No Brasil e em alguns países da América Latina, a incidência de raiva transmitida por animais domésticos tem diminuído enquanto tem aumentado em animais silvestres. Durante os últimos anos, no Brasil, a raiva tem sido diagnosticada em morcegos hematófagos ou não, primatas não-humanos, cachorros-do-mato, quatis, guaxinins, capivaras, cervos, gambás e outras espécies silvestres. O presente estudo foi realizado em parceria com biólogos, pesquisadores na área de monitoramento de fauna silvestre, e o objetivo foi pesquisar a presença do vírus rábico em mamíferos silvestres de vida livre, provenientes de uma reserva natural particular, localizado no município de Ribeirão Grande, São Paulo, região que já foi alvo de raiva nos últimos anos. Durante o período de 2002 a 2004, 104 amostras de cérebro de animais capturados foram enviadas para diagnóstico no Laboratório de Raiva da UNESP de Araçatuba, SP, acondicionadas em pipetas plásticas do tipo Pasteur individuais. Os animais pertenciam a três ordens, Chiroptera (47,1%), Rodentia (46,2%) e Marsupialia (6,7%), sendo de diferentes idades e sexos. As amostras foram submetidas ao teste de imunofluorescência direta e inoculação intracerebral em camundongos e todas apresentaram resultado negativo para a raiva. Segundo dados da Coordenação do Programa de Controle da Raiva do Estado de São Paulo a raiva é endêmica na região estudada e a porcentagem de positividade em morcegos nos últimos dez anos é de 1,8%. Embora dos diagnósticos tenham sido negativos neste estudo, não é possível afirmar que o vírus rábico não circula naquela propriedade / In Brazil and some Latin American countries, the incidence of rabies transmitted by domestic animals has decreased while it has been increasing in wild animals. During the last few years rabies has been diagnosed in hematophagous or nonhematophagous bats, nonhuman primates, crab-eating foxes, coatis, raccoons, capybaras, deers, skunks and some other species. The present study was carried out with biologists, researchers in wild fauna monitoring and the objective was to search the presence of the rabies virus in wildlife mammals from a private natural reserve, in Ribeirão Grande city, SP, region that was target of rabies in the last few years. During 2002 to 2004, 104 brain samples of captured animals were sent for diagnosis to UNESP Rabies Laboratory from Araçatuba, SP, conditioned in individuals Pasteur plastic pipettes. The animals belonged to three different orders, Chiroptera (47,1%), Rodentia (46,2%) and Marsupialia (6,7%), and to different ages and sex. The samples were submitted to direct fluorescent antibody test and mouse inoculation test and all samples resulted negative for rabies. According to data of the Rabies Control Program Coordination from São Paulo State, rabies is endemic in the studied region and the percentage of positive cases in bats during the last 10 years was 1,8%. Although all diagnosis were negative in this study, it is not possible to affirm that the rabies virus do not circulate in that property

The marsupial family Pseudocheiridae is currently known from seventeen species of six genera in Australia and New Guinea. These small to medium-sized arboreal animals are nocturnal and folivorous. Extinct pseudocheirids are recognised from several mid to late Cenozoic fossil localities across Australia and New Guinea. The single largest collection of pseudocheirid fossils has been recovered from the Oligo-Miocene freshwater carbonates of the Riversleigh World Heritage Area in northwest Queensland. This collection, which includes the first pseudocheirid cranial fossils, forms the basis of this investigation. Three new extinct pseudocheirid genera together containing four species are identified and described. Six new species of Paljara, Marlu and Pildra are also described from Riversleigh. Two of the new Marlu species are reported from South Australia??s Leaf Locality. From Riversleigh, Marlu kutjamarpensis is identified and additional material of Paljara tirarensae and P. nancyhawardae documented. New species attributed to Marlu and Pildra necessitate revision of those genera. Cranial material is identified for three of the new species. The rostrum of archaic pseudocheirids is shorter than in extant forms but cranial morphology is similar overall. Phylogenetic relationships of all extinct pseudocheirids are analysed. They include all new and previously described species, most of which have never been examined in a parsimony-based analysis. Two hypotheses of pseudocheirid evolution are presented: a paired lineage hypothesis and a single lineage hypothesis. Both hypotheses demonstrate that species of Paljara are not the most plesiomorphic pseudocheirids, Marlu praecursor does not cluster with other species of Marlu, the new genus Gawinga is most closely related to Paljara and there are no representatives of the extant genus Pseudochirops in any pre-Pliocene locality. All extant pseudocheirids cluster to form a crown clade sister to a stem lineage of Pseudokoala and Marlu species. Pseudocheirids are found in all Oligo-Miocene faunal zones of Riversleigh. Species of Paljara and Marlu are most frequently recovered from Faunal Zone B and C deposits respectively. Four pseudocheirid species biostratigraphically correlate the Kutjamarpu local fauna of the Leaf Locality with Faunal Zones B and C of Riversleigh, suggesting an early to middle Miocene age for both deposits. Modern pseudocheirids first evolved no later than the late Miocene from a descendant of the Marlu + Pseudokoala lineage when all other Oligo-Miocene pseudocheirids became extinct. At least three pseudocheirid lineages dispersed to New Guinea approximately five million years ago, but ecological barriers probably prevented subsequent migrations between the two landmasses.

