The Ecology and Conservation of the Northern Long-nosed Potoroo (Potorous tridactylus tridactylus) and Other Small, Threatened Macropods in North-eastern New South Wales, Australia

Dusty McLean

doi:10.25918/thesis.417

The effective conservation and management of a threatened species requires detailed knowledge of its ecology. The long-nosed potoroo (Potorous tridactylus), a small macropod, embodies the plight of Australia’s threatened species against extinction. Although one of only two Potoroids that still maintain a broad geographic range, populations of the long-nosed potoroo are highly fragmented and, in the northern part of its range, poorly understood. This paucity of knowledge complicates conservation efforts and thus demands attention. This thesis addresses this information deficit for the northern subspecies of the long-nosed potoroo (P. t. tridactylus, hereafter the northern potoroo). By elucidating the threats it faces and the status of its populations in subtropical forests and reserves in north-eastern New South Wales (NE NSW), Australia, this thesis aims to improve understanding of the ecology of the northern potoroo to better guide and inform conservation actions directed at ensuring its long-term persistence. The methods employed also enable targeting of other co-occurring small, threatened macropods. Throughout its range, the long-nosed potoroo faces many of the same threats as its imperilled or extinct relatives: predation, inappropriate fire regimes, and habitat loss. Recent monitoring has revealed variable occupancy patterns among populations of the northern subspecies, suggesting that, like elsewhere, threats vary in prevalence and impact among populations in this region. I examined the diets of dingoes (Canis familiaris) and the capacity of the northern potoroo and other small, threatened macropods to persist through catastrophic wildfire events to assess the risk posed by these potentially threatening processes. I also investigated whether artificial shelters could assist in habitat restoration and post-fire recovery efforts for the northern potoroo and other medium-sized, ground-dwelling mammal species. Finally, I described the multi-year dynamics of the northern potoroo and the similarly threatened red-legged pademelon (Thylogale stigmatica) in two floristically different reserves to determine whether their trajectories necessitate intervention and are influenced by predator activity and weather events. The key findings of my thesis were: 1) northern potoroos did not feature in dingo diets in either of two reserves, and pademelons are resilient to high levels of predation; hence, dingo predation does not appear to threaten these macropods; 2) northern potoroos and other threatened macropods can recover and, in some cases, benefit from catastrophic wildfires; 3) northern potoroos and other medium-sized ground-dwelling mammals are receptive to artificial shelters, though enhanced concealment and placement in areas with reduced shelter availability may optimise their benefits; and 4) while populations of pademelons and, in one reserve, northern potoroos, appear stable, the potoroo population in the other reserve requires intervention to halt a drastic decline likely driven by the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and exacerbated by drought. This thesis clarifies the threats faced by the northern potoroo and some other small, threatened macropods in NE NSW and the status of some of their populations. It also offers a novel approach to habitat restoration and provides recommendations for management and further research grounded in the context of my findings. These insights can inform and guide the formulation of appropriate and effective conservation management plans for the northern potoroo and other small, threatened macropods in this region.

The Ecology and Conservation of the Northern Long-nosed Potoroo (Potorous tridactylus tridactylus) and Other Small, Threatened Macropods in North-eastern New South Wales, Australia

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The Ecology and Conservation of the Northern Long-nosed Potoroo (Potorous tridactylus tridactylus) and Other Small, Threatened Macropods in North-eastern New South Wales, Australia

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