The Action Plan for Australian Mammals 2012by John CZ Woinarski, Andrew A Burbidge and Peter L Harrison

A comprehensive snapshot of the current conservation status of Australian mammals.

The Action Plan for Australian Mammals 2012 is the first review to assess the conservation status of all Australian mammals. It complements The Action Plan for Australian Birds 2010 (Garnett et al. 2011, CSIRO Publishing), and although the number of Australian mammal taxa is marginally fewer than for birds, the proportion of endemic, extinct and threatened mammal taxa is far greater. These authoritative reviews represent an important foundation for understanding the current status, fate and future of the nature of Australia.

This book considers all species and subspecies of Australian mammals, including those of external territories and territorial seas. For all the mammal taxa (about 300 species and subspecies) considered Extinct, Threatened, Near Threatened or Data Deficient, the size and trend of their population is presented along with information on geographic range and trend, and relevant biological and ecological data. The book also presents the current conservation status of each taxon under Australian legislation, what additional information is needed for managers, and the required management actions. Recovery plans, where they exist, are evaluated.

The voluntary participation of more than 200 mammal experts has ensured that the conservation status and information are as accurate as possible, and allowed considerable unpublished data to be included. All accounts include maps based on the latest data from Australian state and territory agencies, from published scientific literature and other sources.

The Action Plan concludes that 29 Australian mammal species have become extinct and 63 species are threatened and require urgent conservation action. However, it also shows that, where guided by sound knowledge, management capability and resourcing, and longer-term commitment, there have been some notable conservation success stories, and the conservation status of some species has greatly improved over the past few decades.

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CONTENTS

2. A list of native Australian mammal species and subspeciesA.A. Burbidge, M.D.B. Eldridge, C. Groves, P.L. Harrison, S.M. Jackson, T.B. Reardon, M. Westerman and J.C.Z. Woinarski

INTRODUCTIONAfter more than 200 years of study, the taxonomy of Aus-tralian mammals remains far from firmly resolved. New species continue to be described; long-established names have been overhauled; and the robustness and compre-hensiveness of taxonomic treatment varies appreciably between different groups. Even some previously stable taxa are being revised and seen in a new light as a result of recent advances in genetic techniques.

The most recent authoritative and comprehensive review of the taxonomy of Australian mammals was in 1988 (Walton 1988), and much has changed subsequently. To some extent the Australian Faunal Directory (Austral-ian Biological Resources Study (ABRS) (2012) maintains a watching brief on such changes and attempts to maintain a regularly updated listing of valid taxa. The Mammal’s Planet on-line taxonomic database (http://www.planet-mammiferes.org/) and the Mammal Species of the World (Wilson and Reeder 2005) provide a useful complement, and global context, to Australian mammal taxonomy, though the internet version of the latter (http://www.ver-tebrates.si.edu/msw/mswcfapp/msw/index.cfm) does not appear to be updated regularly.

For our purpose, we established a list of Australian mammal species and subspecies, based initially from that used by the ABRS. We have made some modifications to that list based on new information, commentary from relevant taxonomists, and with reference to a currently unpublished review of the taxonomy of Australian mammals (Jackson and Groves in press). For marine mammals we used the currently (as at December 2012) accepted species and subspecies taxonomy of the Society for Marine Mammalogy, available at www.marinemam-malscience.org.

The unsettled nature of Australian mammal taxon-omy is evident when comparing the naming date of cur-rently-recognised Australian endemic mammal species

and currently-recognised Australian endemic bird species (Fig. 2.1). Whereas most Australian bird species were described by 1850 (and very few have been described over the last 100 years), there has been an almost continu-ous rate of descriptions for Australian endemic mammal species, extending unbroken to the present day.

It is a matter of concern that there is currently limited taxonomic research into Australia’s mammals. Few of the nation’s major museums currently employ mammal cura-tors and some taxonomic genetics research, often con-ducted within universities, has not been followed up with formal taxonomic descriptions. The still far from com-plete mammal taxonomy in Australia reinforces the necessity and importance of collecting voucher speci-mens of mammals and for museums to retain vouchers (Burbidge et al. 2012). Research (and consequently con-servation management) is continually being hampered, not only by there being few taxonomists, but also by a lack of museum specimens.

