The number of Southern Brush-tailed Rock-wallabies in the wild is continuing to bounce back thanks to two decades of work to protect them. Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby Action Statement. Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby Action Statement - accessible version. National Recovery Plan for the Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby. Skip to content Skip to navigation. Conserving threatened species. Threats Southern Brush-tailed Rock-wallabies have suffered wide-spread decline in Victoria due to being hunted for fur in the 19 th and 20 th centuries, introduced predators across their range, habitat loss and reduced genetic diversity from small population size.
Zoos Victoria is fighting to save the southern population of Brush-tailed Rock-wallabies from extinction. Skip to main content. Baw Baw Frog. Major threats Changes to habitat and the impact of feral cats, foxes and goats has led to the isolation of the few remaining populations of the Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby.
The plan for fighting extinction Zoos Victoria is focussing on the Victorian southern form of the Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby. How you can help Do what you can to increase community awareness and support for the Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby.
Diet and Behaviour Foraging areas may include forests, woodlands and pastures. Threats Threats to the Brush-tailed rock-wallaby are varied but include predation by foxes, cats and wild dogs, competition with feral goats as well as pigs, degradation and fragmentation of habitat, fire regimes that reduce the abundance and diversity of ground forage and infestation by invasive weeds causing loss.
How is Aussie Ark helping? Wildfire has the potential to burn remaining areas of vegetation required for feeding and force animals away because of food deprivation. Changes to floristic structure also require research by monitoring and adapting management to ensure suitable vegetation diversity and structure is available.
A number of innovative methods have been developed for monitoring this species. Research into methods for estimating population parameters such as population size, population structure and dispersal in P.
Researchers have also developed methods for monitoring dispersal through detecting and monitoring gene flow into populations Eldridge Maintaining captive breeding populations to support the re-introduction program is crucial for on-going recovery.
It was originally proposed to re-introduce up to 16 Brush-tailed Rock-wallabies at pre determined sites in the Grampians during the Spring of However due to the impact of the extended drought and Mt Lubra bushfire which burnt much of the Grampians in January , this date was postponed to Spring The initial release site was Moora Moora Creek with two back up sites identified in case the preferred site was not suitable.
Between and the program has continued with on-going releases in the Grampians. Due to high mortality rates detected in the reintroduction program has been suspended pending a full review of recovery program objectives.
Release of captive bred Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby in the Grampians in with temporary transmitter fitted to tail. Due to the mortalities in the first half of the releases of further animals in spring were cancelled until a review of the program was completed.
The results of the review in found that a lack of genetic diversity within the Grampians reintroduction colony is highly likely to be contributing to a high death rate and lower than expected breeding rates.
A new strategy to restore genetic diversity within the Grampians colony and establish a self sustaining population will commence in Up to 16 Brush-tailed Rock-wallabies will be released in spring and a total of around 38 Rock-wallabies released over a three year period.
Mount Rothwell will also contribute to the captive breeding program in focusing on hybrid breeding using Central and Southern Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby genetics to restore the genetic diversity to the Southern Victorian population. After 24 months the Central ESU females will be removed from the Grampians while their cross bred offspring remain. In late April the bi annual trapping for health checks and replacement of tracking collars was conducted. The only female in the population was found to have a one week old pouch young.
The recovery effort has been very encouraging with population steadily increasing. In , 11 males and 11 females were recorded across 4 sites.
Surveys found 8 new recruits in and 8 new animals in which were tagged for further monitoring. Releases occurred on;. The above releases were preceded by a concentrated predator control program carried out by Parks Victoria. A reduced uptake of fox baits was observed around the intensified baiting area near the colony site compared to the majority of the Grampians National Park. In January to March , Parks Victoria increased the intensity of soft-jaw trapping near the wallaby site as part of a short-term trial.
The trial resulted in a greater number of foxes and cats being captured in the first week, however the number of predators returned to previous levels several weeks after the trial had finished. In all, 13 deceased Brush-tailed Rock Wallabies were accounted for;. The review of conservation objectives including reintroductions is scheduled to take place in November In the meantime the recovery program will focus on captive breeding.
Any re-introductions that will take place in East Gippsland in future years will be directly based on the knowledge gained from Grampians re-introduction efforts.
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