Rapid population expansion of Boodie (Burrowing Bettong, Bettongia lesueur) creates potential for resource competition with Mala (Rufous Hare‐wallaby, Lagorchestes hirsutus)

Abstract

SummaryTranslocations to closed systems such as fenced reserves are commonly used for conservation of threatened fauna species worldwide; however, resources are limited in these areas, and natural processes that regulate populations in response to resource availability are unable to occur. This can result in overabundance followed by overuse of resources, potentially resulting in extreme declines or local extinctions. Resource exhaustion can negatively impact other fauna in the closed environment that exploit similar resources, through inter‐specific competition. This paper discusses the reintroduction of Boodie (Bettongia lesueur) and Mala (Lagorchestes hirsutus) to a fenced reserve on the Matuwa Indigenous Protected Area, Western Australia, and raises the concern of potential competition between the two threatened species.

Influence of interactive effects on long‐term population trajectories in multispecies reintroductions

“…This overpopulation caused severe vegetation browsing of some plant species and a starvation‐induced population crash during drought. Macropods are herbivores and are commonly linked to problems of overabundance and overgrazing when predation pressure is low (Coulson & Eldridge, 2010; Read et al., 2021), including during reintroductions (burrowing bettongs [Hayward et al., 2010; Treloar et al., 2021]; brush‐tailed bettongs [ Bettongia penicillata ] [Short, 2009]; tammar wallabies [ Macropus eugenii ]; grey kangaroos [ Macropus giganteus ] [Copley, 1994]). These species often undergo a characteristic pattern of growth after release, which includes a latent establishment phase, an exponential increase phase, and a significant decline or “crash” phase followed by a more consistent and lower population level.…”

Scat DNA as a non-invasive method for estimating the abundance of the vulnerable mala (Lagorchestes hirsutus)

“…However, it is not currently clear how mala population abundance may fluctuate over time, particularly with climatic cycles in the unpredictable arid environment at Matuwa. Future annual scat sampling will provide information on population trends to confirm the stability of this population, and assist in understanding the factors that influence population size of this vulnerable species such as drought and competition with co-occurring species (Treloar et al . 2021).…”

“…Seventy-two scats were collected for genetic fingerprinting. An additional 40 scats collected for dietary analysis (Treloar 2022) and not genotyped were treated as ‘unmarked’ sightings of individuals in the mark–resight abundance estimates, resulting in a total of 112 samples for analysis (Fig. 2).…”

“…Once processed, each scat sample can be considered a 'capture event', and with this, the population size can be estimated using capture-mark-recapture analyses (Piggott et al 2006;Dziminski et al 2021). The use of scat DNA has proved more cost-effective and safer than traditional sampling methods for large, dangerous or difficult to capture species, including brown bears (Bellemain et al 2005), Arabian leopards (Perez et al 2006), and red foxes (Wegge et al 2019). Scat DNA sampling can also be more cost-effective for surveying species at low densities with large home ranges because broad scale live-capture may be resource-intensive (Ruibal et al 2009).…”

Lures change the detectability of feral cats on the arid landscape

“…The Rangelands Restoration program on the Matuwa National Park (2,440 km 2 ; ex-Lorna Glen pastoral lease) in central Western Australia (26° 13′ S, 121° 33′ E; Fig. 1) aims to achieve the successful reconstruction and conservation of Australian arid zone native species diversity (C. Lohr et al, 2021aLohr et al, , 2021bTreloar et al, 2021). Matuwa consists of two main land systems: Bullimore-sand plains dominated by spinifex (Triodia spp.…”