Our objective is to assess the conservation status of all Australian native mammal species and subspecies, fol-lowing the precedent set in the Action Plan for Australian Birds (Garnett et al. 2011), and consistent with the Aus-tralian national environmental legislation, the Environ-ment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, which allows for the listing, as threatened, of recognised species and subspecies (and in exceptional cases, popula-tions). Consideration of the conservation status of indi-vidual subspecies helps maintain the conservation of genetic diversity (as promoted by the Convention on Bio-logical Diversity of which Australia is a signatory), and serves as a conservative buffer for taxonomic uncertainty, especially for cases where future taxonomic inquiry may demonstrate that currently-recognised subspecies should be elevated to specific rank (e.g. Braby et al. 2012). However, subspecific treatment of Australian mammals has been erratic: many currently recognised subspecies

00-mammals-prelims-chapters-2pp.indd 15 3/02/14 14:34:58

Tammar364

IUCN status (2012)Least Concern (Morris et al. 2008e)

EPBC Act status (2012)Not listed

Legal status in range StatesSouth Australia Not listedWestern Australia Not listed (Priority 5)

sandstone areas, typically boulder piles, escarpments and gorges (Press 1988, 1989; Telfer et al. 2008). Within this area, it occurs across a wide range of habitat types, including hummock grasslands, heathlands, eucalypt open forests and monsoon rainforests (Press 1988, 1989), although exhibiting some preference for grasslands (Telfer et al. 2008). The diet may vary seasonally, and includes a wide range of grasses, herbs, flowers, fruits, seeds, yams and browse (Telfer and Garde 2006; Telfer and Bowman 2006).

Breeding is probably seasonal, with large pouch young observed mostly between June and September (Telfer and Calaby 2008). From information for other Macropus species, age at sexual maturity is 1–2 years and longevity about 15–20 years, so generation length is about 10 years (Jones et al. 2009).

Recovery planThere is no recovery plan. However, a recovery outline for the species was included in Roache (2011).

Current managementThere is no specific management targeted to this species. Most of the distributional range of this species falls within Kakadu National Park and the recently estab-lished Djelk and Warddeken Indigenous Protected Areas. Fire management is a major priority in these areas (Russell-Smith et al. 2009).

Conservation objectives1 Maintain existing range and abundance.

Comments received fromSimon Ward

Species Conservation Summary

TammarMacropus eugenii (Desmarest, 1817)

Macropodidae

Other common names: Tammar Wallaby; Tammar is derived from the Noongar (south-west Australia) name Dama (Abbott 2001a)

Conservation statusLeast Concern

JustificationTammar are abundant on Kangaroo Island and on four islands in Western Australia. On mainland south-west-ern Western Australia they are locally abundant where fox control is in place. On mainland South Australia, they were locally extinct in the wild, but have been reintroduced to Innes National Park from a feral population in New Zealand.

Retrospective status 2002Least Concern

Retrospective status 1992Least Concern

Previous Action Plan assessmentNear Threatened (as M. eugenii derbianus and M. eugenii decres; Maxwell et al. 1996)

Current eligibility against IUCN Red List Criteria

IUCN Criterion Criteria eligibility

A Not applicable: no reduction in population size in the past 3 generations (18 years)

B Not applicable: not severely fragmented, no continuing decline, no extreme fluctuations

C Not applicable: population >10 000 mature individuals, no continuing decline

D Not applicable: >5 locations

E Not applicable: no population viability analysis undertaken

IUCN Red List assessment data

Estimate Reliability

Extent of occurrencetrend

486 800 km2*stable

highhigh

Area of occupancytrend

288 km2

stablehighhigh

No. of mature individualstrend

>10 000stable

highhigh

No. subpopulations >10 high

No. locations >10 high

Generation time 6 years medium

Global population share 100% high

* includes translocations

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Quokka 443

was originally distributed from Moore River, 100 km north of Perth, through the higher rainfall part of the south-west, east along the south coast to at least the Green Range, 60 km north-east of Albany. Fossil deposits and historical records suggest that the Quokka originally occupied an area of approximately 41 200 km² in the south-western corner of Australia (de Tores et al. 2007).

Historical literature has shown that they were wide-spread and abundant when Europeans colonised the region in 1829, but a noticeable and dramatic decline occurred over the following century (Hayward 2002). This can be attributed mainly to the arrival of the Red Fox in the 1930s (Hayward et al. 2005a) and land clear-ing. There was another major contraction in the period 1980 to 1992, the cause of which is unknown, but it could be related to habitat deterioration, fox predation and declining winter rainfall. Overall range has contracted southwards with the northernmost records now in the Darling Range immediately east and north-east of Perth. The current Extent of Occurrence was estimated as c. 17 800 km2 by de Tores et al. (2007), but our calculation, using records since 1992 and including Rottnest Island, suggests it is larger than this. It persists patchily along the south coast east to the Green Range, including an isolated subpopulation in Stirling Range National Park. Quokkas are thought to be now absent from the Swan Coastal

Species Conservation Summary

QuokkaSetonix brachyurus (Quoy and Gaimard, 1830)

Macropodidae

Conservation statusVulnerable B2ab(iii,iv,v)

JustificationThe Quokka is evaluated as Vulnerable because the area of occupancy is <2000 km2, the range is severely frag-mented and there is an inferred continuing decline in population size due to the loss of small, isolated subpop-ulations, the drying climate, and predation by the Red Fox. Significant projected loss of EOO and AOO due to climate change, mainly a continuing reduction in winter rainfall, has been predicted.

