ArticleAustralia's tree-kangaroos: current issues in their conservation
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Background
The humid tropical region of north Queensland covers only 0·2% of mainland Australia (Tracey, 1982, Bell et al., 1987), yet has a unique flora and fauna that maintain the highest level of endemicity of any region on the continent. In terms of vertebrates alone, this region supports over 600 species, many of which are closely associated with rainforest communities. Australia's tropical rainforests are recognized as remnants of a vegetation form that was once more widespread across the continent (
Distribution
Bennett's tree-kangaroos are found in the Wet Tropics area from Mt. Amos in the north, through the Mt. Finnigan area and south to the Daintree River, and southwest to Mt. Windsor (Winter et al., 1984, Nix and Switzer, 1991, Martin, 1992, Williams et al., 1996) (Fig. 1). Within this area it is thought that this species was likely to have been confined to the higher peaks by hunting pressure (Martin, 1992). Effective strongholds for the species may have been at boundaries between aboriginal
Habitat loss and fragmentation
Prior to European settlement Types 5a, 5b and 1a forest covered much of the Atherton and Evelyn Tableland regions. Type 5b rainforest is a particular community that supported red cedar trees (Toona oustralis) that attracted the `cedar-getters' to the tablelands during 1860s, first leading to selective logging but then to its almost complete clearance for agriculture by the 1920s (Graham et al., 1995). This forest type, which covered an estimated 30 000 ha prior to European settlement (ARC-INFO
Minimizing loss of habitat
As identified above, the major conservation threat to Lumholtz's tree-kangaroos is the potential loss of habitat from small rainforest fragments and remnants (Winter, 1991b), particularly on basalt soils. With relatively small habitat areas remaining, and very little of it currently protected, further options need to be identified to minimize the loss of habitat. Conciliatory approaches, such as the creation of voluntary conservation agreements between land management agencies and individual
Implications for the conservation of Papua New Guinean tree-kangaroos
Although Australia is often colloquially thought of as the home of the kangaroo, eight of the ten known species of tree-kangaroos are endemic to Papua New Guinea (PNG). While some species are considered reasonably common within parts of their range (e.g. Doria's tree-kangaroo, D. dorianus, and Grizzled tree-kangaroo, D. inustus), some sub-species are considered very rare (Timboyok, D. goodfellowi buergersi; Golden-mantled tree-kangaroo, D. goodfellowi pulcherrinus) (Flannery et al., 1996), and
Acknowledgements
The distributional data presented in this paper come from many sources, including the Steve Van Dyck at the Queensland Museum; Joan Dixon at the National Museum of Victoria; Linda Gibson at the Australian Museum, Sydney; John Wombey at the Australian National Wildlife Collection, CSIRO; Steve Comport; Rupert Russell; Peter Johnson, Darren Storch and Sue Laurance, Queensland Department of Environment. Particular thanks go to Margit Cianelli, John Kanowski, Sue Laurance and John Winter for access
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