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Moving mammals – looking backwards, looking forwardSarah Legge, Uni Qld and ANU; on behalf of large author team
Mike Bode, Andrew Burbidge, Nicki Mitchell, Jim Radford, Jeremy Ringma, Brendan Wintle, John Woinarski
Adrian Manning, Australian National University, Woodlands Trust
Andrew BurbidgeAnnika Everaardt, Tasmania DPIPWEBrendan Wintle, University of MelbourneBrydie Hill, NT Dept Environment and Natural ResourcesChris Dickman, University of SydneyChris Johnson, University of Tasmania
David Pannell, University of Western AustraliaErin McCreless, UQGraeme Gillespie , NT Dept Environment and Natural ResourcesJeremy Ringma, University of QueenslandJim Radford, Bush Heritage AustraliaJohn Kanowski , Australian Wildlife ConservancyJohn Woinarski, Charles Darwin University
Joss Bentley, NSW Office of Environment and HeritageKatherine Moseby, Ecological Horizons / Arid RecoveryKatherine Tuft, Arid RecoveryKeith Morris, WA DBCAManda Page, WA DBCAMarcus Baseler, Dept of the Environment, ERINMichael Bode, University of MelbourneMike Letnic, University of NSWNick Dexter, Parks Australia (Booderee National Park)Nicki Mitchell, University of Western Australia
Peter Copley, SA Dept of Environment, Water and Natural ResourcesPeter Latch, Dept of the EnvironmentPeter Menkhorst, Artur Rylah Institute for Environmental ResearchRussell Palmer, WA DBCA
Looking backwards:• Brief history of translocations• Why do we need to move mammals?• Development of the ‘ark’ or ‘haven’ concept for threatened mammals
Looking forwards: Strategic planning for future translocations to havens• Which species need havens?• How well are they currently protected?• Where should the next havens go?
Comparisons between plant and animal translocations
Moving mammals – looking backwards, looking forward
• Translocations is an ancient practice (eg cuscus, dingo); for food, ceremony, medicine, mind-altering…hunting aid and companionship
• Colonising Europeans also moved animals around (egrabbits, foxes, cats)
• Early settlers formalised this tradition with acclimatisation societies (eg kookaburras:
…“merit, as vermin-destroying animals”……“robust, jovial humour of their merry pleasant
notes and quaint manners”…)
Animal translocationsAncestral being and dingo, LauraFillios and Tacon 2016
The Snake Destroyer, the Laughing JackassIllustrated Australian News, 27 December 1876.
Conservation translocations to islands began late 1800s:• Koalas to French Is; late 1800s• Tammars to Greenly Is, SA; 1905• Red-bellied Pademelon to Wilsons Prom; 1911• Lyrebirds to Tasmania; 1934-49
Conservation translocations increased from c. 1960s
Lyrebird; GouldBritish Museum
Animal translocations for conservation
pre 1970 1970-79 1980-89 1990-99 2000-17
num
ber o
f ver
tebr
ate
trans
loca
tions
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
Animal translocations for conservation
Short 2009 ‘The characteristics and success of vertebrate translocations within Australia’Legge et al 2018 Wildlife Research
Translocations have increased over time Most animal translocations involve mammals
mammals
birds
frogsreptiles
Australian mammal extinction rate worst in world• >35 taxa extinct, representing• 35% of all global mammalian extinctions since 1500
• Woinarski JCZ, Burbidge AA, Harrison PL (2015) PNAS 112, 4531-40.• Johnson C (2006) Australia's Mammal Extinctions. Cambridge University Press, New York.
Why do we need to move mammals?
