Population density of eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) in a periurban matrix at Coffs Harbour, New South Wales

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy Henderson ◽  
Rajanathan Rajaratnam ◽  
Karl Vernes

We surveyed eastern grey kangaroos at four locations at the Northern Beaches region of Coffs Harbour, New South Wales, to estimate densities in this growing peri-urban region. This region is considered a regional hotspot for human–kangaroo conflict, with numerous kangaroo-related incidents in recent years. Direct counts of kangaroos were undertaken every two months during 2016. Kangaroo densities varied between sites, ranging from 0.2 individuals ha–1 to 4.9 individuals ha–1. Because no estimates of population density exist for the Northern Beaches, our results assisted the development of a regional kangaroo management plan, and contribute to a broader understanding of eastern grey kangaroo densities in peri-urban areas.

1967 ◽  
Vol 15 (6) ◽  
pp. 1163 ◽  
Author(s):  
WH Ewers

A morph-frequency cline and a size cline are described for the snail Velacumantus australis. The frequency of a white-banded form decreases clinally with latitude South. Living populations from Queensland and northern New South Wales have frequencies between 7 and 18% whereas all populations from southern New South Wales and eastern Victoria, except those from Lake Illawarra, have frequencies between 2 and 5%. The frequency in Port Phillip Bay is less than 0.1%. The frequency in a sample from Swan River, Western Australia, was 9.1% about the same as in samples from localities of the same latitude on the eastern coast of Australia. The frequency in most fossil samples was similar to that in nearby living populations. The mean length of populations from the eastern states increases clinally with increase in latitude South, although there are some irregular fluctuations between adjacent populations which are probably influenced by population density.


2006 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 295-304
Author(s):  
Jacqueline Mills

AbstractIn contemporary times, wildlife managers attempt to provide solutions to problems arising from conflicting uses of the environment by humans and nonhuman animals. Within the Kangaroo Management Zones of New South Wales (NSW), the commercial culling "solution" is one such attempt to perpetuate kangaroo populations on pastoral land while supporting farmers in continuing inefficient sheep farming. Because wildlife management rests on a distinction between the "nature" of humans and animals, then humanist attention to standards of individual welfare need not interrupt the process whereby individual animals are killed within an economic framework designed to improve habitat management for the conservation of their populations. Building on Thorne's (1998) discussion of the meanings scripted onto individual kangaroo bodies, this paper explores the utilitarian underpinnings of the commercialization approach and considers the ethical implications of constructing the population as resource, even if this results in an improvement in the welfare of individual kangaroos.


1994 ◽  
Vol 34 (7) ◽  
pp. 1069 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Humphreys ◽  
WS Meyer ◽  
SA Prathapar ◽  
DJ Smith

This paper reviews field measurements of evapotranspiration from rice (ET rice) in the Murrumbidgee Valley of southern New South Wales. The results are compared with US Class A open pan evaporation (E pan) at CSIRO Griffith, and with reference evapotranspiration (ETo) calculated using a locally calibrated Penman equation. Both methods (+ETrice = +Epan or +ETrice = +ETo) give good estimates of total evapotranspiration from flooded rice over the ponded season of about 5 months, from October to February. Variation between seasons in total ETo, rainfall, and ETo minus rainfall is large. Over 32 years, total seasonal ETo varied by a factor of 1.5, while rainfall varied >10-fold. The irrigation water requirement for rice +(ETo - rainfall) varied from 685 mm in 1992-93 to 1350 mm in 1990-91. This large variation highlights the need to adjust the rice water use limit (16 ML/ha or 1600 mm) on a seasonal basis, to detect and eliminate high water use paddocks where percolation to the groundwater or surface runoff is excessive (>2 ML/ha). On average, an irrigation requirement of 10.5 ML/ha is needed to replace net evaporative loss +(ETo - rainfall) for rice flooded for 5 months, October-February. Monthly totals of ETo are compared for several locations within the rice-growing areas of southern New South Wales, and differences between locations are found to be small and not significant. This reflects the strong dependence of evaporation on radiant energy, which is unlikely to vary spatially to a significant extent across the region. ETo calculated from meteorological data collected at CSIRO Griffith therefore provides a definitive basis for estimating evapotranspiration from rice in southern New South Wales. Furthermore, CSIRO Griffith has a computerised meteorological data base going back to the 1930s. Current meteorological data and historical records are readily available by contacting the Metdata Manager. Therefore, the case is made for using CSIRO Griffith ETo as the reference for estimating evapotranspiration from rice in southern New South Wales. This study provides farmers, Land and Water Management Plan groups, and policy makers with a tool that can be used, on a yearly basis, to evaluate rice paddock water use efficiency. It should be adopted to confine rice growing to the least permeable soils.


