Urbanisation degrades stream health (i.e. the natural ecological patterns and processes underpinning ecosystem function) by altering natural flow regimes, increasing nutrient concentrations, reducing water quality, altering shading and energy inputs, modifying channel morphology and simplifying instream habitat. While past research has identified that hydrologic alteration is the key driver of urban stream health, there is growing awareness that the natural climate and physiographic setting of a region can alter the severity of urban stressor(s). For example, studies in the US have shown that urban hydrologic stress (flashy, heightened flows) is reduced in flat regions with permeable soils. In such regions, other ecological drivers, such as the riparian zone, may exert an increasing influence on the health of urban streams. We investigated the importance of different ecological drivers on the health of 15 urban waterways across the Swan Coastal Plain (SCP), near Perth. Drivers examined included: water quality (temperature, nutrients, EC etc.), riparian influence (light, organic matter), hydrology (catchment imperviousness used as a surrogate) and habitat (habitat complexity). Stream health was described using macroinvertebrate diversity and leaf litter breakdown, which represented structural and functional indicators respectively. Results are in progress and will be discussed in relation to the management and restoration of urban streams. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 112 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 INVERTEBRATES AS ECOSYSTEM ENGINEERS: INFLUENCE OF GROUND-DWELLING INVERTEBRATES ON LITTER DECOMPOSITION ON BAUXITE MINING RESTORATION MWDM Mihindukulasooriya, RJ Harris, DL Pritchard, V Stokes and IR Phillips Department of Environment Agriculture Curtin University, Western Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...113 Poster Session Alcoa of Australia Limited (Alcoa) mines and refines bauxite for alumina, which produces two systems requiring rehabilitation; bauxite mining areas (BMA) and residue storage areas (RMA). Two contrasting rehabilitation methods are used: BMA involves direct transfer of largely intact soil to a restoration site, and RMA utilizes bauxite residue sand amended with gypsum and fertilizer. Re-establishment of nutrient cycling is vital for a self-sustaining ecosystem in the rehabilitation of these areas. Ground-dwelling invertebrates play a key role in litter decomposition by modifying litter to enhance microbial activity, but their role as a decomposer functional group in restoration is typically less considered. We aimed to investigate the influence of the ground-dwelling invertebrate community in litter decomposition and nutrient cycling. We measured the final dry weight of Hardenbergia comptoniana leaves after 12 months in nylon/polyester mesh litter-bags: fine (50um; permeable to microorganisms only); medium (2mm; permeable to small invertebrates); and coarse (2cm; permeable to macro-invertebrates). Three replicates were used at each site, containing 20 (BMA only), 10, 5, and 2 year old revegetation plots, and adjacent remnants (undisturbed). Preliminary data suggest the presence of ground-dwelling macro-invertebrates increases the rate of decomposition. We expect as the rehabilitation progresses ecosystem function will return to pre-disturbance levels, but this decomposer functional group will have a higher richness in BMA than RMA. This study will identify if a self-sustaining ecosystem is developing after bauxite mine rehabilitation, and if not, it will identify potential barriers. Poster Session AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 DOES FAMILIARISING DEVILS THROUGH LATRINE MANIPULATION INCREASE REINTRODUCTION SUCCESS? Elizabeth Reid-Wainscoat, Ron Swaisgood, Debra Shier, Samantha Fox and David Pemberton Save the Tasmanian Devil Program, North Hobart, Tasmania [email protected] As we reach the 20-year anniversary of Devil Facial Tumour Disease it is apparent that DFTD will be present for a long time (perhaps forever), so managing other threats to the population and maintaining genetic diversity in small populations is required. Thus, the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program has shifted its focus to re-establishing natural devil density by beginning the process of reintroducing captive devils back into the wild. In order to maximise the success of these reintroductions the Save the Tasmanian Devil Program in collaboration with the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research conducted a series of experimental manipulations designed to understand the devil’s use of olfactory signals. These signals, once identified, were used as tools to manipulate post-release establishment, reduce social conflict, and dampen dispersal from the release site. These studies involved: (1) experimental manipulations of signals in captive devil populations; (2) observational studies of signalling behaviour in wild devils; and (3) experimental use of signals in reintroduced devil populations. This talk will outline what was gained by these trials and the future direction of creating a management protocol that will maximise success for all future reintroductions of Tasmanian devils back into the wild. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 114 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 THE WWF RAKALI COMMUNITY SURVEY: IDENTIFYING THREATS THROUGH COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT Sabrina Trocini, Geoff Barrett, Katherine Howard and Merril Halley World Wildlife Fund Wembly, Western Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...115 Poster Session Between December 2014 and March 2015 WWF in collaboration with the Department of Parks and Wildlife collected rakali (Hydromys chrysogaster) sightings from the public as part of a widely advertised citizen science project. The aim of this survey was to educate the community about this secretive and understudied native rodent, whilst obtaining distribution data and identifying potential threats. A total of 234 sightings were received over 4 months. The distribution of rakali indicated by this survey overlaps with the known range, but anecdotal evidence suggests localised declines in the Perth metropolitan area. The main cause of reported rakali mortality was drowning in marron traps, and marron traps were also one of the main perceived threats identified by survey participants. Predation by foxes and cats, habitat degradation and changes in hydrology were also identified as important threats. Citizen science offers an opportunity to collect monitoring data on a large spatial and temporal scale and to detect changes in frequency and distribution of easily observable threats to wildlife species. Results obtained by citizen scientists can also provide essential baseline data to identify research and management priorities. Poster Session AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 COMMUNITY MAPPING OF AUSTRALIA’S WORST PEST ANIMALS