The impact of predation by the powerful owl, Ninox strenua, on a population of the greater glider, Petauroides volans

Abstract

Powerful owls were frequently observed during a study ofthe ecology of a community of arboreal marsupials in south-eastern New South Wales.For about 17 months the population of greater gliders in the 100 ha study area appeared to remain 'stable' at more than 80 individuals. In the following 46 months, the population declined to about one-tenth of its previous level. The forest in the study area was unlogged and remained undisturbed during this period. The frequency of sightings of powerful owls holding captured greater gliders, and of observations on the ground of tails and bodies belonging to greater gliders, and the unaccountable disappearance of 9 out of 11 individually marked greater gliders in the study area, suggest that the observed decline in the population of greater glitiers was due to predation by the powerful owl. Powerful owls were not detected in the study area during the first 12 months or the last 21 months of the study. It is suggested that powerful owls forage by concentrating their activities in pockets of their large home range until they reduce the populations of their preferred prey below limits where it becomes diffcult to catch the remaining animals. If preferred prey are available elsewhere, powerful owls probably move their centres of foraging activity to these pockets and harvest them before moving on to the next pocket of their range.

Home range and habitat use of a low-density population of greater gliders, Petauroides volans (Pseudocheiridae: Marsupialia), in a hollow-limiting environment

“…It has been shown that greater gliders can rapidly disappear from an area (Kavanagh 1988;J. Kehl, pers.…”

“…Most of the ecological studies of greater gliders have been undertaken primarily along the moister eastern seaboard in relatively nutrient-rich forests (Kavanagh 1984(Kavanagh , 1988Kehl and Borsboom 1984;Lindenmayer et al 1990Lindenmayer et al , 1991aLindenmayer et al , 1991bComport et al 1996;Eyre 2002;Wormington et al 2002), although studies of greater gliders have been conducted in low-rainfall forests (e.g. Henry 1984).…”

The impact of fox control on the relative abundance of forest mammals in East Gippsland, Victoria

“…Of the mammalian predators, wild dogs are relatively common although they preferentially hunt larger prey such as wallabies and kangaroos (Brown and Triggs 1990), whereas cats and quolls are in low abundance throughout the study area (Gillespie et al 1992). The potential impact of the three species of large forest owl and lace monitor on these medium-sized mammals is unknown; however, it may be substantial, particularly for the largely arboreal species such as the possums (Kavanagh 1988).…”

Observations of hunting attacks by the Powerful Owl Ninox strenua and an examination of search and attack techniques

“…Olsen et al (2011) also recorded attacks on Sugar Gliders, both airborne and on tree trunks, but these hunting attempts were all unsuccessful. Kavanagh (1988) observed an owl handling a recently caught Greater Glider Petauroides volans, which it released in response to disturbance from a spotlight. McNabb (1996) observed hunting attacks on Common Ringtail Possums Pseudocheirus peregrinus on two occasions and an unsuccessful tail-chase of a Crimson Rosella Platycercus elegans.…”