Testing the decline of the New Holland mouse (Pseudomys novaehollandiae) in Victoria

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 185 ◽  
Author(s):  
Phoebe A. Burns
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Management ◽  
Rodent Species ◽  
Conservation Priorities ◽  
Invasive Predators ◽  
Habitat Loss And Fragmentation ◽  
Poison Baiting ◽  
Local Extinctions ◽  
Threatening Processes ◽  
Fox Control ◽  
Ongoing Monitoring

Many Australian rodent species have become extinct or undergone substantial range contractions since European invasion. Limited and haphazard survey efforts across much of Australia mean we are unsure of many species’ current and former ranges, hampering our ability to identify and remedy causes of decline. The New Holland Mouse (NHM; Pseudomys novaehollandiae) is an endangered rodent species native to south-east Australia that is suspected of undergoing rapid and dramatic range contractions and local extinctions in recent decades. Here, I reassess the species’ distribution across Victoria using extensive survey efforts and, subsequently, provide a summation of potential key threatening processes. In only 40 years, the NHM has been lost from seven of the 12 isolated areas where it once occurred in Victoria. Habitat loss and fragmentation, invasive predators, and potentially disease and genetic inbreeding have likely contributed to the species’ rapid and continuing decline. Conservation priorities include ongoing monitoring and research, cat and fox control, exclusion of rabbit poison-baiting, targeted fire and habitat management, and reintroduction to historically occupied regions where threatening processes have been mitigated.

An analysis of bait-take and non-target impacts during a fox-control exercise

1998 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 147 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nick Dexter ◽  
Paul Meek
Keyword(s):  
New South ◽  
New South Wales ◽  
The Other ◽  
Target Species ◽  
South Wales ◽  
Poison Baiting ◽  
Heath Forest ◽  
Free Feeding ◽  
Fox Control ◽  
Control Exercise

The effectiveness of a fox-control exercise at the Beecroft Peninsula, New South Wales, was evaluated by examining the change in proportion of baits taken during free-feeding and after lethal baiting in four different habitats (heath, forest, coastal scrub, beach), and the change in number of radio-collared foxes alive during the course of the baiting exercise. The change in proportion of baits taken by non-target species was also examined over the course of the study. Bait take declined by 97% from the initiation of poison baiting to the final day of poison baiting eight days later with significantly more baits being taken in heath than in any other habitat. Four out of six radio-collared foxes died on the first day of poison baiting while the other two foxes died within ten days of the start of the poison-baiting session. Black rats, currawongs and ravens took a small number of baits throughout the baiting exercise.

scholarly journals Landscape management of the mahogany glider (Petaurus gracilis) across its distribution: subpopulations and corridor priorities

2020 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 152
Author(s):  
Stephen M. Jackson ◽  
Mark Parsons ◽  
Marcus Baseler ◽  
David Stanton
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Fragmentation ◽  
Habitat Loss ◽  
Average Length ◽  
Landscape Management ◽  
Habitat Connectivity ◽  
Wildlife Corridors ◽  
Remnant Vegetation ◽  
Habitat Loss And Fragmentation ◽  
Threatening Processes ◽  
High Degree

Key threatening processes to biodiversity include habitat loss and fragmentation, with populations restricted to small fragments of habitat being more prone to extinction. The mahogany glider (Petaurus gracilis) is endemic to sclerophyll woodland forests between Tully and Ingham in north Queensland and is one of Australia’s most endangered arboreal mammals due to these processes. The aim of this study was to identify the degree of habitat fragmentation of the remaining remnant vegetation of the mahogany glider, identify subpopulations within its distribution and identify key wildlife corridors for restoration to facilitate the movement of this species within and between subpopulations. Ten glider subpopulations, spread over 998 habitat fragments, were identified, of which only five subpopulations may currently be considered to be viable. To assist in providing habitat connectivity between and within the subpopulations, 55 corridors were identified for restoration that had an average length of 8.25 km. The average number of gaps greater than 30 m was 3.4 per corridor, with the average length of these gaps being 523 m. This study confirmed a high degree of habitat fragmentation across the distribution of the mahogany glider and highlighted the need to strengthen the remaining subpopulations by restoring habitat connectivity between the remaining habitat fragments.

scholarly journals Characterizing the spatio-temporal threats, conservation hotspots and conservation gaps for the most extinction-prone bird family (Aves: Rallidae)