Photos: wiki CC
Cats and foxes are main drivers, exacerbated by habitat change from fire, grazing, other ferals (eg. rabbits)
Evidence• The timing of fox/cat arrival vs
population decline• Correspondence between cat/fox prey
with severity of population decline• Correspondence of ecological and life
history attributes with severity of decline• Contrast in translocation success to sites
with/without cats/foxes• Some pops of some species only
survived where cats/foxes remained absent
Greater stick-nest rats became extinct on the mainland, surviving only on the Franklin Islands
Some species only survived because they occurred on islands that remained free of cats/foxes
WA DBCA H. McGregor, Arid Recovery
Boodies were extirpated on the
mainland, surviving only on three islands
off the WA coast
Natural IslandArks
…first using islands that were naturally cat and fox free, and later using islands from which cats/foxes were eradicated
Natural island arks were augmented by deliberate translocations to islands…
Cumulative increase in island number and area used for mammal translocations
Dirk Hartog Is, 628 km2; Largest island in world for cat eradication
Total area of islands projected to increase substantially over coming years:
French, Bruny, Christmas, Kangaroo, Phillip Islands add 5184 km2
Extending the island concept -mainland islands
First mainland islands created by Earth Sanctuaries Limited (Wamsley) from 1980s
Cat/fox fence at Mulligan’s Flat, Canberra (A. Manning)
Extending the island concept -mainland islands
Cumulative increase in number and area of fenced exclosures used for mammal translocations
New fence currently being constructed at Wandiyali-Environa(C. Larcombe)
Wandiyali-Environa, Tiverton, Mallee Refuge, Pilliga, Goorooyarroo, Newhaven, Mallee Cliffs, Wild Desert add 914 km2
Total areas of fences projected to increase substantially over coming years
Strategic planning for mammal translocations
1. Which species need complete protection from cats and foxes?2. Where are the existing island and fenced havens?3. Which species do they protect?4. Where should the next island and fenced havens go?
H. McGregor/Arid Recovery Wildlife Centre
1. Which species need protection from cats and foxes?
• Assessed 246 mammal taxa (excluding bats)• Categorised by ~30 experts according to
susceptibility to cats/foxes
H. McGregor
Wiki CC
Wiki CC
Zoos Vic
Extreme
High
Low
Not
EXTREME = Don’t persist with cats/foxes
HIGH = May just persist, but heavily reduced pop size or viability; or only if cat/fox density is much reduced
LOW = persists, but with some reduction in pop size or viability
NO = pop size and/or viability unaffected by cats/foxes
Predator susceptibility of all terrestrial mammal species
37
42
112
52Wiki CC
Radford et al. (2018) Wildlife Research
Taxa that are more susceptible to cats and foxes show the greatest level of decline
Radford et al. (2018) Wildlife Research
Digression – cats and faunal attrition
McKenzie et al 2007Legge et al (2017) Bio Cons
1. Which mammals need protection from cats and foxes?
37
42
112
52
53 taxa(40 species)
14 taxa(12 species)
Strategic planning for mammal translocations 1. Which species need complete protection from cats and foxes?2. Where are the existing island and fenced havens?3. Which species do they protect?4. Where should the next island and fenced havens go?
Used ERIN Island database, DEWHA feral animals on islands database, Mammal Action Plan, additional references, pers comms from agencies, NGOs
H. McGregor, Arid RecoveryKimberley islands, Wiki CC
UNKNOWN
ABSENT
PRESENT
PRESENT
ABSENT
UNKNOWN
Number of islands
Area of islands
Where are the existing island and fenced havens?
Island havens – cat/fox-free
590 islands cat/fox-free
Covering 5468 km2,or 16% island area, or 0.06% of Australia’s land area(range 1 ha – 628 km2)
5442 islands > 1 ha (32,969 km2)
Island size>10 000 km2
1000 to 10 000 km
2
100 to 1 000 km
2
10 to 100 km
2
1 to 10 km
2
0.1 to 1 km
2
0.01 to 0.1 km
2
Num
ber o
f isl
ands
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
3000
% is
land
s w
ith c
ats
0
20
40
60
80
100
# islands% withCats/foxes
Cat and fox-free islands
1/293%
10/7913%
66/16041%
24/8927%
0/21
0/94
0/12
0/106
• 101 islands, covering 2152 km2
• Range 1 ha – 235 km2 (Barrow) and now 628 km2 (DHI)• Median = 6 km2
89
94160
79
29
106
12
Commonwealth21
Cat/fox-free with susceptible taxa
In situ, or natural pops vs translocated island pops
‘Natural’ havens• Concentrated in the north
Havens by translocation • More common south of tropics• WA and SA govs most active • 22 islands; 30 translocations
Golden-backed tree-rats occur on at least 10 islands (A. Hartsthorne)
Mainland havens (fenced areas)
• 19 fenced areas• 17 with threatened
mammal taxa susceptible to cats/foxes
• Cover 346 km2
• Range 0.5-123 km2
• Median 4 km2
Woylie release at Perup fenced reserve, WA. (O’Rourkes/Dept. Biodiversity, Conservation, Attractions)
Excludes small fenced areas with pops maintained by supplementary feeding, or constant restocking
Wandiyali-Environa
Island havens outnumber fences, and cover much larger total area
Islands protect more populations, but not more taxa…
Greater redundancy of pops (per taxa) across islands
islandsfencesboth
areanumber
populationstaxa
17
101
346
2152
49
139
15
1112
Islands and fences – some vital stats
Islands reach much larger areas:• Median fence area = 4 km2, max = 123 km2
• Median island area = 6 km2, max = 628 km2
number of taxa in the haven
1 2 3 4 5
rela
tive
prop
ortio
n
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
islandfence
Compared to islands, fenced areas are more likely to have multiple taxa
Numbers of taxa within havens
Islands and fences – some vital stats
fenceisland
• Islands have played an important role in protecting in situ pops• Fenced areas are important havens for translocated pops
In situ pops vs translocated populations
The eastern barred bandicoot exists only within three fenced areas and two islands Photo: Wiki CChaven
island fence
num
ber o
f pop
ulat
ions
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140 translocationsin situ
Islands and fences – some vital stats
Islands and fences - success rates
• Success rates are probably increasing; island translocations more successful than to fences• Translocation success overwhelming influenced by cat/fox predation (habitat quality,
disease, animal husbandry, small founder number much less important)• Most failures to fenced areas were from cat/fox incursion, but also small area in some cases• Without adequate investment in construction & ongoing maintenance, security of fenced
areas is inevitably compromised
Haven Short 2009 Legge et al 2018
Open site Ranges from 0% to <<50%
Island 82% (n = 17) 86% (n = 35)
Fence 59% (n = 41) 70% (n = 60)
Time periods 1880-2009 1980-2017
Short J (2009) The characteristics and success of vertebrate translocations within Australia. Legge et al (2018) Wildlife Research
Taxon
Rat
tus
tunn
eyi t
unne
yi
Das
yuru
s ha
lluca
tus
Isoo
don
aura
tus
Betto
ngia
pen
icilla
taM
esem
brio
mys
mac
ruru
sBe
ttong
ia le
sueu
r les
ueur
Le
poril
lus
cond
itor
Para
ntec
hinu
s ap
ical
is
Tric
hosu
rus
vulp
ecul
a ar
nhem
ensi
sM
acro
tis la
gotis
Myr
mec
obiu
s fa
scia
tus
Pera
mel
es b
ouga
invi
lleBe
ttong
ia le
sueu
r (Ba
rrow
-Boo
die
Is)
Petro
gale
con
cinn
a m
onas
tria
Petro
gale
late
ralis
pea
rson
i La
gost
roph
us fa
scia
tus
Pera
mel
es g
unni
i sub
sp (V
ic)
Pseu
dom
ys fi
eldi
iIs
oodo
n ob
esul
us o
besu
lus
(Sth
Aus
t)Po
toro
us g
ilber
tii
Petro
gale
late
ralis
hac
ketti
Pe
troga
le la
tera
lis la
tera
lis
Seto
nix
brac
hyur
us
Das
yuru
s vi
verr
inus
Pseu
doch
eiru
s oc
cide
ntal
is
Lago
rche
stes
con
spic
illatu
s co
nspi
cilla
tus
Lago
rche
stes
hirs
utus
ber
nier
i La
gorc
hest
es h
irsut
us ('
mal
a')
Pseu
dom
ys n
ovae
holla
ndia
ePh
asco
gale
cal
ura
Phas
coga
le ta
poat
afa
wam
beng
erIs
oodo
n ob
esul
us o
besu
lus
(SE
Aust
)Be
ttong
ia g
aim
ardi
Po
toro
us tr
idac
tylu
s tri
sulc
atus
O
nych
ogal
ea fr
aena
taPe
troga
le p
enic
illata
C
onilu
rus
peni
cilla
tus
peni
cilla
tus
Pseu
dom
ys a
ustra
lisD
asyu
roid
es b
yrne
i
Das
yuru
s ge
offro
iiPh
asco
gale
pira
taPh
asco
gale
tapo
ataf
a ta
poat
afa
Phas
coga
le ta
poat
afa
kim
berle
yens
isSm
inth
opsi
s ai
tken
iBu
rram
ys p
arvu
s Be
ttong
ia tr
opic
a Po
toro
us lo
ngip
esPo
toro
us tr
idac
tylu
s tri
dact
ylus
La
gorc
hest
es c
onsp
icilla
tus
leic
hard
ti Pe
troga
le c
onci
nna
cane
scen
s Pe
troga
le la
tera
lis (M
acD
onne
ll R
a)Pe
troga
le la
tera
lis (W
est K
imbe
rley)
Petro
gale
xan
thop
us c
eler
is
Petro
gale
xan
thop
us x
anth
opus
Con
iluru
s pe
nici
llatu
s m
elib
ius
Mas
taco
mys
fusc
us m
ordi
cus
Mes
embr
iom
ys g
ould
ii go
uldi
iM
esem
brio
mys
gou
ldii
mel
ville
nsis
M
esem
brio
mys
gou
ldii
ratto
ides
N
otom
ys a
quilo
N
otom
ys fu
scus
Pseu
dom
ys fu
meu
s Ps
eudo
mys
ora
lis
Pseu
dom
ys s
hortr
idge
iZy
zom
ys m
aini
iZy
zom
ys p
alat
alis
Zyzo
mys
ped
uncu
latu
s
Num
ber o
f pop
ulat
ions
in h
aven
s
0
5
10
15
20
25
30
35
islands fences
Progress so far - representation across havens
Central rockrat in the West Macs. (P. McDonald/NT Dept Environment and Natural Resources)
Bilby, in 6 havens, with 5 more planned in near future
Legge et al. (2018) Wildlife Research
The last 10 haven areas have increased protection for some species, but have not added any new species to the haven network
Many players create havens (state gov, local gov, NGO, community groups, private individuals). Decentralisation:• Creates resilience• Improves community buy-in• Challenges national coordination
Ringma et al. (2017), Nature Ecol Evol 2: 410-411
Progress so far - representation across havens
Strategic planning for mammal translocations 1. Which species need complete protection from cats and foxes?2. Where are the existing island and fenced havens?3. Which species do they protect?4. Where should the next island and fenced havens go?
H. McGregor, Arid RecoveryKimberley islands, Wiki CC
Systematic planning for future havens
Aim: How should we expand the haven network to reduce extinction riak for mammal taxa threatened by cats and foxes
• 67 taxa• Historical distribution to guide where each taxon could be protected• Weighted taxa according to their existing protection• Prioritised subregions by iteratively re-weighted taxa
Compared performance of this approach with • ‘Random’ – subregions selected at random• ‘Business as usual’ - extrapolate from past network growth
Ringma et al. (2018) Cons Letts “Systematic planning can rapidly close the protection gap in Australian mammal havens.”
Systematic planning for future havens
Determined the minimum number of new havens required for different levels of population redundancy• At least one pop of every taxa• To at least 6 pops of every taxa
To achieve one or more pops…we need as few as 12 new havens.
The next 12 havens…to achieve protection for at least one pop of every mammal taxon susceptible to cat/fox predation
Performance with systematic planning
Ringma et al. (2018) Cons Letts “Systematic planning can rapidly close the protection gap in Australian mammal havens.”
Objective: to reduce extinction risk across all 67 taxa susceptible to predation by cats and foxes
Strategic planning outperforms other approaches.
Random selection of future sites outperforms Business-As-Usual
Supporting national coordination for future haven expansion
Support partnerships:• Funded species, even multi-species, recovery teams• Brokered partnerships, even tied to government investment
Whilst recognising that locally-focussed groups have immense value!
