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RESEARCH ARTICLE

Havens for threatened Australian mammals: the contributions of fenced areas and offshore islands to the protection of mammal species susceptible to introduced predators

Sarah Legge https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6968-2781 A B W , John C. Z. Woinarski https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1712-9500 C , Andrew A. Burbidge D , Russell Palmer E , Jeremy Ringma F , James Q. Radford https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6014-0019 G * , Nicola Mitchell https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0744-984X F , Michael Bode https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5886-4421 H , Brendan Wintle I , Marcus Baseler J , Joss Bentley K , Peter Copley L , Nicholas Dexter M , Chris R. Dickman N , Graeme R. Gillespie O , Brydie Hill O , Chris N. Johnson P , Peter Latch Q , Mike Letnic R , Adrian Manning L , Erin E. McCreless S , Peter Menkhorst T , Keith Morris E , Katherine Moseby R U , Manda Page E , David Pannell V and Katherine Tuft U
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.

B Fenner School of Environment and Society, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.

C Research Institute for the Environment and Livelihoods, Charles Darwin University, Casuarina, NT 0909, Australia.

D 87 Rosedale Street, Floreat, WA 6014, Australia.

E Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Locked Bag 104, Bentley Delivery Centre, WA 6983, Australia.

F School of Biological Sciences, The University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.

G Bush Heritage Australia, PO Box 329 Flinders Lane, Melbourne, Victoria 8009, Australia.

H School of Mathematical Sciences, Queensland University of Technology, 2 George St, Gardens Point, Brisbane, Qld. 4000, Australia.

I The University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, Vic. 3010, Australia.

J Environmental Resources Information Network, Department of the Environment and Energy, GPO Box 787, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.

K Ecosystems and Threatened Species, Office of Environment and Heritage, 11 Farrer Place, Queanbeyan, NSW 2620, Australia.

L Conservation and Land Management Branch, Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, GPO Box 1047, Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia.

M Booderee National Park, Parks Australia, Village Road, Jervis Bay, NSW 2540, Australia.

N Desert Ecology Research Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.

O Flora and Fauna Division, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, 564 Vanderlin Drive, Darwin, NT 0828, Australia.

P School of Natural Sciences & Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Tas. 7001, Australia.

Q Terrestrial Threatened Species, Department of the Environment and Energy, GPO Box 787, Canberra, ACT 2601, Australia.

R Centre for Ecosystem Science, The University of NSW, Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia.

S The Biodiversity Research Group, The School of Biological Sciences, ARC Centre of Excellence for Environmental Decisions (CEED) and Centre for Biodiversity and Conservation Science, The University of Queensland, St. Lucia, Qld 4072, Australia.

T Arthur Rylah Institute for Environmental Research, PO Box 137, Heidelberg, Vic. 3084, Australia.

U Arid Recovery, PO Box 147, Roxby Downs, SA 5725.

V Centre for Environmental Economics and Policy, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.

W Corresponding author. Email: Sarah.Legge@anu.edu.au

Wildlife Research 45(7) 627-644 https://doi.org/10.1071/WR17172
Submitted: 24 November 2017  Accepted: 15 June 2018   Published: 3 October 2018

Abstract

Context: Many Australian mammal species are highly susceptible to predation by introduced domestic cats (Felis catus) and European red foxes (Vulpes vulpes). These predators have caused many extinctions and have driven large distributional and population declines for many more species. The serendipitous occurrence of, and deliberate translocations of mammals to, ‘havens’ (cat- and fox-free offshore islands, and mainland fenced exclosures capable of excluding cats and foxes) has helped avoid further extinction.

Aims: The aim of this study was to conduct a stocktake of current island and fenced havens in Australia and assess the extent of their protection for threatened mammal taxa that are most susceptible to cat and fox predation.

Methods: Information was collated from diverse sources to document (1) the locations of havens and (2) the occurrence of populations of predator-susceptible threatened mammals (naturally occurring or translocated) in those havens. The list of predator-susceptible taxa (67 taxa, 52 species) was based on consensus opinion from >25 mammal experts.

Key results: Seventeen fenced and 101 island havens contain 188 populations of 38 predator-susceptible threatened mammal taxa (32 species). Island havens cover a larger cumulative area than fenced havens (2152 km2 versus 346 km2), and reach larger sizes (largest island 325 km2, with another island of 628 km2 becoming available from 2018; largest fence: 123 km2). Islands and fenced havens contain similar numbers of taxa (27 each), because fenced havens usually contain more taxa per haven. Populations within fences are mostly translocated (43 of 49; 88%). Islands contain translocated populations (30 of 139; 22%); but also protect in situ (109) threatened mammal populations.

Conclusions: Havens are used increasingly to safeguard threatened predator-susceptible mammals. However, 15 such taxa occur in only one or two havens, and 29 such taxa (43%) are not represented in any havens. The taxon at greatest risk of extinction from predation, and in greatest need of a haven, is the central rock-rat (Zyzomys pedunculatus).

Implications: Future investment in havens should focus on locations that favour taxa with no (or low) existing haven representation. Although havens can be critical for avoiding extinctions in the short term, they cover a minute proportion of species’ former ranges. Improved options for controlling the impacts of cats and foxes at landscape scales must be developed and implemented.

Additional keywords: conservation management, introduced species, islands, pest control, predation, threatened species, wildlife management.


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