Register      Login
Wildlife Research Wildlife Research Society
Ecology, management and conservation in natural and modified habitats
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > WR > WR08038
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 36(1)

Behavioural ecology of red and grey kangaroos: Caughley’s insights into individuals, associations and dispersion

Graeme Coulson
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

Department of Zoology, The University of Melbourne, Vic. 3010, Australia. Email: gcoulson@unimelb.edu.au

Wildlife Research 36(1) 57-69 https://doi.org/10.1071/WR08038
Submitted: 7 March 2008  Accepted: 27 October 2008   Published: 21 January 2009

Abstract

In 1964, Graeme Caughley published two papers on the activity, density, dispersion and social organisation of kangaroos. He made direct observations of the behaviour of two species, and used measures of their faecal pellets to infer habitat use. This work paved the way for many studies of the behaviour of individual kangaroos, the associations between them, and the dispersion of individuals within a population. At an individual level, activity budgets of kangaroos are now known to be influenced by extrinsic factors such as weather, season, and forage conditions, as well as intrinsic factors such as sex and reproductive status. Habitat selection is understood in terms of the requirement for both food and horizontal cover, and past predation continues to play a role in the use of cover, as Caughley first proposed. At the level of associations among individuals, group size is positively related to population density, as Caughley predicted, but is also influenced by habitat structure. Contrary to his views, the high rate of group flux does not represent random movement of individuals. Instead, there are subtle yet persistent associations between related individuals. There is also strong dissociation between population classes when sexual segregation occurs during the non-mating period in seasonally breeding populations. Despite these effects, kangaroos are only weakly constrained by social factors, suggesting that population dispersion may conform to ideal free distribution when food resources are limited. At a management level, this suggests that kangaroos have the potential to redistribute rapidly after culling programs aimed at reducing density in overabundant populations.


Acknowledgements

I am grateful to Jim Hone, and to the Australasian Wildlife Management Society, for the invitation to present this review at the Fenner Conference on the Environment in 2007. Graeme Caughley’s early work in this field was truly pioneering. Since then, numerous colleagues and friends have acquired much valuable data and have made many conceptual advances; I am indebted to them. I also thank Sarah Garnick and Michelle Wilson for their helpful comments on a version of the manuscript.


References

Allcock, K. G. , and Hik, D. S. (2004). Survival, growth, and escape from herbivory are determined by habitat and herbivore species for three Australian woodland plants. Oecologia 138, 231–241.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | PubMed | Arnold G. W. , and Maller R. A. (1987). Monitoring population densities of western grey kangaroos in remnants of native vegetation. In ‘Nature Conservation: The Role of Remnants of Native Vegetation’. (Eds D. A. Saunders, G. W. Arnold, A. A. Burbidge and A. J. M. Hopkins.) pp. 219–225. (Surrey Beatty: Sydney.)

Arnold, G. W. , and Steven, D. E. (1988). Variations in distribution of western grey kangaroos, Macropus fuliginosus ocydromus, in the Tutanning Nature Reserve and their impact on adjacent farmland. Australian Wildlife Research 15, 119–128.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Arnold G. W. , Weeldenburg J. R. , and Steven D. E. (1991). Distribution and abundance of two species of kangaroo in remnants of native vegetation in the central wheatbelt of Western Australia and the role of native vegetation along road verges and fencelines as linkages. In ‘Nature Conservation 2. The Role of Corridors’. (Eds D. A. Saunders and R. J. Hobbs.) pp. 273–280. (Surrey Beatty: Sydney.)

Arnold, G. W. , Steven, D. E. , Grassia, A. , and Weeldenburg, J. (1992). Home-range size and fidelity of western grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus) living in remnants of wandoo woodland and adjacent farmland. Wildlife Research 19, 137–143.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Barker R. D. (1987). The diet of herbivores in the sheep rangelands. In ‘Kangaroos: their Ecology and Management in the Sheep Rangelands of Australia’. (Eds G. Caughley, N. Shepherd and J. Short.) pp. 69–83. (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.)

Barnes, A. , and Hill, G. J. E. (1992). Estimating kangaroo damage to winter wheat crops in the Bungunya district of southern Queensland. Wildlife Research 19, 417–427.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Byers J. A. (1997). ‘American Pronghorn: Social Adaptations and the Ghosts of Predators Past.’ (University of Chicago Press: Chicago.)