The marsupial family Pseudocheiridae is currently known from seventeen species of six genera in Australia and New Guinea. These small to medium-sized arboreal animals are nocturnal and folivorous. Extinct pseudocheirids are recognised from several mid to late Cenozoic fossil localities across Australia and New Guinea. The single largest collection of pseudocheirid fossils has been recovered from the Oligo-Miocene freshwater carbonates of the Riversleigh World Heritage Area in northwest Queensland. This collection, which includes the first pseudocheirid cranial fossils, forms the basis of this investigation. Three new extinct pseudocheirid genera together containing four species are identified and described. Six new species of Paljara, Marlu and Pildra are also described from Riversleigh. Two of the new Marlu species are reported from South Australia??s Leaf Locality. From Riversleigh, Marlu kutjamarpensis is identified and additional material of Paljara tirarensae and P. nancyhawardae documented. New species attributed to Marlu and Pildra necessitate revision of those genera. Cranial material is identified for three of the new species. The rostrum of archaic pseudocheirids is shorter than in extant forms but cranial morphology is similar overall. Phylogenetic relationships of all extinct pseudocheirids are analysed. They include all new and previously described species, most of which have never been examined in a parsimony-based analysis. Two hypotheses of pseudocheirid evolution are presented: a paired lineage hypothesis and a single lineage hypothesis. Both hypotheses demonstrate that species of Paljara are not the most plesiomorphic pseudocheirids, Marlu praecursor does not cluster with other species of Marlu, the new genus Gawinga is most closely related to Paljara and there are no representatives of the extant genus Pseudochirops in any pre-Pliocene locality. All extant pseudocheirids cluster to form a crown clade sister to a stem lineage of Pseudokoala and Marlu species. Pseudocheirids are found in all Oligo-Miocene faunal zones of Riversleigh. Species of Paljara and Marlu are most frequently recovered from Faunal Zone B and C deposits respectively. Four pseudocheirid species biostratigraphically correlate the Kutjamarpu local fauna of the Leaf Locality with Faunal Zones B and C of Riversleigh, suggesting an early to middle Miocene age for both deposits. Modern pseudocheirids first evolved no later than the late Miocene from a descendant of the Marlu + Pseudokoala lineage when all other Oligo-Miocene pseudocheirids became extinct. At least three pseudocheirid lineages dispersed to New Guinea approximately five million years ago, but ecological barriers probably prevented subsequent migrations between the two landmasses.

