Population recovery of the yellow-footed rock-wallaby following fox control in New South Wales and South Australia

Published source details Sharp A., Norton M., Havelberg C., Cliff W. & Marks A. (2014) Population recovery of the yellow-footed rock-wallaby following fox control in New South Wales and South Australia. Wildlife Research, 41, 560-570.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Remove/control non-native mammals Action Link

Remove/control non-native mammals

A replicated, controlled, before-and-after study in 1980–2012 in four mixed eucalyptus woodland and shrubland in southern Australia (Sharp et al. 2014) found that after control of invasive red foxes Vulpes vulpes, population growth rates of yellow-footed rock-wallabies Petrogale xanthopus increased. In the two populations exposed to fox control, rock-wallaby population growth rates were higher after fox control commenced than before (data presented as statistical model outputs). Over the same time periods, rock-wallaby population growth rates were similar in colonies where foxes were not controlled (data presented as statistical model outputs). In New South Wales, the number of rock-wallabies counted increased two years after fox control began (at start of fox control: 7; after: 16 animals), while in the site without fox control numbers remained similar. Two sites in New South Wales and two in South Australia were studied. In each state, foxes were controlled in one site and not controlled in the other site. Baiting strategy differed by location (see original paper for details). Bait stations (219 in New South Wales and 100 in South Australia) were baited using Foxoff Econobaits® or fresh or dried meat laced with 1080 poison. Baits were deployed from June 1995 in New South Wales and from June 2004 in South Australia. Wallabies were surveyed annually, over three mornings in the winter months, from a helicopter. Surveys were conducted in 1980–2001 (New South Wales) and 2000–2012 (South Australia).

(Summarised by: Ricardo Rocha)