Saving the Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby at Buckaringa Wildlife Sanctuary
Context
Although it was once abundant, Australia’s strikingly beautiful Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby is now listed as Vulnerable to extinction by the Federal and South Australian Governments. A combination of intensive hunting by fur traders in the past, habitat destruction, and the introduction of feral predators (cats and foxes) and competitors, such as goats and rabbits, have seen its population decline to alarmingly low numbers.
In an effort to stem the continuing decline of Yellow-footed Rock-wallabies, which have now been reduced to only 25% of their former range, a number of feral animal control programs have been introduced at various significant Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby colonies. Immediately following these feral animal control programs, the Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby population appears to have increased at a number of colonies. However, these increases have not been sustained and, to date, no alternative explanations for the ongoing decline Yellow-footed Rock-wallabies have been investigated.
Buckaringa Wildlife Sanctuary currently supports at least eight Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby colonies. The Main Gorge colony is one of the largest in the southern / central Flinders Ranges, and it therefore plays a critical role in the conservation of the Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby. Although there has been some preliminary work on the Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby in Main Gorge, additional knowledge of the ecology of these animals is required for effective conservation management.
Project Description
To help secure the future of this endangered species, AWC is:
- Implementing a program to protect and maintain Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby habitat by:
- Establishing a feral animal control program that targets feral herbivores (goats and rabbits) and feral predators, (cats and foxes),
- Controlling erosion, restoring native vegetation and natural springs.
- Investigating the movement patterns, habitat use and population dynamics of this species. This will involve radio collaring ten Yellow-footed Rock-wallabies with GPS radio-collars in order to plot the exact movements of individuals.
Project Objectives
- By controlling dangerous feral predators such as foxes, AWC will be helping to protect Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby populations and reduce their current level of mortality.
- The removal of goats and rabbits will ensure greater availability of food and shelter for the wallabies.
- This research into the Buckaringa population of Yellow-footed Rock-wallabies seeks to improve our understanding of:
- The factors that cause population numbers to fluctuate,
- The relationship between different colonies, and
- The patterns of Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby habitat use and dispersal.
- Ultimately, this research seeks to provide a sufficient understanding of the ecology of the Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby and its threats, and thereby inform AWC’s conservation strategy. By enabling our scientists and managers working at the front-line to effectively manage the threats to this population and, critically, to the quality of its habitat, management interventions can be made to ensure the growth and long term viability of the Buckaringa Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby colonies.
Project Implementation
A team of AWC ecologists, lead by Dr Joss Bentley, AWC’s Conservation and Science Manager (southern Australia), will conduct their research into the Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby population at Buckaringa across a number of phases.
Commencing in August / September, colony size, location and composition will be established through a comprehensive trapping program in all suitable habitats on Buckaringa, supplemented by a spotlighting program.
Population structure, survivorship and recruitment will then be monitored, and will be combined with information on the health and reproductive behaviour of individuals. Patterns of habitat and water use, and movement, dispersal and ranging behaviour will also be tracked, as will genetic data, to determine colony inter- and intra-relatedness.
Comparative data on predator and competitor abundance and diet will also be collected. This information will establish the extent to which these factors influence Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby population dynamics.
The results of this research will then inform the most effective management interventions required to ensure the growth and long-term viability of the Buckaringa Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby colonies.
Current Management Priorities
A dedicated team of land managers and Volunteer Rangers are currently securing the safety of the Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby and their habitat at Buckaringa Wildlife Sanctuary.
During the past 12 months natural water flows, waterholes and springs have been restored, which recently involved removing two entire man-made dam walls at two locations. In addition, the team has already modified 23 kilometers of goat-resistant fence along Buckaringa’s boundary line.
Over 1000 goats have been removed from Buckaringa to date. Due to the topography of the property and the need to maintain free movement for the Yellow-footed Rock-wallabies between neighbouring properties however, goat proofing the sanctuary is set to be an ongoing challenge. Removing feral predators is another important element of their work and one which is vital to the survival of this endangered species.
How Optus is helping AWC to protect the Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby population at Buckaringa.
AWC is proud to acknowledge the generous support of Optus which is providing vital funding for this important project to conserve the endangered Yellow-footed Rock-wallabies at Buckaringa. AWC also greatly appreciates the efforts its corporate partner is making to generate national awareness about the urgent need to save this exquisite species for future generations of Australians - before it is too late.
For more information on how Optus and AWC are joining forces to tackle Australia’s extinction crisis, see AWC–Optus Corporate Partnership
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Individual tax deductible donations are vital to our ability to save the Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby from further decline. When you donate to AWC, you can be confident that your funds will be invested where they count most - in the field. In relation to the Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby project for example :
- $15 will maintain one wallaby's habitat for 1 day
- $26 will protect them from foxes for 1 week
- $125 will pay for an ecologist to conduct vital research for 1 day
- $278 will pay for a specially designed soft-sided trap to collar a wallaby with GPS
- $1380 will pay for 1 GPS collar
DONATE NOW : Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby Donation Page
YELLOW-FOOTED ROCK-WALLABY NATIONAL AWARENESS CAMPAIGN
For information on the Optus Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby national awareness campaign, see www.optus.com.au/wildlife
WILDLIFE PROFILES: Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby
SPECIES OCCURS AT: Buckaringa Sanctuary
DONATE NOW: Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby Donation Page