Os eucaliptais correspondem a cerca de 4,5 milhões de hectares de todo o território brasileiro. Esta silvicultura vem sendo implantada principalmente em áreas de pastagens de baixa produtividade. Os efeitos da substituição de áreas agrícolas por eucaliptais sobre a distribuição de pequenos mamíferos ainda são desconhecidos. Sendo assim, este trabalho buscou identificar um padrão de distribuição e abundância de mamíferos de pequeno porte em uma área de pastagens que foi convertida em eucaliptais. O estudo foi realizado nas fazendas Três Lagoas e Arca, localizadas no município de Angatuba, região do Alto Paranapanema, entre agosto de 2007 e julho de 2009. O levantamento da mastofauna foi realizado por meio de armadilhas de interceptação e queda, distribuídas em trinta unidades amostrais. Foram identificadas catorze espécies de pequenos mamíferos pertencentes as ordens Didelphimorphia e Rodentia. O pasto abandonado e a vegetação nativa apresentaram maior abundância e riqueza de indivíduos do que os eucaliptais. A taxocenose de pequenos mamíferos presente nesta paisagem silvicultural assemelha-se à encontrada em outras paisagens agrícolas. Os resultados obtidos, aliados ao atual contexto de mudança do uso da terra no estado de São Paulo sugerem que os eucaliptais atuam como uma matriz permeável para os pequenos mamíferos. No entanto, os remanescentes de vegetação nativa presentes em paisagens silviculturais são fundamentais para a conservação de tais espécies. / Eucalyptus plantations currently cover 4.5 million hectares of Brazilian territory. This forestry is expanding mainly over areas of extensive livestock production. The effects of the replacement of pastures by eucalyptus plantations on the distribution of small mammals are still unknown. In this context, this study aimed at to identify the distribution pattern and abundance of small mammals in an area where recently cattle pastures were converted into eucalyptus plantations. This study was carried out at Fazenda Três Lagoas and Fazenda Arca in the municipality of Angatuba, located in the Upper Paranapanema river basin, between August 2007 and July 2009. The small mammals survey was carried out with pitfall traps distributed in 30 sampling units. Fourteen species of orders Didelphimorphia and Rodentia were captured. The abandoned pasture and the native vegetation presented a higher abundance and species richness in relation to the eucalyptus plantations. The taxocenosis of small mammals in this silvicultural landscape resembles those found in other agricultural landscapes. These results together and the current land use trend suggest that eucalyptus plantations can be relatively to small mammals. However, the remnants of native vegetation in silvicultural landscapes are essential to the conservation of these species.

Os eucaliptais correspondem a cerca de 4,5 milhões de hectares de todo o território brasileiro. Esta silvicultura vem sendo implantada principalmente em áreas de pastagens de baixa produtividade. Os efeitos da substituição de áreas agrícolas por eucaliptais sobre a distribuição de pequenos mamíferos ainda são desconhecidos. Sendo assim, este trabalho buscou identificar um padrão de distribuição e abundância de mamíferos de pequeno porte em uma área de pastagens que foi convertida em eucaliptais. O estudo foi realizado nas fazendas Três Lagoas e Arca, localizadas no município de Angatuba, região do Alto Paranapanema, entre agosto de 2007 e julho de 2009. O levantamento da mastofauna foi realizado por meio de armadilhas de interceptação e queda, distribuídas em trinta unidades amostrais. Foram identificadas catorze espécies de pequenos mamíferos pertencentes as ordens Didelphimorphia e Rodentia. O pasto abandonado e a vegetação nativa apresentaram maior abundância e riqueza de indivíduos do que os eucaliptais. A taxocenose de pequenos mamíferos presente nesta paisagem silvicultural assemelha-se à encontrada em outras paisagens agrícolas. Os resultados obtidos, aliados ao atual contexto de mudança do uso da terra no estado de São Paulo sugerem que os eucaliptais atuam como uma matriz permeável para os pequenos mamíferos. No entanto, os remanescentes de vegetação nativa presentes em paisagens silviculturais são fundamentais para a conservação de tais espécies. / Eucalyptus plantations currently cover 4.5 million hectares of Brazilian territory. This forestry is expanding mainly over areas of extensive livestock production. The effects of the replacement of pastures by eucalyptus plantations on the distribution of small mammals are still unknown. In this context, this study aimed at to identify the distribution pattern and abundance of small mammals in an area where recently cattle pastures were converted into eucalyptus plantations. This study was carried out at Fazenda Três Lagoas and Fazenda Arca in the municipality of Angatuba, located in the Upper Paranapanema river basin, between August 2007 and July 2009. The small mammals survey was carried out with pitfall traps distributed in 30 sampling units. Fourteen species of orders Didelphimorphia and Rodentia were captured. The abandoned pasture and the native vegetation presented a higher abundance and species richness in relation to the eucalyptus plantations. The taxocenosis of small mammals in this silvicultural landscape resembles those found in other agricultural landscapes. These results together and the current land use trend suggest that eucalyptus plantations can be relatively to small mammals. However, the remnants of native vegetation in silvicultural landscapes are essential to the conservation of these species.

