A5000127178- Wildlife Ecology and Conservation
- Animal Ecology and Behavior Studies
- Human-Animal Interaction Studies
- Fire effects on ecosystems
- Rangeland and Wildlife Management
- Ecology and Vegetation Dynamics Studies
- Avian ecology and behavior
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Fish Ecology and Management Studies
- Rabbits: Nutrition, Reproduction, Health
- Zoonotic diseases and public health
- Animal Behavior and Welfare Studies
- Ecology and biodiversity studies
- Turtle Biology and Conservation
- Rabies epidemiology and control
- Amphibian and Reptile Biology
- Environmental Conservation and Management
- Wildlife Conservation and Criminology Analyses
- Wildlife-Road Interactions and Conservation
- Census and Population Estimation
- Marine animal studies overview
- Economic and Environmental Valuation
- Rangeland Management and Livestock Ecology
- Forest Management and Policy
- Bat Biology and Ecology Studies
Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research
2010-2025
Murdoch University
2002
Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation
2001-2002
Presence–absence (detection/non-detection) data are routinely collected in wildlife studies where identification of individuals is impossible or impractical and the detection method may be able to detect only presence an individual rather than a count (e.g., track scat surveys). Estimating population density from presence–absence usually assumed difficult unless certain restrictive assumptions made supplementary information collected. Recently, Chandler Royle (2013) presented extension...
Dingoes/wild dogs (Canis dingo/familiaris) and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are widespread carnivores in southern Australia controlled to reduce predation on domestic livestock native fauna. We used the occurrence of food items 5875 dingo/wild dog scats 11,569 fox evaluate interspecific geographic differences diets these species within nine regions Victoria, south-eastern Australia. The encompass a wide variety ecosystems. Diet overlap between dingoes/wild varied among regions, from low near...
Foxes, wild dogs, feral cats, rabbits, pigs and goats are believed to have deleterious impacts on native biodiversity in Australia. However, although considerable resources been expended controlling these six species, little is known about national patterns costs of control monitoring. We therefore conducted a survey pest-control operations undertaken by conservation-focused organisations A total 1306 were reported, with most during 1998–2003: there was information prior 1990. Foxes rabbits...
Abstract 1. The mesopredator release theory predicts that the density of subordinate predators will increase as dominant decline. Persistent debate around in part reflects lack robust, replicated experiments test this theory, and use population indices confound changes detectability. This uncertainty has immediate impacts for conservationists who are faced with managing sympatric invasive predators. 2. We used experimental designs spatially explicit models to examine whether feral cat Felis...
Wild canids (wild dogs and European red foxes) cause substantial losses to Australian livestock industries environmental values. Both species are actively managed as pests production. Contemporaneously, the dingo proportion of wild dog population, being considered native, is protected in areas designated for wildlife conservation. particularly affect sheep goat production because behavioural responses domestic goats attack, flexible hunting tactics dogs. Predation calves, although less...
Abstract Invasive and over-abundant predators pose a major threat to biodiversity often benefit from human activities. Effective management requires understanding predator use of human-modified habitats (including resource subsidies disturbed environments), individual variation within populations. We investigated selection for by invasive red foxes, Vulpes vulpes , two predominantly forested Australian landscapes. predicted that foxes would select in their range locations fine-scale...
Government conservation agencies in New Zealand and the Australian state of Victoria spend 20% 4%, respectively, their annual budgets to manage a small part problem caused by introduced mammals. Managers' uncertainty about optimal strategies for applying pest control has led major differences management practices within single programs both countries. Monitoring under trial-and-error approach not removed but managers support application adaptive control. Control brushtail possums...
The diets of burrowing bettongs and European rabbits were studied on Heirisson Prong at Shark Bay, Western Australia, over two winters (1996 1997) summers (1996/97 1997/98). This was during a period when the rabbit population increasing to high levels projected foliage cover decreasing, presenting environmental conditions likely exacerbate competition. significantly different in both winter summer. mean overlap shifted from 43% 56% Bettongs able vary their diet response while perished large...
To investigate movements and habitat selection by wild dogs we attached satellite-linked global positioning system (GPS) units to nine (Canis lupus dingo Canis familiaris) captured in eastern Victoria summer 2007. Units estimated locations at 30-min intervals for the first six months then 480-min more months. DNA testing revealed all these be related. Home ranges of males were almost three times larger than those females (males: 124.3 km2 ± 56.3, n = 4; females: 45.2 17.3, 5) both sexes...
