Proceedings of the WWF-Australia Quoll Workshop

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Jenny has compared the relative efficacy of remote cameras, cage traps and hair-tubes for collecting broad-scale surveydata for monitoring spotted-tailed quoll populations in Victoria. Remote cameras were the most cost-effective of thethree techniques and allow researchers to collect data concurrently on introduced carnivores. Cage traps have a similarprobability of detection to remote cameras. However, they are invasive and not cost-effective. Hair tubes provide a highprobability of detection (when a grid of 20 widely spaced tubes are used) but they are also not cost-effective.Jenny emphasised that the use of appropriate field and analytical methods in assessing and monitoring populationsis critical. She suggested seeking biometric help. Assessing and monitoring populations requires careful planning andimplementation and an appropriate level of fundingJenny also noted that community involvement requires significant support to work.PlenaryThe following points were raised in the plenary session:Remote cameras cost approximately $500 each.When surveying particular target areas, the data can only be used to make inferences about other similar areas and notthe broader landscape. If particular habitats are considered to be more important than others, it is best to stratify thesurvey area based on habitat, and then sample randomly within each stratum.Scott Burnett, University of the Sunshine Coast/Wildlife Preservation Society QueenslandConserving Quolls – The Community ConnectionScott provided an overview of the definition and role of the community in conservation. He defined the communityto include landowners and managers, from both small and large agricultural holdings, non-government organisationconservation groups and indigenous groups, as well as the wider community. There are a range of practical things thatthe community can do to mitigate threats to quolls. The role of the community can include providing an informationsource about quolls and their threats, volunteer effort (such as the Quoll Seekers Network), implementation of on-groundconservation efforts by landowners and managers and managing captive populations.In relation to threats, quoll populations are inherently sensitive to elevated mortality or decreased fecundity. Because theyare a top order predator and opportunistic scavenger with wide roaming capabilities, quoll behaviour often puts them indangerous situations in the human landscape. For example, quolls are known to attack domestic chickens, which is oftena source of conflict with people. A single chicken pen can be a sink for quolls from an area of 113 km2.A number of actions were suggested to assist with protecting quoll populations, such as raising community awarenessof quolls and conservation actions for land-owners and developing the community’s capacity to act for quolls throughawareness raising, monitoring, advocacy, and practical quoll conservation. The importance of providing continuity ofsupport for community actions, through provision of moral and technical support and adequate funds was emphasised.Additionally, the pros and cons of a captive industry could be explored further.PlenaryThe following issues were discussed following the presentation:Community leadership attitudes can be a barrier to quoll conservation, for example where a local Mayor may be hostiletowards the issue.We cannot underestimate the value of talking to school groups, which has a significant influence on their parents. Thepublic would also greatly benefit from the opportunity to physically interact with quolls.In most situations the reserve estate is probably not large enough to fully support quoll populations, and thereforeadjacent private lands are critical to the future conservation of quolls.14
Rose Singadan, Papua New Guinea Department of Environment and ConservationConservation and New GuineaTwo key challenges to conservation in general in New Guinea are introduced species (such as rats) and the laws of thepeople. There are three main legislative tools for conservation in New Guinea: the National Parks Act, Fauna ProtectionControl Act and Wildlife Areas and Conservation Areas Act.The main role of Non-government Organisations (NGOs) in New Guinea is that of an integrated community aid anddevelopment group rather than acting for species conservation. NGOs can experience significant conflict if expectationsin the community are raised high and not fulfilled, for example in cases where financial gains are not forth coming aspromised. It is therefore essential that species action translates into something tangible for the community, such as jobs,money or materials.Key barriers to wildlife conservation in New Guinea include land tenure arrangements, as the sea and land belongs tothe people and not the government. As a result, it is difficult to manage the Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs), as theyare controlled by the local people and not the government. Other barriers include politics (which are regularly changing),social issues (particularly relating to logging, mining and poor communications), lack of resources and lack of capacity tomanage funds and inconsistency of conservation research in the region.Spotted-tailed quoll © WWF/Frédy MERCAY15
Page 4 and 5: BACKGROUNDAustralia has the worst r
Page 6 and 7: Theme 1: Updates and new informatio
Page 8 and 9: is not also present in Australia. I
Page 11 and 12: Clare Hawkins, Tasmanian Department
Page 16 and 17: Theme 4: Barriers and solutionsWork
Page 18 and 19: 7. Protection of HabitatProtection
Page 20 and 21: Summary of actions andrecommendatio
Page 22 and 23: 12. Gene bankingInvestigate potenti
Page 24 and 25: Kat MillerKeith MorrisKendall Bento

Proceedings of the WWF-Australia Quoll Workshop

You also want an ePaper? Increase the reach of your titles

Delete template?

Save as template?