The quokka (Setonix brachyurus Quoy & Gaimard 1830) is a medium-sized, macropodid marsupial that is endemic to the mesic, south-western corner of Australia. While being a tourist icon on Rottnest Island, the species is threatened with extinction. It has been intensively studied on Rottnest Island in the 1960s and 1970s, however very little is known of its ecology on the mainland. Additionally the insular and mainland environments are extremely different suggesting that ecological differences between the two populations are likely. Consequently, this study sought to determine the basic autecology of the quokka and identify what factors have attributed to its threatened conservation status. The northern jarrah forest of Western Australia was selected as the study region due to it being at the northern limit of extant quokka distribution and because it was thought that the factors threatening the quokka would be exacerbated there. Fossil deposits suggest that the quokka originally occupied an area of approximately 49,000 km2 in the south-western corner of Australia. Historical literature show that they were widespread and abundant when Europeans colonised the region in 1829 but a noticeable and dramatic decline occurred a century later. The arrival of the red fox to the region coincided almost exactly with this decline and so it was probably ultimately responsible. Continued predation by both it and the feral cat are likely to have continued the decline, along with habitat destruction and modification through altered fire regimes. Specific surveys and literature searches show that since the 1950s, the area occupied by the quokka has declined by 45% and since 1990 by 29%. Based on the criteria of the IUCN (Hilton-Taylor 2000), the conservation status of the quokka should remain as vulnerable. An endangered status may be more applicable if the quokkas restriction to patches through its existence as a metapopulation is considered. Trapping of eight sites supporting quokka populations in the mid-1990s revealed three sites now locally extinct despite the ongoing, six year old, fox control programme. Another three are at serious risk of extinction. Extant population sizes ranged from one to 36 and population density ranged from 0.07 to 4.3 individuals per hectare. This is considered to be below the carrying capacity of each site. The overall quokka population size in the northern jarrah forest may be as low as 150 adult individuals, of which half are likely to be female. Even the largest extant populations are highly susceptible to stochastic extinction events. This small size was surprising considering the six year old, introduced predator control programme. Historically, the restriction to discrete habitat patches, the occasional inter-patch movement, the lack of correlation between the dynamics of each population and reports of frequent localised extinctions and colonisations suggest that the quokka population once existed as part of a classic metapopulation. The massive decline of the quokka in the 1930s pushed the metapopulation structure into a non-equilibrium state such that today, the extant populations are the terminal remnants of the original classic metapopulation. Wild mainland quokkas breed throughout the year. A significant reduction in the number of births occurs over summer and this coincides with a decline in female body weight. Despite this, the mainland quokka is relatively fecund and is able to wean two offspring per year. The level of recruitment from pouch young to independence was low and this may explain the apparent lack of population increase following the initiation of fox control. A total of 56 trapped quokkas were fitted with a radio collar. Mean home range size for quokkas was 6.39 ha with a core range of 1.21 ha and this was negatively related to population density. Male home ranges were larger than females but not significantly when the sexual size dimorphism was considered. Nocturnal ranges were larger than diurnal ranges reflecting nocturnal departures from the swamp refugia. Home range sizes varied seasonally, probably due to changes in the distance required to move to obtain sufficient nutrients and water over the dry summer compared to the wet winter and spring. Telemetry confirmed trapping results that showed no movement between swamps or populations. Home range centres shifted to the periphery of the swamp following the winter inundation and this may increase the species susceptibility to predation. The lack of dispersal is probably caused by quokka populations existing below carrying capacity and following selection for philopatry under the threat of predation for dispersing individuals. Without dispersal to recolonise or rescue unpopulated patches, the collapse of the original quokka metapopulation appears to have occurred. On a macrohabitat scale, the quokka in the northern jarrah forest is restricted to Agonis swamp shrubland habitats that form in the open, upper reaches of creek systems on the western side of the forest. This restriction was probably initially due to the high water requirements of the quokka but is likely to have been exacerbated by increased predation pressure since the arrival of the fox. On a microhabitat scale, the quokka is a habitat specialist, preferring early seral stage swamp habitats, probably for foraging, as part of a mosaic of old age swamp that provides refuge. Despite the six year old, introduced predator control programme, foxes and cats are still the major cause of mortality to quokkas. Road kills was the other identifiable cause. Individuals alive at the start of the study had an 81% chance of staying alive until the end. The likelihood of dying was minimised by grouping together with conspecifics, maximising home range size and maximising the time spent within the swampy refuge. Current rates of adult and juvenile survivorship should allow population recovery and so it seems pouch young mortality, reflected by low recruitment, has inhibited the anticipated population increase following predator control. The confounding effect of inadequate unbaited controls meant that little statistical evidence was available on the impact of introduced predators on the quokka, however the models provided support for earlier hypotheses of these. The presence of a quokka population at a site was related to the amount of poison baits delivered ??? reflecting predation pressure, the average age of the swamp and a mosaic of early and late seral stages within the swamp habitat. Recently burnt habitat is thought to provide food for quokkas and long unburnt habitat provides refuge from predation.