Abstract Invasive predators are a key driver of biodiversity decline, and effective predator management is an important conservation issue globally. The red fox ( Vulpes vulpes ) poses significant threat to wildlife, livestock human health across Eurasia, North America Australia. Despite worldwide investment in management, decision makers still lack flexible tools for predicting control efficacy. We have developed FoxNet, spatially explicit, individual‐based model (IBM) framework that can be...
Abstract It can be challenging to distinguish management impacts from other population drivers, including ‘natural’ processes and co-occurring threats. However, disentangling is important, particularly when may have unintended consequences, such as mesopredator release. We explored the effects of long-term, broadscale poison-baiting programs on distribution red foxes Vulpes vulpes (targeted invasive predator), feral cats Felis catus (unmanaged competitor) two their threatened native prey in...
Summary Exclusion fencing is being increasingly used to protect areas of high conservation value or create ‘islands’ protected habitat for native fauna. The objective this study was test a range fence designs assess the optimum physical and/or electrical barrier required exclude feral Cats ( Felis catus ) and Red Foxes Vulpes vulpes ). We tested against six by placing individual animals (18 18 Foxes) in 20 × m pens recording their responses various components. Fence design 1 1.8‐m with one...
The influence of the European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) on survival medium-sized native mammals remains unclear despite 60 years speculation. Most species that might have been affected by presence rabbits are extinct, rare, or endangered. This limits opportunity to study their interaction with introduced herbivores. We studied effect changes in density aspects ecology burrowing bettongs (Bettongia lesueur) reintroduced mainland Australia Heirisson Prong, Shark Bay, Western Australia....
Summary The use of toxic bait over large areas is a cost‐effective and widely used technique for the management wild canids in Australia. Lace Monitors are known to also take baits, though unlikely be lethal these reptiles effect on efficacy control operations largely unknown. During five year Red Fox programme eastern Victoria, removed significantly higher numbers baits than during warmer months, reducing likelihood foxes encountering programme. Suggestions made mitigate by Monitors.
Abstract Feral cats ( Felis catus ) pose a significant global threat to biodiversity, primarily through predation, disease and competition. A key gap in parameterizing models for improving management decisions feral cat control relates factors that drive survival movement the wild. Our study objective was conduct first continental-scale analysis of rates displacement distances cats. We collated data on 528 from telemetry studies naturally-vegetated landscapes across Australia. Using...
Summary Reducing predation by introduced predators on seasonally vulnerable prey is of interest to biodiversity and game managers around the world. In Australia, Red Fox ( Vulpes vulpes ) a significant predator freshwater turtle nests, destroying up 93% nests. We used nonrandomized intervention study assess effectiveness short‐term (3‐week) but broad‐scale baiting operation in reducing level nest artificial nests complex lake system during major flooding event north‐western Victoria....
Management of feral cat (Felis catus) populations is currently limited by the lack a control technique that cost-effective, target-specific and suitable for broad-scale application. This paper describes two non-toxic bait acceptance trials undertaken on French Island in Western Port, Victoria south?eastern Australia. Moist meat baits were injected with marker Rhodamine B (RB), surface distributed along existing road firebreak network. Subsequent trapping cats facilitated collection whiskers,...
Abstract Context Feral cats (Felis catus), wild dogs/dingoes (Canis familiaris) and foxes (Vulpes vulpes) are predators of the endangered bridled nail-tailed wallaby (BNTW; Onychogalea frenata). Predator-proof fencing is advocated as a solution to ensure their conservation in wild. Aims The aims this study were determine whether predator control translated into reduction activity, find evidence preying on BNTWs understand factors that influence changes BNTW population size living an unfenced...
Abstract Trophic interactions and disturbance events can shape the structure function of ecosystems. However, effects drivers such as predation, fire climatic variables on species distributions are rarely considered concurrently. We used a replicated landscape‐scale predator management experiment to compare red fox Vulpes vulpes control, time‐since‐fire, vegetation type other environmental native herbivore distributions. Occurrence data for four herbivores an invasive – were collected from...