Cairns, S. C. , Pople, A. R. , and Grigg, G. C. (1991). Density distributions and habitat associations of red kangaroos, Macropus rufus, and western grey kangaroos, M. fuliginosus, in the South Australian pastoral zone. Wildlife Research 18, 377–402.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Caughley G. (1981). Overpopulation. In ‘Problems in the Management of Locally Abundant Wild Animals’. (Eds P. A. Jewell, S. Holt, and D. Hart.) pp. 7–19. (Academic Press: New York.)

Caughley, G. , and Grigg, G. C. (1981). Surveys of the distribution and density of kangaroos in the pastoral zone of South Australia, and their bearing on the feasability of aerial survey in large and remote areas. Australian Wildlife Research 8, 1–11.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Clarke J. L. , Jones M. E. , and Jarman P. J. (1989). A day in the life of a kangaroo: activities and movements of eastern grey kangaroos Macropus giganteus at Wallaby Creek. In ‘Kangaroos, Wallabies and Rat-kangaroos’. (Eds G. Grigg, P. Jarman and I. Hume.) pp. 611–618. (Surrey Beatty: Sydney.)

Colagross, A. M. L. , and Cockburn, A. (1993). Vigilance and grouping in the eastern grey kangaroo, Macropus giganteus. Australian Journal of Zoology 41, 325–334.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Coulson G. (1996). Anti-predator behaviour in marsupials. In ‘Comparison of Marsupial and Placental Behaviour’. (Eds D. B. Croft and U. Ganslosser.) pp. 158–186. (Filander Verlag: Fürth.)

Coulson, G. (1997). Repertoires of social behaviour in captive and free-ranging grey kangaroos, Macropus giganteus and Macropus fuliginosus (Marsupialia: Macropodidiae). Journal of Zoology 240, 119–130.
Coulson G. (2001). Overabundant kangaroo populations in southeastern Australia. In ‘Wildlife, Land and People: Priorities for the 21st Century. Proceedings of the Second International Wildlife Management Congress’. (Eds R. Field, R. J. Warren, H. Okarma, and P. R. Sievert.) pp. 238–242. (The Wildlife Society: Bethesda, MD.)

Coulson, G. (2006). Praying for rain: behavioural and demographic responses of western grey kangaroos to severe drought. Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria 118, 323–332.
Croft D. B. (1989). Social organisation of the Macropodidae. In ‘Kangaroos, Wallabies and Rat-kangaroos’. (Eds G. Grigg, P. Jarman and I. Hume.) pp. 505–525. (Surrey Beatty: Sydney.)

Croft, D. B. (1991). Home range of the euro, Macropus robustus erubescens. Journal of Arid Environments 20, 99–111.
Jarman P. J. (1994). Individual behaviour and social organisation of kangaroos. In ‘Animal Societies. Individuals, Interactions and Organisation’. (Eds P. J. Jarman and A. Rossiter.) pp. 70–83. (Kyoto University Press: Kyoto.)

Jarman P. J. , and Coulson G. (1989). Dynamics and adaptiveness of grouping in macropods. In ‘Kangaroos, Wallabies and Rat-kangaroos’. (Eds G. Grigg, P. Jarman and I. Hume.) pp. 527–547. (Surrey Beatty: Sydney.)

Jarman P. J. , and Southwell C. J. (1986). Grouping, associations, and reproductive strategies in eastern grey kangaroos. In ‘Ecological Aspects of Social Evolution’. (Eds D. I. Rubenstein and R. W. Wrangham.) pp. 399–428. (Princeton University Press: Princeton.)

Jarman, P. J. , and Taylor, R. J. (1983). Ranging of eastern grey kangaroos and wallaroos on a New England pastoral property. Australian Wildlife Research 10, 33–38.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Johnson C. (2006). ‘Australia’s Mammal Extinctions: A 50 000 Year History.’ (Cambridge University Press: Melbourne.)

Johnson, C. N. , and Jarman, P. J. (1987). Macropod studies at Wallaby Creek. VI. A validation of the use of dung-pellet counts for measuring absolute densities of populations of macropodids. Australian Wildlife Research 14, 139–145.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Lee A. K. , and Cockburn A. (1985). ‘Evolutionary Ecology of Marsupials.’ (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.)