The quokka (Setonix brachyurus Quoy & Gaimard 1830) is a medium-sized, macropodid marsupial that is endemic to the mesic, south-western corner of Australia. While being a tourist icon on Rottnest Island, the species is threatened with extinction. It has been intensively studied on Rottnest Island in the 1960s and 1970s, however very little is known of its ecology on the mainland. Additionally the insular and mainland environments are extremely different suggesting that ecological differences between the two populations are likely. Consequently, this study sought to determine the basic autecology of the quokka and identify what factors have attributed to its threatened conservation status. The northern jarrah forest of Western Australia was selected as the study region due to it being at the northern limit of extant quokka distribution and because it was thought that the factors threatening the quokka would be exacerbated there. Fossil deposits suggest that the quokka originally occupied an area of approximately 49,000 km2 in the south-western corner of Australia. Historical literature show that they were widespread and abundant when Europeans colonised the region in 1829 but a noticeable and dramatic decline occurred a century later. The arrival of the red fox to the region coincided almost exactly with this decline and so it was probably ultimately responsible. Continued predation by both it and the feral cat are likely to have continued the decline, along with habitat destruction and modification through altered fire regimes. Specific surveys and literature searches show that since the 1950s, the area occupied by the quokka has declined by 45% and since 1990 by 29%. Based on the criteria of the IUCN (Hilton-Taylor 2000), the conservation status of the quokka should remain as vulnerable. An endangered status may be more applicable if the quokkas restriction to patches through its existence as a metapopulation is considered. Trapping of eight sites supporting quokka populations in the mid-1990s revealed three sites now locally extinct despite the ongoing, six year old, fox control programme. Another three are at serious risk of extinction. Extant population sizes ranged from one to 36 and population density ranged from 0.07 to 4.3 individuals per hectare. This is considered to be below the carrying capacity of each site. The overall quokka population size in the northern jarrah forest may be as low as 150 adult individuals, of which half are likely to be female. Even the largest extant populations are highly susceptible to stochastic extinction events. This small size was surprising considering the six year old, introduced predator control programme. Historically, the restriction to discrete habitat patches, the occasional inter-patch movement, the lack of correlation between the dynamics of each population and reports of frequent localised extinctions and colonisations suggest that the quokka population once existed as part of a classic metapopulation. The massive decline of the quokka in the 1930s pushed the metapopulation structure into a non-equilibrium state such that today, the extant populations are the terminal remnants of the original classic metapopulation. Wild mainland quokkas breed throughout the year. A significant reduction in the number of births occurs over summer and this coincides with a decline in female body weight. Despite this, the mainland quokka is relatively fecund and is able to wean two offspring per year. The level of recruitment from pouch young to independence was low and this may explain the apparent lack of population increase following the initiation of fox control. A total of 56 trapped quokkas were fitted with a radio collar. Mean home range size for quokkas was 6.39 ha with a core range of 1.21 ha and this was negatively related to population density. Male home ranges were larger than females but not significantly when the sexual size dimorphism was considered. Nocturnal ranges were larger than diurnal ranges reflecting nocturnal departures from the swamp refugia. Home range sizes varied seasonally, probably due to changes in the distance required to move to obtain sufficient nutrients and water over the dry summer compared to the wet winter and spring. Telemetry confirmed trapping results that showed no movement between swamps or populations. Home range centres shifted to the periphery of the swamp following the winter inundation and this may increase the species susceptibility to predation. The lack of dispersal is probably caused by quokka populations existing below carrying capacity and following selection for philopatry under the threat of predation for dispersing individuals. Without dispersal to recolonise or rescue unpopulated patches, the collapse of the original quokka metapopulation appears to have occurred. On a macrohabitat scale, the quokka in the northern jarrah forest is restricted to Agonis swamp shrubland habitats that form in the open, upper reaches of creek systems on the western side of the forest. This restriction was probably initially due to the high water requirements of the quokka but is likely to have been exacerbated by increased predation pressure since the arrival of the fox. On a microhabitat scale, the quokka is a habitat specialist, preferring early seral stage swamp habitats, probably for foraging, as part of a mosaic of old age swamp that provides refuge. Despite the six year old, introduced predator control programme, foxes and cats are still the major cause of mortality to quokkas. Road kills was the other identifiable cause. Individuals alive at the start of the study had an 81% chance of staying alive until the end. The likelihood of dying was minimised by grouping together with conspecifics, maximising home range size and maximising the time spent within the swampy refuge. Current rates of adult and juvenile survivorship should allow population recovery and so it seems pouch young mortality, reflected by low recruitment, has inhibited the anticipated population increase following predator control. The confounding effect of inadequate unbaited controls meant that little statistical evidence was available on the impact of introduced predators on the quokka, however the models provided support for earlier hypotheses of these. The presence of a quokka population at a site was related to the amount of poison baits delivered ??? reflecting predation pressure, the average age of the swamp and a mosaic of early and late seral stages within the swamp habitat. Recently burnt habitat is thought to provide food for quokkas and long unburnt habitat provides refuge from predation.

