Survey guidelines for Australia’s threatened non-flying mammals

Proserpine rock wallaby

Petrogale persephone

States and territories: Queensland.

Regions: 26 sites in the Whitsunday Shire, eastern Queensland (Menkhorst & Knight 2001).

Habitat: Rocky outcrops in pockets of semi-deciduous vine forest on foothills near grassy open forest and woodland (Johnson & Eldridge 2008).

Habit: Ground-dwelling.

Avg. body weight: 4.3–10.2 kg (males) and 3.5–8.1 kg (females) (Johnson & Eldridge 2008).

Activity pattern: Nocturnal/partly diurnal (suns in cooler weather).

Diet: Herbivore: grasses, shrubs and forbs.

Breeding: Breeding occurs throughout the year (Johnson & Delean 1999).

Description

The Proserpine rock wallaby has the smallest known distribution of any rock wallaby, being known from only 26 sites in the vicinity of Proserpine in eastern Queensland, including the Conway and Clarke Ranges, Mt Dryander and several islands in the Whitsunday group (for example, Gloucester Island). Proserpine rock-wallabies shelter in boulder outcrops, foraging on the grassy understorey of surrounding forest and woodland, but are not known to move far from the rock shelter (Menkhorst & Knight 2001).

On Gloucester Island National Park, Proserpine rock wallaby habitat includes rock piles and outcrops covered in dry vine scrub and beach scrub, while at higher elevations, rocky creeks associated with open acacia forest are also utilised (Nolan & Johnson 2001). Johnson and colleagues (2003) released this species on Hayman Island where volcanic outcrops with low vine thickets was the main habitat type, although prior to the eradication of goats on the island, floral diversity was low.

The species is threatened by development in the Whitsundays, which includes associated impacts from road mortalities and predation by domestic dogs (Nolan & Johnson 2001). Johnson and colleagues (2003) reported that this species suffered depredation from eagles at a reintroduction site, and authorities also undertook an eradication program to remove goats from the site.

Survey methods

On the basis of the survey techniques included in Section 3.3.11 and other similar studies, the following survey techniques are recommended to detect the presence of the Proserpine rock wallaby in areas up to 5 hectares in size:

• 
  daytime searches for potentially suitable habitat resources, such as shelter sites (caves, rock boulders and rock ledges) in semi-deciduous vine habitats (description of the survey technique and recommended effort is outlined in Section 3.3.11)
  
• 
  daytime searches for signs of activity, including tracks, scats and rock shelters worn smooth from resting (description of the survey technique and recommended effort is outlined in Section 3.3.11)
  

• 
  possibly the collection of predator scats, owl casts or remains, targeting predatory bird and mammal nests and dens (description of the survey technique and recommended effort is outlined in Section 3.2.3)
  
• 
  Baited camera traps may be of use in confirming the presence and identity of rock wallabies (description of the survey technique and recommended effort is outlined in Section 3.3.6), and
  

• 
  observations for rock wallabies basking during the day, or becoming active at dusk, using binoculars from a location on the ground beneath suitable habitat. Helicopter surveys are not likely to be as useful as for other rock wallabies, due to the species’ habitat occurring in vine thickets.
  

The known range of the Proserpine rock wallaby overlaps with that of the unadorned rock wallaby Petrogale inornata; however, both species appear spatially separated on the basis of habitat preferences. Should confirmation of the species identity be required, then cage trapping surveys (conducted according to the description and recommended survey effort provided in Sections 3.3.10 and 3.3.11) or genetic analysis of hair or tissue samples may need to be considered. These survey techniques can only be conducted with appropriate permission and licensing from relevant state or territory government organisations.

Similar species in range

The distribution of the Proserpine rock wallaby occurs near the unadorned rock wallaby. The species are distinguished by differences in habitat preferences and the larger size of the Proserpine rock wallaby, along with its brown fur, lack of bold facial patterns, the presence of rufous patches at the base of the tail and ears, and most individuals have a white tail tip (Menkhorst & Knight 2001; Nolan & Johnson 2001; Johnson & Eldridge 2008). The Proserpine rock wallaby inhabits deciduous vine forest habitats, whereas the unadorned rock wallaby occurs in rocky habitat within open forests (Nolan & Johnson 2001). The Proserpine rock wallaby has not been recorded with the unadorned rock wallaby at any known site (Johnson & Eldridge 2008).

References

Johnson, P.M. and Delean, J.S.C. 1999. Reproduction in the Proserpine rock wallaby, Petrogale persephone Maynes (Marsupialia: Macropodidae), in captivity, with age estimation and development of pouch young. Wildlife Research 26: 631-639.

Johnson, P.M., Nolan, B.J. and Schaper, D.N. 2003. Introduction of the Proserpine Rock wallaby Petrogale persephone from the Queensland mainland to nearby Hayman Island. Australian Mammalogy 25: 61-71
Menkhorst, P. and Knight, F. 2001. A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia. (Oxford University Press: Melbourne).
Nolan, B. and Johnson, P. 2001. The recovery plan for the Proserpine Rock wallaby Petrogale persephone 2000-2004. Report to Environment Australia, Canberra. Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, Brisbane.
Johnson, P.M. and Eldridge, M.D.B. 2008. Proserpine Rock wallaby Petrogale persephone. In ‘The Mammals of Australia’ (Eds. S. Van Dyck and R. Strahan) pp. 385-386 (Reed New Holland: Sydney).