Abstract: |
Mark and re-capture trapping data of the Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby from Willawillana Gorge (Flinders Ranges National Park), Eregunda Valley (Angoricha Station), Warraweena, Gawler Ranges National Park (Yandinga Gorge & Organ Pipes), Hiltaba Station (Mt Friday). Data include age,sex & fecundity.
The primary objective of this study is to analyse Petrogale xanthopus xanthopus (Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby) mark-recapture data collected from Warraweena Sandy Creek, Eregunda Creek and Wilkawillina Gorge (south) sites in the Flinders Ranges, and Mt Friday and Yandinga Gorge sites in the Gawler Ranges of South Australia (SA). The study explores whether survival, fecundity and body condition vary between the sites and with rainfall.
Broad-scale population monitoring such as aerial surveying can only reveal general trends at a landscape level (McCallum, 2000). Conversely, mark-recapture techniques target local populations and provide more insight into the demographic and behavioural processes that underpin local populations. The geographical range of Petrogale xanthopus xanthopus is
large. Thus, in order to understand the processes that drive a species to extinction it is important to target monitoring strategies across the range of scale-specific processes. To this end, a number of monitoring strategies have been developed since 2001 including a ground resurvey by Lethbridge (2002) of the sites visited by Copley (1981) in the Flinders Ranges; a similar ground survey conducted in the Gawler Ranges by Lethbridge (2003); annual aerial surveys conducted over 180 kilometres of P. x. xanthopus habitat in South Australia (Lethbridge and Alexander 2007; Lethbridge and Best 2005) and mark-recapture
monitoring at eight sites across South Australia.
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