Wombats (Vombatidae, Marsupialia) are fossorial marsupials that are most closely related to koalas amongst living marsupials. The cheek teeth of wombats are unique amongst Australian marsupials in being hypselodont (the condition where the teeth continue to grow throughout life and the formation of roots is suppressed). Hypselodonty is an adaptation to high degrees of tooth wear. The fossil record of vombatids is largely restricted to Pliocene to recent deposits and is largely represented by isolated teeth. Six genera are currently recognised from these deposits, all of which have hypselodont teeth. To date, a single isolated vombatid tooth has been described from pre-Pliocene deposits of South Australia and is the only example of a vombatid cheek tooth that possesses roots. Seventy specimens, representing five species of vombatid, have been recovered from Oligo-Miocene deposits in the Riversleigh World Heritage Site in northwestern Queensland and are described here. Among these are four new species and one new genus. A new species of Warendja from Riversleigh is described. It represents the oldest known hypselodont vombatid. This species is compared with additional specimens of the Pleistocene species of Warendja (W wakefieldi). Three species of Rhizophascolonus and a new monotypic genus are also described. Phylogenetic analysis of these taxa indicates that Rhizophascolonus may represent a sister taxon to the other vombatids. These specimens comprise almost all known examples of Oligo-Miocene vombatids. Most of the specimens are isolated teeth and are highly variable in size and morphology. Cusp detail is clearly preserved on many, allowing for omparison with the cusp morphology on juvenile cheek teeth of the common wombat (Vombatus ursinus). All of the taxa found in the deposits at Riversleigh share a number of characters such as marked differences in enamel thickness and height around the cheek teeth. It is argued here that these shared characters are indicative of high amounts of tooth wear and/or occlusal stresses acting on the trailing edge enamel. Combined with evidence of scratch-digging adaptations of the forelimbs it is suggestive of a rhizophagous niche for at least some of these early vombatids.

The quokka (Setonix brachyurus Quoy & Gaimard 1830) is a medium-sized, macropodid marsupial that is endemic to the mesic, south-western corner of Australia. While being a tourist icon on Rottnest Island, the species is threatened with extinction. It has been intensively studied on Rottnest Island in the 1960s and 1970s, however very little is known of its ecology on the mainland. Additionally the insular and mainland environments are extremely different suggesting that ecological differences between the two populations are likely. Consequently, this study sought to determine the basic autecology of the quokka and identify what factors have attributed to its threatened conservation status. The northern jarrah forest of Western Australia was selected as the study region due to it being at the northern limit of extant quokka distribution and because it was thought that the factors threatening the quokka would be exacerbated there. Fossil deposits suggest that the quokka originally occupied an area of approximately 49,000 km2 in the south-western corner of Australia. Historical literature show that they were widespread and abundant when Europeans colonised the region in 1829 but a noticeable and dramatic decline occurred a century later. The arrival of the red fox to the region coincided almost exactly with this decline and so it was probably ultimately responsible. Continued predation by both it and the feral cat are likely to have continued the decline, along with habitat destruction and modification through altered fire regimes. Specific surveys and literature searches show that since the 1950s, the area occupied by the quokka has declined by 45% and since 1990 by 29%. Based on the criteria of the IUCN (Hilton-Taylor 2000), the conservation status of the quokka should remain as vulnerable. An endangered status may be more applicable if the quokkas restriction to patches through its existence as a metapopulation is considered. Trapping of eight sites supporting quokka populations in the mid-1990s revealed three sites now locally extinct despite the ongoing, six year old, fox control programme. Another three are at serious risk of extinction. Extant population sizes ranged