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (9) ◽  
pp. 210262
Author(s):  
Lucile Lévêque ◽  
Jessie C. Buettel ◽  
Scott Carver ◽  
Barry W. Brook
Keyword(s):  
Anthropogenic Activities ◽  
Conservation Priorities ◽  
Commercial Development ◽  
Ongoing Research ◽  
Island Endemic ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Invasive Predators ◽  
Conservation Actions ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Spatio Temporal

With thousands of vertebrate species now threatened with extinction, there is an urgent need to understand and mitigate the causes of wildlife collapse. Rails (Aves: Rallidae), being the most extinction-prone bird family globally, and with one-third of extant rail species now threatened or near threatened, are an emphatic case in point. Here, we undertook a global synthesis of the temporal and spatial threat patterns for Rallidae and determined conservation priorities and gaps. We found two key pathways in the threat pattern for rails. One follows the same trajectory as extinct rails, where island endemic and flightless rails are most threatened, mainly due to invasive predators. The second, created by the diversification of anthropogenic activities, involves continental rails, threatened mainly by agriculture, natural system modifications, and residential and commercial development. Indonesia, the USA, the United Kingdom, New Zealand and Cuba were the priority countries identified by our framework incorporating species' uniqueness and the level of endangerment, but also among the countries that lack conservation actions the most. Future efforts should predominantly target improvements in ecosystem protection and management, as well as ongoing research and monitoring. Forecasting the impacts of climate change on island endemic rails will be particularly valuable to protect rails.

scholarly journals What we (don't) know about the effects of habitat loss and fragmentation on felids

Oryx ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 96-106 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marina Zanin ◽  
Francisco Palomares ◽  
Daniel Brito
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Loss ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Knowledge Generation ◽  
Landscape Configuration ◽  
Conservation Priorities ◽  
Knowledge Gaps ◽  
Threat Status ◽  
Theoretical Approaches ◽  
Habitat Loss And Fragmentation ◽  
Felid Species

AbstractFelid species have intrinsic ecological traits that make them particularly susceptible to the threats of habitat loss and fragmentation. We collate current knowledge of the effects of habitat loss and fragmentation on felids, describing trends, investigating the allocation of research effort and identifying knowledge gaps. We searched the scientific literature and categorized articles according to conceptual and methodological approaches. We reviewed 162 articles and observed that scientific knowledge is unevenly distributed among topics and species. Habitat suitability and patch–landscape configuration are the most studied topics. The allocation of research effort is unrelated to variables that describe conservation priorities, such as threat status and habitat availability within a species’ range, but it is related to body size, suggesting that charismatic attributes influence the choice of target species. Countries with less research effort are also those with less economic development, and thus North America and Europe are the centres of knowledge generation of reviewed studies. The responses of sixteen felid species to habitat loss and fragmentation remain unknown. Of these the Andean mountain cat Leopardus jacobita, the Bornean bay cat Pardofelis badia, the flat-headed cat Prionailurus planiceps and the fishing cat Prionailurus viverrinus most urgently require research because they are threatened with extinction. We recommend the use of theoretical approaches, through modelling exercises, as a first step to address the lack of information about the effects of habitat loss and fragmentation on felids, especially for those species for which there are large knowledge gaps.

Preliminary Field Assessment of a Cabergoline Baiting Campaign for Reproductive Control of the Red Fox (Vulpes Vulpes).

1996 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 161 ◽  
Author(s):  
CA Marks ◽  
M Nijk ◽  
F Gigliotti ◽  
F Busana ◽  
RV Short
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Red Fox ◽  
Canis Familiaris ◽  
Control Methods ◽  
Island Populations ◽  
Reproductive Control ◽  
Field Assessment ◽  
Poison Baiting ◽  
Fox Control

The use of poison baiting in Australia to control foxes is impractical in urban areas and some wildlife reserves because of hazards to non-target animals. More acceptable methods of fox control in such environments are needed. Cabergoline is a dopamine agonist that has previously been demonstrated to have an abortifacient effect in cats (Felis catus) and dogs (Canis familiaris). The prolactin-inhibiting action of cabergoline may also result in cessation of lactation. Cabergoline has been shown to be completely palatable to foxes and is easily incorporated into a non-poisonous bait. The ability of bait-delivered cabergoline to effect the birth of viable fox cubs was tested in urban Melbourne and rural Bendigo, Victoria. A sample of 51 natal dens were chosen for this study on the basis that they had been active for 3 consecutive years (1991-93). 30 treatment dens were randomly selected and each treated once during August and again during September 1994 with 8 non-poisonous Foxoff baits containing 170 micro g of cabergoline and 200 mg of tetracycline to act as a biomarker. The remaining 21 dens were used as controls. Baits were randomly placed by burial within a 50-m radius of the den. Activity of all dens was assessed until December 1994 for direct/indirect signs of fox cubs. Bait uptake was >88% overall for the treatment dens. The resulting incidence of cubs was significantly lower in the treatment dens than in the controls. The potential for cabergoline to be used in urban areas and island populations as an adjunct to conventional control methods is discussed.