Broad-faced potorooDesert rat-kangaroo White-footed rabbit-rat Lesser Stick-nest rat
Crescent nailtail wallabyPig-footed BandicootLesser Bilby
Eastern Hare-wallaby Short-tailed Hopping Mouse
Long-tailed Hopping Mouse
Large-eared Hopping Mouse Darling Downs Hopping Mouse
Broad-cheeked Hopping Mouse
Desert bandicootGould’s MouseSome of the mammals sent extinct by cats and foxes
13 taxa have avoided extinction because of natural or ‘created’ havens
Photos: H. McGregor; Wiki CC; R. Francis; D. Walker; Parks Australia; DBCA; J. Lochman
Rufous Hare-wallaby (2 subspecies)
Boodie (2 subspecies)
Eastern Barred Bandicoot
Spectacled Hare-wallaby (Barrow Is)
Western Barred Bandicoot
Gilbert’s Potoroo
Rock-wallaby(2 island subspecies)
Banded Hare-wallaby
Greater Stick-nest rat
Shark Bay Mouse
This is what avoided extinction looks like ….
WA DBCA
H. McGregor, Arid Recovery
H. McGregor
Even with multiple havens, distribution and ecological roles have collapsed
….and could make return to open landscapes harder• Loss of local adaptation• Loss of predator recognition and response
• Northern quolls translocated in 2003 to NT island without cats or dingoes
• After 13 generations, island quolls and their captive born offspring lost recognition of cats/dingoes, compared with mainland quolls and their captive-born offspring
Jolly et al 2018 Biol Letters 14: 20180222
Jonno Webb
Feral cat with bandicoot; WA DEC
• The existence of mammal pops on offshore islands prevented extinctions
• Islands and fenced areas continue to play a critical role in conservation of mammals highly susceptible to cats/foxes
• But they are a stop-gap…
pre 1970 1970-79 1980-89 1990-99 2000-17
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ber o
f ver
tebr
ate
trans
loca
tions
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
1976
1977
1980
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
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2003
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2012
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2015
2016
2017
Mammal versus plant translocations (Courtesy Jen Silcock et al)
Animals translocations began ramping up about a decade earlier than plants, but are fewer, and involve fewer species
All animals: >400 translocations involving >230 taxaMammals: >310 translocations involving > 50 taxa
>1000 translocations involving >375 taxa
Mostly to less populated areas
Mostly reintroductions (within known range) 65%
DRIVER = PREDATION FROM CATS/FOXES
Main reason for failure = predation
Mammal versus plant translocations (Courtesy Jen Silcock et al)
Mostly near most populated areas
Mostly introductions (but within known range) 80%
DRIVER = HABITAT LOSS FROM DEVELOPMENT
Main reason for failure = small founder size
Mammals Plants Green Stars = conservation translocations
Red Crosses = development mitigation translocations
Moving mammals – looking backwards, looking forwardSarah Legge, Uni Qld and ANU; on behalf of large author team
Mike Bode, Andrew Burbidge, Nicki Mitchell, Jim Radford, Jeremy Ringma, Brendan Wintle, John Woinarski
Adrian Manning, Australian National University, Woodlands Trust
Andrew BurbidgeAnnika Everaardt, Tasmania DPIPWEBrendan Wintle, University of MelbourneBrydie Hill, NT Dept Environment and Natural ResourcesChris Dickman, University of SydneyChris Johnson, University of Tasmania
David Pannell, University of Western AustraliaErin McCreless, UQGraeme Gillespie , NT Dept Environment and Natural ResourcesJeremy Ringma, University of QueenslandJim Radford, Bush Heritage AustraliaJohn Kanowski , Australian Wildlife ConservancyJohn Woinarski, Charles Darwin University
Joss Bentley, NSW Office of Environment and HeritageKatherine Moseby, Ecological Horizons / Arid RecoveryKatherine Tuft, Arid RecoveryKeith Morris, WA DBCAManda Page, WA DBCAMarcus Baseler, Dept of the Environment, ERINMichael Bode, University of MelbourneMike Letnic, University of NSWNick Dexter, Parks Australia (Booderee National Park)Nicki Mitchell, University of Western Australia
Peter Copley, SA Dept of Environment, Water and Natural ResourcesPeter Latch, Dept of the EnvironmentPeter Menkhorst, Artur Rylah Institute for Environmental ResearchRussell Palmer, WA DBCA