from one to 36 and population density ranged from 0.07 to 4.3 individuals per hectare. This is considered to be below the carrying capacity of each site. The overall quokka population size in the northern jarrah forest may be as low as 150 adult individuals, of which half are likely to be female. Even the largest extant populations are highly susceptible to stochastic extinction events. This small size was surprising considering the six year old, introduced predator control programme. Historically, the restriction to discrete habitat patches, the occasional inter-patch movement, the lack of correlation between the dynamics of each population and reports of frequent localised extinctions and colonisations suggest that the quokka population once existed as part of a classic metapopulation. The massive decline of the quokka in the 1930s pushed the metapopulation structure into a non-equilibrium state such that today, the extant populations are the terminal remnants of the original classic metapopulation. Wild mainland quokkas breed throughout the year. A significant reduction in the number of births occurs over summer and this coincides with a decline in female body weight. Despite this, the mainland quokka is relatively fecund and is able to wean two offspring per year. The level of recruitment from pouch young to independence was low and this may explain the apparent lack of population increase following the initiation of fox control. A total of 56 trapped quokkas were fitted with a radio collar. Mean home range size for quokkas was 6.39 ha with a core range of 1.21 ha and this was negatively related to population density. Male home ranges were larger than females but not significantly when the sexual size dimorphism was considered. Nocturnal ranges were larger than diurnal ranges reflecting nocturnal departures from the swamp refugia. Home range sizes varied seasonally, probably due to changes in the distance required to move to obtain sufficient nutrients and water over the dry summer compared to the wet winter and spring. Telemetry confirmed trapping results that showed no movement between swamps or populations. Home range centres shifted to the periphery of the swamp following the winter inundation and this may increase the species susceptibility to predation. The lack of dispersal is probably caused by quokka populations existing below carrying capacity and following selection for philopatry under the threat of predation for dispersing individuals. Without dispersal to recolonise or rescue unpopulated patches, the collapse of the original quokka metapopulation appears to have occurred. On a macrohabitat scale, the quokka in the northern jarrah forest is restricted to Agonis swamp shrubland habitats that form in the open, upper reaches of creek systems on the western side of the forest. This restriction was probably initially due to the high water requirements of the quokka but is likely to have been exacerbated by increased predation pressure since the arrival of the fox. On a microhabitat scale, the quokka is a habitat specialist, preferring early seral stage swamp habitats, probably for foraging, as part of a mosaic of old age swamp that provides refuge. Despite the six year old, introduced predator control programme, foxes and cats are still the major cause of mortality to quokkas. Road kills was the other identifiable cause. Individuals alive at the start of the study had an 81% chance of staying alive until the end. The likelihood of dying was minimised by grouping together with conspecifics, maximising home range size and maximising the time spent within the swampy refuge. Current rates of adult and juvenile survivorship should allow population recovery and so it seems pouch young mortality, reflected by low recruitment, has inhibited the anticipated population increase following predator control. The confounding effect of inadequate unbaited controls meant that little statistical evidence was available on the impact of introduced predators on the quokka, however the models provided support for earlier hypotheses of these. The presence of a quokka population at a site was related to the amount of poison baits delivered ??? reflecting predation pressure, the average age of the swamp and a mosaic of early and late seral stages within the swamp habitat. Recently burnt habitat is thought to provide food for quokkas and long unburnt habitat provides refuge from predation.