scholarly journals Genetic structure of natterjack toad (Epidalea calamita) populations in Flanders, Belgium, and its implications for conservation

2019 ◽  
Vol 40 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-205
Author(s):  
Joke Maes ◽  
Arend Raoul Van Oosten ◽  
Natalie Van Houtte ◽  
Erik Matthysen
Keyword(s):  
Population Structure ◽  
Genetic Structure ◽  
Habitat Management ◽  
Natural Populations ◽  
Conservation Priorities ◽  
Evolutionary Potential ◽  
Isolated Populations ◽  
Genetic Population ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Epidalea Calamita

Abstract Unique evolutionary potential could be lost when a population goes extinct or when individuals are translocated to other existing populations. Therefore, in order to identify priorities and to predict the efficiency and consequences of conservation actions, information is needed on the genetic structure of natural populations. In the urbanized and diverse landscapes of Flanders, Belgium, natterjack toad (Epidalea calamita) populations have been declining over the last decades. Therefore, this species is subjected to a wide range of different types of conservation measures (e.g. habitat management, corridor development, translocations). However, more information is needed on its genetic population structure. In this study, we sampled egg clutches from six populations and studied their genetic structure with six microsatellite markers. In total, 184 samples from 99 different egg strings were genotyped. Observed heterozygosity was generally high, even for the small and isolated populations (overall mean HO = 0.43). The weak clustering by the Bayesian analyses (STRUCTURE, Adegenet and BAPS) does not allow us to make strong conclusions on the population structure. However, the significant ΦST values between the populations underline the importance of genetic information when conservation priorities are discussed. Unique evolutionary potential could be lost when one or more natterjack toad populations would go extinct, and translocation of individuals to other existing populations should be considered with caution.

scholarly journals Efficacy and welfare assessment of an encapsulated para-aminopropiophenone (PAPP) formulation as a bait-delivered toxicant for feral cats (Felis catus)

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (8) ◽  
pp. 686
Author(s):  
Michael Johnston ◽  
Dave Algar ◽  
Michael O'Donoghue ◽  
Jim Morris ◽  
Tony Buckmaster ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Controlled Release ◽  
Clinical Signs ◽  
Management Technique ◽  
Target Species ◽  
Feral Cats ◽  
Invasive Predators ◽  
Scale Population ◽  
Poison Baiting ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Management Techniques

Abstract ContextFeral cats are invasive predators of small and medium-sized fauna throughout Australia. The only broad-scale population-management technique for feral cats currently available in Australia is poison baiting. As poison baits for feral cats must be surface-laid, this can lead to the unintended exposure of non-target species consuming the baits. Encapsulation of a toxin within a robust, controlled-release pellet implanted within the meat lure (the combination of which is termed the Curiosity® bait) substantially reduces the potential risk to non-target species. Para-aminopropiophenone (PAPP) has been shown to be an effective toxin to which cats are highly susceptible. AimsThe present study aimed to measure the efficacy of encapsulating PAPP toxin in a controlled-release pellet on feral cats in a pen situation and to document the observed behaviours through the toxication process. MethodsPen trials with captive cats were undertaken to document efficacy of encapsulating PAPP toxin in a controlled-release pellet and to assess the behaviours during toxicosis. These behaviours inform an assessment of the humaneness associated with the Curiosity bait using a published relative humaneness model. Key resultsThe trials demonstrated a 95% consumption of the toxic pellet and observed the pattern of behaviours exhibited during the intoxication process. There was a definitive delay in the onset of clinical signs and death followed at ~185min after the first definitive sign. The humaneness using the relative humaneness model was scored at ‘mild suffering’. ConclusionsThe encapsulating PAPP toxin in a controlled-release pellet for feral cats is effective. The feral cats display a range of behaviours through the toxication process, and these have been interpreted as mild suffering under the relative humaneness model. ImplicationsThe documented efficacy and behaviours of encapsulating PAPP toxin in a controlled-release pellet provides knowledge of how the PAPP toxin works on feral cats, which may assist in decision-making processes for conservation land managers controlling feral cats and whether to incorporate the use of the Curiosity® bait into existing management techniques.