WITH THE FERALSCAN APP Peter West, John Tracey and Peter Fleming Vertebrate Pest Research Unit Department of Primary Industries, New South Wales [email protected] The FeralScan project (hosted by the Invasive Animals CRC) has been running for 5 years and has developed a suite of mapping resources for landholders, Landcare groups, community groups, local governments and pest management organisations. It now contains over 35,000 community records of pest animals, their impacts, local control actions and photographs; supplied by over 11,000 people Australia-wide. FeralScan is available via a website (www.feralscan.org.au) and now also as a dedicated Mobile App that can be downloaded from the AppStore or Google Play. Species that can be mapped include rabbits, wild dogs, feral cats, foxes, mice, feral pigs, cane toads, feral camels, feral goats, pest birds (including Indian mynas) and pest fish – all of which cause significant impact to our environment and agricultural production. The App has been designed to operate offline in remote areas, and can be used to navigate to mapped sites such as rabbit warrens, bait stations or monitoring sites. This enables participants anywhere in Australia to easily monitor and share real-time data about pest activity with their neighbours, local authorities and regional organisations such as catchment groups. The App also connects users to PestSmart resources and pest control technologies. The creation of online groups within FeralScan is helping to bring communities (such as wild dog control groups) together to work collectively to reduce pest problems. New capabilities include alert-style notifications to automatically inform participants about events (such as wild dog attacks on livestock), data sharing with regional authorities, and a register of local community programs. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 116 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 VEHICLES, PET PREDATORS, AND DISEASES, OH MY! REPTILE REHABILITATION ADMISSIONS IN A CITY USING VOLUNTEER RECORDS FROM WILDLIFE CENTRES Ashleigh Wolfe, Bill Bateman and Trish Fleming. Department of Environment & Agriculture Curtin University, Western Australia [email protected] _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...117 Poster Session Urbanisation has the potential to influence some species through increased food, water, shelter, and predator release. However, living in a built up environment also poses threats to the survival of species with low behavioural plasticity and high susceptibility to being killed. These threats include, but are not limited to, predation, displacement through human activities such as land clearing, and being struck by motor vehicles on roads. Reptiles are abundant in Perth, Western Australia, and brought into wildlife rehabilitation centres (WRC) by good Samaritans following discovery of injury or disease, commonly as a result of anthropogenic factors. Through volunteer efforts, these WRCs keep records of reptile admissions, including the cause and final outcome for the animal. We collated data from three WRCs in Perth to investigate the most common causes for reptile admissions and the significance of each cause on the broader reptile phylogeny. On average, more reptiles were admitted due to injury as a result of dog attacks or motor vehicle strike, or illness. Since the early 2000’s upper respiratory tract infection in Tiliqua rugosa has played a significant role in admissions for that species, and overall was the most common cause. Understanding why reptiles are admitted to WRCs will help drive conservation efforts and awareness to local governments, but the accuracy and consistency of these records must be improved to ensure the data is useful. Poster Session AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 WHEN ROADWAYS CAUSE ROADKILL: ASSESSING INTENTIONAL MOTOR VEHICLE STRIKES OF REPTILES Ashleigh Wolfe, Bill Bateman and Trish Fleming Department of Environment & Agriculture Curtin University, Western Australia [email protected] Roads play a major role in the fragmentation of urban landscapes. Additionally, some taxa, such as snakes and lizards, are attracted to road surfaces as thermoregulation sites, further increasing their vulnerability to being hit by motor vehicles. Motor vehicle strikes are currently recognised as one of the main causes of reptile admissions to wildlife rehabilitation centres in Western Australia, with an 84% chance of mortality as a result. Most reptiles struck by cars, however, are probably left on the side of the road to die. Very few studies have investigated motor vehicle strike in reptiles and although published calculations of the probability of mortality from vehicle strike have considered variables such as speed of animal and vehicle, length of animal, and width of road and vehicle tyres, they do not account for intentional strikes by motorists. We placed rubber reptile models on road edges in urban and rural sites and recorded motorist responses, including intentional motor vehicle strikes. We predicted that motorists in rural locations would respond to reptiles on roads differently from motorists driving through urban sites. We also expected that motorists would respond differently to snakes and lizards on roads. This study demonstrates that current methods for predicting wildlife mortality on roads require rethinking, especially as urban populations continue to sprawl throughout Australia. _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 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_________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...137 Notes AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 Author Index AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 Adams, Peter ����������������������������������������������� 14, 18, 26, 38, 61, 81 Algar, Dave����������������������������������������������������� 8, 9, 11, 12, 14, 103 Allen, Benjamin��������������������������������������������������������������20, 22, 28 Allentoft, Morten������������������������������������������������������������������������ 54 Anderson, Dean�������������������������������������������������������������������� 43, 95 Apps, Peter���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 29 Austin, Jeremy���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 59 Bain, Karlene ������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 84 Ballard, Guy ������������������������������������������������� 12, 20, 28, 39, 40, 44 Barrett, Geoff���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 115 Bateman, Bill ���������������������������������� 18, 26, 61, 81, 100, 117, 118 Battley, Phil���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 82 Baudains, Catherine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .101 Baynes, Alexander. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54 Beecham, Brett �������������������������������������������������������������������������� 85 Beesley, L ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 112 Bejder, Lars���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 34 Bell, L������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 11 Belov, Katherine�������������������������������������������������������������������� 55, 76 Bencini, Roberta��������������������������������������������������������������36, 84, 87 Bengsen, Andrew. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12, 68 Binks, Bill ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 33 Braysher, Mike���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 74 Brown, Marion���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 46 Brown, Peter ������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 95 Buckmaster, Tony����������������������������������������������������������12, 71, 102 Bull, Michael�������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 79 Bunce, Michael��������������������������������������������������������������������������� 54 Burbidge, Andrew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11 Button, Timothy�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 13 Bylemans, Jonas�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 51 Byrom, Andrea���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 95 Campbell, Susan�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 93 Carlile, N�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 35 Carter, Andrew���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 15 Chambers, Brian�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 36 Chaplin, Kirilee���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 56 Chauvin, Ashleigh . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .61 Christiansen, Fredrik . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Christy, Michelle�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 99 Clausen, Lucy�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 9, 11 Close, P C ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 112 Clout, M N ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 98 Comer, Sarah ����������������������������������������������������� 9, 11, 12, 58, 103 Conacher, Phil����������������������������������������������������������������������������� 78 Coulson, Graeme������������������������������������������������������������������������ 62 Cowen, Saul�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 11, 58 Cox, Tarnya���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 49 Crawford, Heather . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 104 Cruz, Jen�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 95 Dalziel, Toni ������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 105 Danks, A.�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 11 Dassis, M�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 35 Davies, P M�������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 112 Davis, R A ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 50 Dawson, Rick ������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 77 Dawson, Stuart���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 81 Dickman, Chris������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 6 Donnellan, Stephen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59 Dortch, Joe���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 54 Drew, Michelle���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 19 138 Driscoll, Don�������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 23 Dujon, Antoine���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 34 Duncan, Richard�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 51 Dundas, Shannon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .47, 106 Dunlop, Judy�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 10, 50 Dybing, Narelle���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 14 Falzon, G�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 40 Fancourt, Bronwyn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .41, 75 Fisher, Diana������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 107 Fleming, Peter �������������������������������������12, 20, 28, 39, 40, 44, 116 Fleming, Trish. . . . 18, 26, 61, 65, 81, 91, 97, 100, 106, 117, 118 Forge, Trent �������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 39 Fox, Samantha��������������������������������������������������������������������76, 114 Friend, J. Anthony . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12, 13, 57 Fruscento, P�������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 31 Furlan, Elise �������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 51 Garkaklis, Mark �������������������������������������������������������������������������� 48 Garvey, Patrick���������������������������������������������������������������������� 43, 98 Gleeson, Dianne�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 51 Glen, Alistair�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 43, 98 Godfrey, Stephanie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .63 Golabek, Krystyna . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Goodsell, B���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 92 Gooley, Rebecca�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 55 Gormley, Andrew������������������������������������������������������������������������ 66 Gray, Lindsey ������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 53 Groom, Christine������������������������������������������������������������������������ 83 Groth, David�������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 58 Grueber, Catherine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55, 60, 76 Halley, Merril���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 115 Hamede, Rodrigo������������������������������������������������������������������������ 55 Haouchar, Dalal �������������������������������������������������������������������������� 54 Harris, R J���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 113 Hayes, Genevieve . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .107 Henderson, M ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 50 Henry, Steve�������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 95 Herbert, CA���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 35 Hetherington, Scott . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86 Hinds, Lyn������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 95 Hine, Don������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 32, 68 Hing, Stephanie�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 63 Hinlo, Rheyda������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 51 Hobson, Rod�������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 56 Hogg, Carolyn������������������������������������������������������������������������ 55, 76 Hone, Jim����������������������������������������������������������������������������37, 102 Horikoshi, Chifuyu . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 Howard, Katherine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .115 Howard, Tanya���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 31 Hunt, Helen �������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 54 Hyndman, Timothy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65 Iacona, G�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 45 Intuprapa, Patamasuda . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Irvine, Lyn������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 34 Irwin, Peter���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 14 Ivy, Jamie ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 76 Jackson, Chantelle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 96, 108 Jacobson, Carolyn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14 James, Alexandra������������������������������������������������������������������ 21, 42 Jensen, Melissa ������������������������������������������������������������������������ 109 Johnson, Christopher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .21 Johnston, Michael . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8, 12 Jones, Menna������������������������������������������������������������������������21, 55 Jones, P���������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 35 Jordan, Neil��������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 29 Kancans, Robert�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 33 Kanowski, John��������������������������������������������������������������������96, 108 Kennedy, Malcolm . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30 Kennington, W Jason . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57 King, Joanne�������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 26 Kobryn, Halina���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 81 Körtner, Gerhard ������������������������������������������������������������28, 39, 44 Lacey, Peter �������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 85 Lambert, Cathy���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 57 Latham, Maria Cecilia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Lathe, Sheridan �������������������������������������������������������������������������� 64 Lau, Yvonne ������������������������������������������������������������������������������106 Lee, Andrew�������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 76 Legge, Sarah��������������������������������������������������������������������������21, 42 Leong, PHW�������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 35 Lisle, Danielle������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 21 Lobert, Bertram�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 88 Lohr, Cheryl �������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 94 Longnecker, Nancy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .70 Lynch, Jasmyn������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 74 Machovsky Capuska, Gabriel E. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .35 Marshall, Darren ������������������������������������������������������������������������ 72 Martin, Alison����������������������������������������������������������������������������111 Martínez-Pérez, Pedro . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .65 Mason, Leanda��������������������������������������������������������������������������110 Mawson, Peter����������������������������������������������������������������������77, 83 Maxwell, Marika ������������������������������������������������������������������������ 17 May, Tegan���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 97 McEwan, A���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 35 McGregor, Hugh��������������������������������������������������������������������12, 21 McLeod, Lynette�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 68 McNutt, John Weldon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Meek, Paul����������������������������������������������������������������������������28, 40 Melville, Gavin���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 49 Melville, Jane������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 56 Middleton, J������������������������������������������������������������������������������112 Mifsud, Thomas�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 24 Mihindukulasooriya, M W Dilanka M . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .113 Millar, Ashley������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 19 Mills, Harriet���������������������������������������������������������������� 57, 80, 107 Minot, Edward���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 82 Mitchell, Nicola �������������������������������������������������������������������������� 83 Molloy, S�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 50 Moloney, P.���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 27 Moore, Tracey ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 91 Moro, Dorian������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 10 Morris, Katrina���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 55 Morris, Keith�������������������������������������������������������������������45, 50, 94 Moseby, Katherine. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12, 59, 81, 109 Mosen, Corey������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 13 Moxham, C. �������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 27 Narayan, Edward������������������������������������������������������������������63, 64 Neave, G. ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 27 Newsome, Thomas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .25 Nichols, Maggie�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 43 Nielsen, Torben �������������������������������������������������������������������������� 79 Nugent, Graham�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 66 O’Keeffe, M Scott������������������������������������������������������������������������ 88 O’Meally, Denis �������������������������������������������������������������������������� 55 Pacioni, Carlo������������������������������������������������������������������30, 54, 93 Page, Manda�������������������������������������������������������������������������16, 97 Palmer, Bryony��������������������������������������������������������������������96, 108 Parker, Ryl������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 69 Paton, David������������������������������������������������������������������������������109 Pech, Roger����������������������������������������������������������������������������95, 98 Pemberton, David . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76, 114 Pendoley, Kelly���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 92 Phillips, I R ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������113 Phillips, K ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 32 Phillips, Veronica������������������������������������������������������������������������ 36 Pinder, J��������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 11 Piper, Kylie ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 59 Please, Patricia���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 32 Pressey, Bob�������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 94 Priddel, D ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 35 Pridham, J������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 11 Prince, Jane ������������������������������������������������������������������������80, 112 Pritchard, D L����������������������������������������������������������������������������113 Pye, M������������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 35 Quinn, Julie������������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 7 Quinton, B ��������������������������������������������������������������������������������112 Ramón-Laca, Ana������������������������������������������������������������������������ 52 Rampant, Paul ���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 38 Raubenheimer, D������������������������������������������������������������������������ 35 Reid-Wainscoat, Elizabeth . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .114 Renwick, Juanita ������������������������������������������������������������������16, 19 Ritchie, Euan������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 45 Roberts, Dale����������������������������������������������������������������������83, 107 Roberts, E J���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 93 Roberts, J D��������������������������������������������������������������������������������103 Robley, Alan�������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 27 Rollins, L-A ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 93 Ruykys, Laura��������������������������������������������������������������� 15, 96, 108 Sarre, Stephen���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 71 Saunders, Denis�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 77 Seaton, Richard �������������������������������������������������������������������������� 82 Shannon, L���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 35 Shier, Debra ������������������������������������������������������������������������������114 Skoien, Petra�������������������������������������������������������������������������31, 32 Śmielak, M���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 44 Smith, James ������������������������������������������������������������������������21, 42 Smith, Michael��������������������������������������������������������������������96, 108 Sparkes, Jessica ��������������������������������������������������������������������28, 47 Speldewinde, Peter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9, 103 Stenekes, Nyree�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 33 Stokes, V������������������������������������������������������������������������������������113 Storer, T ������������������������������������������������������������������������������������112 Sumner, Joanna�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 56 Swaisgood, Ron ������������������������������������������������������������������������114 Swinhoe, Edward������������������������������������������������������������������������ 18 Thavornkanlapachai, Rujiporn . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .57 Thompson, Graham . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .89, 90 Thompson, L J����������������������������������������������������������������������������� 31 Thompson, RC Andrew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 63 Thompson, Scott ������������������������������������������������������������������89, 90 Tracey, John ������������������������������������������������������������������������������116 Treadwell, Maree������������������������������������������������������������������������ 73 Trocini, Sabrina��������������������������������������������������������������������������115 Trotter, Alyssa������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 49 28th AWMS Conference, Perth...139 Author Index AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 Author Index AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 AWMS 2015 Tuft, Katherine���������������������������������������������������������������������� 21, 42 Valentine, Leonie������������������������������������������������������������������������ 45 van der Eyk, J������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 44 Vaughan, Timothy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .54 Vellios, Chris�������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 17 Veltman, Clare���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 43 Vernes, K�������������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 44 Waddington, Kris������������������������������������������������������������������������ 81 Wade, Claire�������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 55 Ward, Colin���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 17 Watkins, Gareth�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 19 Wayne, Adrian��������������������������������������������������� 16, 17, 54, 80, 84 Wenger, Amelia�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 94 West, Peter��������������������������������������������������������������������������95, 116 White, Lauren������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 59 Whitford, Jackie�������������������������������������������������������������������������� 66 Whiting, Scott������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 26 Whittock, P���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 92 Willet, Cali ���������������������������������������������������������������������������������� 55 Williams, Matthew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Wilson, Barbara�������������������������������������������������������������������� 48, 91 Wilson, Michelle ������������������������������������������������������������������������ 62 Wolfe, Ashleigh ����������������������������������������������������������������117, 118 Woodberry, Owen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 Woods, Rupert���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 67 Woolnough, Andrew . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 93 Worrell, Teele���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 100 Wright, Belinda �������������������������������������������������������������������������� 55 Wynn, Melissa���������������������������������������������������������������������������� 23 Wysong, Michael������������������������������������������������������������������������ 45 Yeatman, Georgina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .80 Yokochi, Kaori������������������������������������������������������������������������������ 87 Zewe, Frances������������������������������������������������������������������������ 12, 44 Zhuang-Griffin, L ������������������������������������������������������������������������ 48 140 Australasian Wildlife Management Society www.awms.org.au