The quokka (Setonix brachyurus Quoy & Gaimard 1830) is a medium-sized, macropodid marsupial that is endemic to the mesic, south-western corner of Australia. While being a tourist icon on Rottnest Island, the species is threatened with extinction. It has been intensively studied on Rottnest Island in the 1960s and 1970s, however very little is known of its ecology on the mainland. Additionally the insular and mainland environments are extremely different suggesting that ecological differences between the two populations are likely. Consequently, this study sought to determine the basic autecology of the quokka and identify what factors have attributed to its threatened conservation status. The northern jarrah forest of Western Australia was selected as the study region due to it being at the northern limit of extant quokka distribution and because it was thought that the factors threatening the quokka would be exacerbated there. Fossil deposits suggest that the quokka originally occupied an area of approximately 49,000 km2 in the south-western corner of Australia. Historical literature show that they were widespread and abundant when Europeans colonised the region in 1829 but a noticeable and dramatic decline occurred a century later. The arrival of the red fox to the region coincided almost exactly with this decline and so it was probably ultimately responsible. Continued predation by both it and the feral cat are likely to have continued the decline, along with habitat destruction and modification through altered fire regimes. Specific surveys and literature searches show that since the 1950s, the area occupied by the quokka has declined by 45% and since 1990 by 29%. Based on the criteria of the IUCN (Hilton-Taylor 2000), the conservation status of the quokka should remain as vulnerable. An endangered status may be more applicable if the quokkas restriction to patches through its existence as a metapopulation is considered. Trapping of eight sites supporting quokka populations in the mid-1990s revealed three sites now locally extinct despite the ongoing, six year old, fox control programme. Another three are at serious risk of extinction. Extant population sizes ranged from one to 36 and population density ranged from 0.07 to 4.3 individuals per hectare. This is considered to be below the carrying capacity of each site. The overall quokka population size in the northern jarrah forest may be as low as 150 adult individuals, of which half are likely to be female. Even the largest extant populations are highly susceptible to stochastic extinction events. This small size was surprising considering the six year old, introduced predator control programme. Historically, the restriction to discrete habitat patches, the occasional inter-patch movement, the lack of correlation between the dynamics of each population and reports of frequent localised extinctions and colonisations suggest that the quokka population once existed as part of a classic metapopulation. The massive decline of the quokka in the 1930s pushed the metapopulation structure into a non-equilibrium state such that today, the extant populations are the terminal remnants of the original classic metapopulation. Wild mainland quokkas breed throughout the year. A significant reduction in the number of births occurs over summer and this coincides with a decline in female body weight. Despite this, the mainland quokka is relatively fecund and is able to wean two offspring per year. The level of recruitment from pouch young to independence was low and this may explain the apparent lack of population increase following the initiation of fox control. A total of 56 trapped quokkas were fitted with a radio collar. Mean home range size for quokkas was 6.39 ha with a core range of 1.21 ha and this was negatively related to population density. Male home ranges were larger than females but not significantly when the sexual size dimorphism was considered. Nocturnal ranges were larger than diurnal ranges reflecting nocturnal departures from the swamp refugia. Home range sizes varied seasonally, probably due to changes in the distance required to move to obtain sufficient nutrients and water over the dry summer compared to the wet winter and spring. Telemetry confirmed trapping results that showed no movement between swamps or populations. Home range centres shifted to the periphery of the swamp following the winter inundation and this may increase the species susceptibility to predation. The lack of dispersal is probably caused by quokka populations existing below carrying capacity and following selection for philopatry under the threat of predation for dispersing individuals. Without dispersal to recolonise or rescue unpopulated patches, the collapse of the original quokka metapopulation appears to have occurred. On a macrohabitat scale, the quokka in the northern jarrah forest is restricted to Agonis swamp shrubland habitats that form in the open, upper reaches of creek systems on the western side of the forest. This restriction was probably initially due to the high water requirements of the quokka but is likely to have been exacerbated by increased predation pressure since the arrival of the fox. On a microhabitat scale, the quokka is a habitat specialist, preferring early seral stage swamp habitats, probably for foraging, as part of a mosaic of old age swamp that provides refuge. Despite the six year old, introduced predator control programme, foxes and cats are still the major cause of mortality to quokkas. Road kills was the other identifiable cause. Individuals alive at the start of the study had an 81% chance of staying alive until the end. The likelihood of dying was minimised by grouping together with conspecifics, maximising home range size and maximising the time spent within the swampy refuge. Current rates of adult and juvenile survivorship should allow population recovery and so it seems pouch young mortality, reflected by low recruitment, has inhibited the anticipated population increase following predator control. The confounding effect of inadequate unbaited controls meant that little statistical evidence was available on the impact of introduced predators on the quokka, however the models provided support for earlier hypotheses of these. The presence of a quokka population at a site was related to the amount of poison baits delivered ??? reflecting predation pressure, the average age of the swamp and a mosaic of early and late seral stages within the swamp habitat. Recently burnt habitat is thought to provide food for quokkas and long unburnt habitat provides refuge from predation.