Landscape Effects on Population Distributions and Dynamics

2019 ◽  
pp. 291-336
Author(s):  
Kimberly A. With
Keyword(s):  
Habitat Loss ◽  
Landscape Structure ◽  
Habitat Management ◽  
Extinction Risk ◽  
Species Conservation ◽  
Simulation Models ◽  
Population Growth Rates ◽  
Human Land Use ◽  
Population Distributions ◽  
Habitat Loss And Fragmentation

The distribution and dynamics of populations reflect the interplay between dispersal and demography with landscape structure. Understanding how landscape structure affects populations is essential to effective habitat management and species conservation, especially within landscapes undergoing habitat loss and fragmentation as a result of human land-use activities. This chapter thus begins with an overview of the effects of habitat loss and fragmentation on populations, followed by a discussion of species distribution modeling. Then, because population assessment figures so prominently in evaluating a species’ extinction risk to landscape change, the chapter considers the different classes of population models used to estimate population growth rates and population viability, including the use of metapopulation and spatially explicit simulation models.

Landscapes, ecology and wildlife management in highly modified environments - an Australian perspective

2005 ◽  
Vol 32 (5) ◽  
pp. 389 ◽  
Author(s):  
Richard J. Hobbs
Keyword(s):  
Urban Development ◽  
Habitat Loss ◽  
Wildlife Management ◽  
Human Activities ◽  
Habitat Management ◽  
Native Vegetation ◽  
Timber Production ◽  
Habitat Value ◽  
Habitat Loss And Fragmentation ◽  
Species Specific

Landscapes in southern Australia have been extensively modified by a variety of human activities, predominantly agriculture and urban development. Over much of the area, native vegetation has been replaced with agriculture or buildings and infrastructure. A continuum exists from areas that remain largely intact, but are modified in some way (e.g. forests managed for timber production), to areas where the remaining native vegetation is fragmented to varying degrees. Habitat management will vary across this continuum, depending on the degree of habitat loss and isolation. In areas outside the main zones of agricultural and urban development, the process of habitat loss and fragmentation is less in evidence. Here, instead, the landscapes remain apparently structurally intact, in that the native vegetation is not actually removed. However, these landscapes have also, in many cases, been significantly modified, particularly by pastoralism and related activities, to the extent that their value as habitat is impaired. Declining habitat value in northern landscapes may lead to the same types of functional fragmentation as found in the south. An examination of the differences and similarities between southern and northern landscapes can highlight what can be learned from the southern experience which may be of value in savanna landscapes. In both cases, the importance of considering impacts in relation to species-specific responses needs to be emphasised.

Cats (Felis catus) are more abundant and are the dominant predator of woylies (Bettongia penicillata) after sustained fox (Vulpes vulpes) control

2015 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicola J. Marlow ◽  
Neil D. Thomas ◽  
Andrew A. E. Williams ◽  
Brian Macmahon ◽  
John Lawson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Vulpes Vulpes ◽  
Dna Analysis ◽  
Predation Rate ◽  
Felis Catus ◽  
Control Programs ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Recovery Programs ◽  
Invasive Predators ◽  
Bettongia Penicillata ◽  
Fox Control

The control of foxes (Vulpes vulpes) is a key component of many fauna recovery programs in Australia. A question crucial to the success of these programs is how fox control influences feral cat abundance and subsequently affects predation upon native fauna. Historically, this question has been difficult to address because invasive predators are typically challenging to monitor. Here, non-invasive DNA analysis was used to determine the fate of radio-collared woylies (Bettongia penicillata) in two reserves in a mesic environment where foxes had been controlled intensively for over two decades. Woylie trap success had increased more than 20-fold after fox baiting commenced in the 1980s but decreased precipitously in 2000. Ninety-eight monitored woylies were killed between 2006 and 2009. DNA analysis of swabs taken from radio-collars and carcasses of these woylies indicated that predation by cats (Felis catus) caused most mortalities (65%) and was three times the fox predation rate (21%). Also, indices of cat abundance were higher in fox-baited sites where foxes were less abundant. Predation on woylies by cats was greater than previously recognised and, by implication, may significantly reduce the effectiveness of fox control programs throughout Australia. Integrated fox and cat control is essential to ensure the success of fauna recovery programs.

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