Retrospective status 2002Near Threatened (approaches B1ab(iii,iv,v)+2ab(iii,iv,v))

Reason for change: projected ongoing decline.

Retrospective status 1992Near Threatened (approaches B1ab(iii,iv,v)+2ab(iii,iv,v)).

Previous Action Plan assessmentVulnerable A1b,c,e,C1 (Maxwell et al. 1996)

IUCN status (2012)Vulnerable B1ab(ii,iii) (de Tores et al. 2008)

EPBC Act status (2012)Vulnerable. No listing criteria.

Listing date: July 2000

Legal status in range StateWestern Australia Vulnerable

TaxonomyNo subspecies are recognised.

Taxonomic distinctiveness: high (global); high (Australian)

RangeThe Quokka is endemic to south-western Australia, including Rottnest (17 km2) and Bald (8 km2) Islands and, formerly, Breaksea Island (1 km2; Abbott 2006b). It

Current eligibility against IUCN Red List Criteria

IUCN Criterion Criteria eligibility

A Near Threatened: reduction in population size predicted but not >30% in 18 years (3 generations)

B Vulnerable: AOO <2000 km2, severely fragmented, continuing decline in extent and quality of habitat, number of subpopulations and number of mature individuals

C Near Threatened: population size inferred to be <10 000 mature individuals, decline rate predicted to be significant in future, and inferred to be >10% in 18 years (3 generations)

D Not applicable: >1000 mature individuals, >5 locations

E Not applicable: no population viability analysis undertaken

IUCN Red List assessment data

Estimate Reliability

Extent of occurrencetrend

56 850 km2

decreasingmediummedium

Area of occupancytrend

648 km2

decreasingmediummedium

No. of mature individualstrend

7500–15 000decreasing

mediummedium

No. subpopulations >10 high

No. locations >10 high

Generation length 6 years medium

Global population share 100% high

02-mammals-profiles-098-to-294-2pp.indd 443 3/02/14 14:51:13

SummaryAbout the authorsAcknowledgements

1. Introduction2. A list of native Australian mammal species and subspecies3. Evaluation of taxa that have been translocated to ‘mainland islands’ and continental islands4. Status assigned to every Australian mammal species and subspecies5. Taxon conservation summaries6. Analysis: the status and trends of Australian mammals7. Conclusions

Appendix A. Accounts for taxa that were not evaluatedAppendix B. Calculation of taxonomic distinctivenessIndex

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

John CZ Woinarski has been involved in research, management, advocacy and policy relating to biodiversity conservation, particularly in relation to threatened species, in Australia since the 1970s. Much of this work has been undertaken in northern Australia, with a particular focus on threatened mammal species. He has received numerous awards, including the Eureka Prize, the Australian Natural History Medallion, and the Serventy Medal for lifetime contribution to Australian ornithology. He is currently Professor in the Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University.

Andrew A Burbidge worked as a research scientist and manager in Western Australian government conservation departments from 1968 to 2002, where he had a strong focus on threatened species. His research and management also included conservation reserve design and selection, biological survey, island research and management including eradication of invasive mammals and biosecurity, indigenous oral history of mammals and fire ecology, and translocations. He is currently chair of the Western Australian Threatened Species Scientific Committee. Since 2002 he has worked part time as a consultant conservation biologist.

Peter L Harrison has worked as a marine ecologist for more than 30 years and is Professor and Director of the Marine Ecology Research Centre at Southern Cross University. His diverse research and teaching interests encompass marine mammals to corals, with a focus on linking research findings to improved conservation and management outcomes. He was awarded a joint Eureka Prize for environmental research. He has been a member of the Threatened Species Scientific Committee since 2005, and is a member of the NSW Marine Fauna Advisory Group, the Sea World Research and Rescue Foundation Scientific Committee, the Port Curtis and Port Alma Ecosystem Research and Monitoring Program Advisory Panel, and the South Pacific Whale Research Consortium.