1983 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 203 ◽  
Author(s):  
RJ Taylor

The diet of the eastern grey kangaroo and wallaroo was compared at 2 sites, Lana and Newsholme, in the New England tablelands of New South Wales. At Lana, the pastures had been fertilized for 20 yr and were dominated by low-fibre grasses such as Bothriochloa, Eragrostis, Sporobolus, Microlaena, Danthonia and Vulpia; some paddocks had been sown with introduced grasses, Phalaris, Festuca and lucerne. Coarse tussock grasses such as Poa spp., Stipa and Danthonia pallida predominated at Newsholme. The major difference in the diet of the 2 spp. was in winter when individuals on the unimproved area at Newsholme ate a higher proportion of tussock grasses and less low-fibre grass. Both spp. consistently selected for low-fibre grass leaf; they did not differ in their use of plant parts. The diets contained many plant spp. in common, although there were major differences in the use of several spp. The plant spp. favoured only by the wallaroo were of a higher quality than those favoured only by the grew kangaroo.


2003 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 155 ◽  
Author(s):  
JM Harris ◽  
RL Goldingay

A community-based survey was undertaken in the Lismore Local Government Area (LGA) of north-eastern New South Wales to provide a basis for the development of a Shire-wide koala management plan. A questionnaire and maps were distributed to identify community attitudes towards P. cinereus conservation and management, as well as to document locations of sightings. There were 1121 surveys returned from 23,751 distributed (4.7% returned) across 18,000 ratepayers (6.2% response). Respondents indicated the frequency with which P. cinereus were seen in different suburbs, whether they had young or were sick, and provided 840 map-based records. Ten percent of respondents saw P. cinereus on at least a weekly basis, highlighting the importance of this LGA for the conservation of this species. More than 80% of respondents considered that roving dogs, land clearing, road traffic and housing development were serious threats to long-term P. cinereus survival. More than 90% of respondents supported restrictions on dogs, tree-planting programs, as well as planning activities to protect P. cinereus habitat while 85% approved of protection zones to control development within P. cinereus habitat. These results if representative of the entire community suggest strong support for the development of conservation options for P. cinereus. The study also confirms the usefulness of conducting such community-wide surveys for conspicuous threatened species.


1982 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 229 ◽  
Author(s):  
RJ Taylor

Data were collected on the occurrence of eastern grey kangaroos and wallaroos in groups on two properties (Lana and Newholme) in north-eastern New South Wales. The density of both species was higher on Lana than on Newholme. The frequency of occurrence of groups of different size was significantly different from that expected if the occurrence was random for both species. For the grey kangaroo on Lana, mean group size was smaller during early morning than during the rest of the day. Mean group size was significantly greater on Lana than on Newholme for both species, and smaller for wallaroos than for grey kangaroos on both properties. For both species, mean group size was significantly correlated with the density of kangaroos in each habitat.


1991 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 49 ◽  
Author(s):  
G Saunders ◽  
B Kay

This study describes the movements of feral pigs at Sunny Corner in eastern New South Wales. Population density at this site was 2 pigs km-2. Twenty-two pigs (12 males and 10 females) were captured and fitted with telemetry transmitters. Aggregate home range for males (10.7 � 6.9 km2) was significantly greater than for females (4.9 � 1.4 km2) as was 24 h home range (1.4� 1.1 km2, males and 0.8 � 0.4 km2, females). Seasonal home ranges were greatest in the winter and smallest in the autumn. These differences were attributed to variations in food availability. During all seasons there was a preference for creeklines that had vegetative cover. This was the result of thermoregulatory needs, refuge availability and food supply. Peak activity throughout the study occurred between 1900 and 2400 hours with little movement during the middle of the day. The implications of these results to management programs are discussed.


2008 ◽  
Vol 35 (4) ◽  
pp. 331 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. C. Cairns ◽  
G. W. Lollback ◽  
N. Payne

As part of a kangaroo management program, eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) and common wallaroos (M. robustus robustus) are harvested from three kangaroo management zones in north-eastern New South Wales, Australia. To set sustainable harvest quotas, it is necessary to obtain reasonably accurate estimates of the sizes of the populations of these two species of macropod. Recently, this has been done on two occasions using helicopter line-transect surveys. For the most recent of these surveys, conducted in 2004, each management zone was subdivided into three strata of increasing kangaroo density and the surveys were designed in relation to this stratification using an automated survey design algorithm. The results of the surveys were that eastern grey kangaroo densities were estimated as 8.11 ± 1.81 km–2 in the Glen Innes zone, 10.23 ± 2.41 km–2 in the Armidale zone and 4.82 ± 0.87 km–2 in the Upper Hunter zone. Wallaroo densities for these three zones were 3.06 ± 0.73 km–2, 5.68 ± 3.45 km–2 and 4.40 ± 1.01 km–2 respectively. The wallaroo densities were determined by multiplying the initial estimated densities by a correction factor of 1.85. Across the three kangaroo management zones, eastern grey kangaroo densities did not change in any significant way between the two surveys. This was also the case for wallaroos in the Glen Innes and Armidale zones. Wallaroo density in the Upper Hunter zone, however, increased significantly between the two surveys. Over a decade before these surveys were conducted, a series of ground surveys using walked line-transect sampling were undertaken. The density estimates derived from the helicopter surveys proved to be broadly comparable to those derived from the ground surveys, suggesting that conducting helicopter line-transect surveys designed using the method deployed here is effective in producing population estimates for the purpose of kangaroo management.


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