Conserving the Kangaroo

Threats to Survival European settlement of Australia has worked against the survival of many native animals, including some species of kangaroo, in four main ways: fire patterns have changed, domestic stock have grazed large areas of native habitat, new predators have been introduced, and land has been cleared. Each of these factors has had a major, though different, effect on the habitat of our native species.For example, the various hare-wallabies have: lost much of their food and shelter because burning patterns have changed, with grasslands being transformed into grazing lands for sheep or cattle, or turned into farmland; had to compete more and more with introduced species, such as sheep, cattle and rabbits, for the remaining food; had to deal

with massive wildfires, fuelled by a build up of forest debris, and with introduced predators, such as the fox and the cat. Australia's arid environment is very fragile and here the impact of Europeans has been most drastic. Past distributions show that the arid areas favoured either large or small macropods - not the midsize species. Then, with the arrival of the fox and cat, the advantage of being small also vanished. What is being done? Research and re-establishment programs A lot of valuable research has been carried out into the habitat needs of declining species. But there is still much more to do. The Australian Government has assisted research and re-establishment programs for species such as the Bridled Nail-tail Wallaby, the Brush-tailed Bettong and the Rufous Hare-wallaby (Lagorchestes hirsutus). Grants, available through the Natural Heritage Trust funded Endangered Species Program, contribute to species and habitat preservation projects, some of which may benefit declining kangaroo species. Management, Protection and Commercial Harvesting All species of macropod are protected from hunting by state and territory legislation, except for a small number of the large-sized species which exist in high numbers and for which commercial harvesting is permitted under approved management programs. The greatest threat to all macropods, however, is reduction or complete destruction of the habitats upon which they depend. This is particularly important for the smaller species where legislation to protect vegetation, such as the Vegetation Retention Scheme in South Australia, is more likely to help ensure their continued survival. National parks and nature reserves have been important in helping to protect and re-establish some species, especially those that include the offshore islands of Western Australia. These islands are now the main, or only sites, of several species of macropods. But it is not always enough just to declare a reserve. Active management, including deliberate habitat changes, may be needed for some species. Management methods, such as deliberate control of fire patterns, have been tried on a small scale for particular species. Farmers and graziers have an important role to play in preserving macropods and other Australian wildlife. The Wallaby Creek area in north-eastern New South Wales has an unusually large number of different macropods - eleven species. There are no conservation reserves in the area, and it is used for light cattle grazing and timber production. Understanding why so many macropod species can live in this area, which is also being used for primary production, could help conservation in other areas outside of the reserve system.

About 75 per cent of Australian animal species are found only in Australia. Our kangaroos, wallabies, potoroos, pademelons, rat-kangaroos and the others are an essential part of our unique heritage. They can only be preserved by protecting the whole range of habitats found in Australia.