Leigh, J. H. , Wood, D. H. , Holgate, M. D. , Slee, A. , and Stanger, M. G. (1989). Effects of rabbit and kangaroo grazing on two semi-arid grassland communities in central-western New South Wales. Australian Journal of Botany 37, 375–396.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | McCullough D. R. , and McCullough Y. (2000). ‘Kangaroos in Outback Australia: Comparative Ecology and Behaviour of Three Coexisting Species.’ (Columbia University Press: New York.)

Meers, T. , and Adams, R. (2003). The impact of grazing by eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) on vegetation recovery after fire at Reef Hills Regional Park, Victoria. Ecological Management & Restoration 4, 126–132.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Pople T. , and Cairns S. (1995). Impact of harvesting on kangaroos. In ‘Conservation through Sustainable Use of Wildlife’. (Eds G. Grigg, P. Hale and D. Lunney.) pp. 224–229. (Centre for Conservation Biology, The University of Queensland: Brisbane.)

Pople, A. R. , Grigg, G. C. , Cairns, S. C. , Beard, L. A. , and Alexander, P. (2000). Trends in the numbers of red kangaroos and emus on either side of the South Australian dingo fence: evidence for predator regulation? Wildlife Research 27, 269–276.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Porter W. F. (1997). Burgeoning ungulate populations in national parks: is intervention warranted? In ‘The Science of Overabundance: Deer Ecology and Population Management’. (Eds W. J. McShea, H. B. Underwood and J. H. Rappole.) pp. 185–198. (Smithsonian Institute Press, Washington, DC.)

Porter, W. F. , Mathews, N. E. , Underwood, H. B. , and Sage, R. W. J. (1991). Social organization in deer: implications for localized management. Environmental Management 15, 809–814.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Priddel D. (1987). The mobility and habitat utilization of kangaroos. In ‘Kangaroos: their Ecology and Management in the Sheep Rangelands of Australia’. (Eds G. Caughley, N. Shepherd and J. Short.) pp. 100–118. (Cambridge University Press: Cambridge.)

Priddel, D. , Shepherd, N. , and Wellard, G. (1988a). Movements of sympatric red kangaroos, Macropus rufus, and western grey kangaroos, M. fuliginosus, in western New South Wales. Australian Wildlife Research 15, 339–346.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Robertshaw J. D. , and Harden R. H. (1989). Predation on Macropodoidea: a review. In ‘Kangaroos, Wallabies and Rat-kangaroos’. (Eds G. Grigg, P. Jarman and I. Hume.) pp. 735–753. (Surrey Beatty: Sydney.)

Russell, E. M. (1971). Changes in behaviour with temperature in the red kangaroo, Megaleia rufa. Australian Journal of Zoology 19, 207–213.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Sutherland W. J. (1996). ‘From Individual Behaviour to Population Ecology.’ (Oxford University Press: Oxford.)

Taylor, R. J. (1980). Distribution of feeding activity of the eastern grey kangaroo, Macropus giganteus, in coastal lowland south-east Queensland. Australian Wildlife Research 7, 317–325.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Taylor, R. J. (1982). Group size in the eastern grey kangaroo, Macropus giganteus, and the wallaroo, Macropus robustus. Australian Wildlife Research 9, 229–237.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Taylor, R. J. (1983). Association of social classes of the wallaroo, Macropus robustus (Marsupialia: Macropodidae). Australian Wildlife Research 10, 39–45.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Taylor, R. J. (1984). Foraging in the eastern grey kangaroo and the wallaroo. Journal of Animal Ecology 53, 65–74.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Taylor, R. J. (1985). Habitat use by the eastern grey kangaroo and wallaroo in an area of sympatry. Mammalia 49, 173–186.


Thomson, P. C. (1992). The behavioural ecology of dingoes in north-western Australia. III. Hunting and feeding behaviour and diet. Wildlife Research 19, 531–541.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Tregenza, T. (1995). Building on the ideal free distribution. Advances in Ecological Research 26, 253–307.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Viggers, K. L. , and Hearn, J. P. (2005). The kangaroo conundrum: home range studies and implications for management. Journal of Applied Ecology 42, 99–107.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Watson, D. M. , and Dawson, T. J. (1993). The effects of age, sex, reproductive status and temporal factors on the time-use of free-ranging red kangaroos (Macropus rufus) in western New South Wales. Wildlife Research 20, 785–801.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Whitehouse, S. J. O. (1977). The diet of the dingo in Western Australia. Australian Wildlife Research 4, 145–150.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |