Dingo Research Articles

When Is a Dingo Not a Dingo?

In 2019 the Western Australian government recategorised the dingo ( Canis dingo) as a wild dog ( Canis familiaris) whose status is legally declared to be a pest. Despite its iconic native status, Canis dingo has been rendered non-existent and liable to be disposed of by inhumane means. Dumped in a legal black hole via a signifying regime of signs, dingoes are confronted with the fact of their own non-existence. Regarding the dingo as a dingoing, a multiplicity and a process, rather than a characteristic, I read the reclassification event symptomatologically and interrogate the constellations of symptoms and regimes of signs which legitimate the event and its performativity. I examine order-words including ‘pest’ and ‘wild dog’ to shift the focus from the words’ meaning to what they do. I subsequently enquire whether ‘dingo’ might become a pass-word, a component of passage, such that dingoes might exist under reprieve in a post-signifying regime. I argue that post-signifying regimes are codified, however, as subjects are individuated along lines of subjectification. I conclude by contemplating whether it is possible to break with subjectification, liberating these demonic nonhuman animals from the signifiers which territorialise them and permitting dingoes to become-animal.

Potential threats and habitat of the night parrot on the Ngururrpa Indigenous Protected Area

Context The Endangered night parrot (Pezoporus occidentalis) is one of the rarest birds in Australia, with fewer than 20 known to occur in Queensland and, prior to 2020, only occasional detections from a handful of sites in Western Australia (WA). Here, we provide an introduction to night parrots on the Ngururrpa Indigenous Protected Area (IPA) in WA from the perspectives of both Indigenous rangers and scientists working together to understand their ecology. Aims We aimed to identify night parrot sites on the Ngururrpa IPA, compare habitat and likely threats with those in Queensland and identify appropriate management practices. Methods Between 2020 and 2023, we used songmeters (a type of acoustic recorder) to survey for the presence of night parrots at 31 sites (>2 km apart). At sites where parrots were detected, we used camera-traps to survey predators and collected predator scats for dietary analysis. Forty years of Landsat images were examined to assess the threat of fire to roosting habitat. Key results Night parrots were detected at 17 of the 31 sites surveyed on the Ngururrpa IPA. Positive detections were within an area that spanned 160 km from north to south and 90 km from east to west. Ten roosting areas were identified, and these occurred in habitat supporting the same species of spinifex (lanu lanu or bull spinifex, Triodia longiceps) used for roosting in Queensland. However, the surrounding landscapes differ in their vegetation types and inherent flammability, indicating that fire is likely to be a more significant threat to night parrots in the Great Sandy Desert than in Queensland. Dingoes (Canis dingo) were the predator species detected most frequently in night parrot roosting habitat and the feral cat was found to be a staple prey for dingoes at night parrot sites. Conclusions Our surveys indicated that there could be at least 50 night parrots on the Ngururrpa IPA, which is the largest known population in the world. Fire is a key threat to roosting habitat, occurring in the surrounding sandplain country every 6–10 years. Dingoes are common in night parrot habitat and regularly eat feral cats, which are only occasionally detected in roosting habitat. Implications We recommend management that focuses on strategic burning to reduce fuel loads in the surrounding landscape, and limiting predator control to methods that do not harm dingoes.

Phenotypic diversity in early Australian dingoes revealed by traditional and 3D geometric morphometric analysis

The dingo is a wild dog endemic to Australia with enigmatic origins. Dingoes are one of two remaining unadmixed populations of an early East Asian dog lineage, the other being wild dogs from the New Guinea highlands, but morphological connections between these canid groups have long proved elusive. Here, we investigate this issue through a morphometric study of ancient dingo remains found at Lake Mungo and Lake Milkengay, in western New South Wales. Direct accelerated mass spectrometry (AMS) radiocarbon dates from an ancient Lake Mungo dingo demonstrate that dingoes with a considerably smaller build than the predominant modern morphotype were present in semi-arid southeastern Australia c.3000–3300 calBP. 3D geometric morphometric analysis of a near-complete Mungo cranium finds closest links to East Asian and New Guinean dogs, providing the first morphological evidence of links between early dingoes and their northern relatives. This ancient type is no longer extant within the range of modern dingo variability, but populations from nearby southeastern Australia show a closer resemblance than those to the north and west. Our results reaffirm prior characterisations of regional variability in dingo phenotype as not exclusively derived from recent domestic dog hybridisation but as having an earlier precedent, and suggest further that the dingo’s phenotype has changed over time.

Carrion use by a reptile is influenced by season, habitat and competition with an apex mammalian scavenger.

Scavenging on carrion is critical and often fiercely competitive for a range of vertebrate species, from native apex predators to invasive species and even reptiles. Within Australia, a notable reptilian scavenger is the lace monitor (Varanus varius). In this study, we quantified lace monitor activity at carcasses and compared their use of the resource to common co-occurring predators that also scavenge; the invasive red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and a native apex predator, the dingo (Canis dingo). To do so, we deployed 80 macropod carcasses equally across seasons (summer and winter) and habitats (open and closed canopy) in a temperate bioregion and monitored vertebrate scavenging with camera traps. Lace monitor activity (visitation at carcass sites inclusive of both non-scavenging and scavenging events) was 1.67 times higher in summer than in winter, but it did not differ across closed and open habitats. Monitor activity occurred earlier after carcass deployment at sites deployed in summer than winter (1.47-fold earlier), and at carcasses in open than closed habitats (0.22-fold earlier). Lace monitors initially discovered carcass sites faster in summer than winter and before both red foxes and dingoes in summer. The species was active diurnally in both summer and winter, differing from the red fox, which was strictly a nocturnal scavenger and the dingo, which was significantly more active at night across both seasons. Finally, we found that lace monitor activity at carcass sites decreased slightly with higher rates of activity for dingoes (0.04-fold decrease as dingo activity increased), but not with red fox activity. Our results have implications for understanding lace monitor foraging and scavenging and highlight the value of monitoring carcasses to provide important insights into the behaviour of varanid lizards that scavenge.

Staphylococcal carriage among captive dingoes (Canis dingo) in Victoria, Australia

The evolutionary lineage and taxonomy of the Australian dingo is controversial, however recent genomic and gut metagenomic research has suggested that dingoes are evolutionarily distinct from modern dogs. Staphylococcus species are known commensal organisms of dogs and other mammals. In this study we took the opportunity to determine the carriage rate and antimicrobial resistance profiles of Staphylococcus species from 15 captive Australian dingoes. S. pseudintermedius was the only coagulase-positive species recovered, isolated from 6/15 (40%) and 9/13 (69%) of the animals during the 2020 (winter) and 2021 (summer) sampling times, respectively. Twenty-three coagulase-negative isolates were characterised, with S. equorum being the most frequently (20/23, 87%) recovered species. Two isolates of S. equorum had their genomes sequenced to learn more about this species. Antimicrobial resistance amongst both coagulase-positive and -negative isolates was low; with resistance to only 3 of 12 antimicrobials observed: penicillin, erythromycin, and trimethoprim. We have shown that the Australian dingo is a host organism for S. pseudintermedius much like it is in dogs, however the carriage rate was lower than has previously been reported from dogs in Australia.

Genome-wide variant analyses reveal new patterns of admixture and population structure in Australian dingoes.

Admixture between species is a cause for concern in wildlife management. Canids are particularly vulnerable to interspecific hybridisation, and genetic admixture has shaped their evolutionary history. Microsatellite DNA testing, relying on a small number of genetic markers and geographically restricted reference populations, has identified extensive domestic dog admixture in Australian dingoes and driven conservation management policy. But there exists a concern that geographic variation in dingo genotypes could confound ancestry analyses that use a small number of genetic markers. Here, we apply genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping to a set of 402 wild and captive dingoes collected from across Australia and then carry out comparisons to domestic dogs. We then perform ancestry modelling and biogeographic analyses to characterise population structure in dingoes and investigate the extent of admixture between dingoes and dogs in different regions of the continent. We show that there are at least five distinct dingo populations across Australia. We observed limited evidence of dog admixture in wild dingoes. Our work challenges previous reports regarding the occurrence and extent of dog admixture in dingoes, as our ancestry analyses show that previous assessments severely overestimate the degree of domestic dog admixture in dingo populations, particularly in south-eastern Australia. These findings strongly support the use of genome-wide SNP genotyping as a refined method for wildlife managers and policymakers to assess and inform dingo management policy and legislation moving forwards.

Habitat but not group size or recent predator activity affect corvid collective vigilance at carcasses

AbstractVigilance is an important anti‐predator behaviour that can be an indicator of the predation risk faced by potential prey animals. Here, we assess the collective vigilance, or the vigilance level of an entire group, of corvids (Family: Corvidae) at experimentally placed carcasses in a desert environment in Australia. Specifically, we explore the relationship between collective vigilance levels and the habitat in which the carcass was placed, the time since a potential predator (dingo Canis dingo, wedge‐tailed eagle Aquila audax or red fox Vulpes vulpes) was present at a carcass, and the group size of corvids around the carcass. We found that corvids are more vigilant in open habitat, but that group size and the recent presence of a potential predator does not affect the collective vigilance behaviour of corvids. The results demonstrate the important link between habitat and vigilance, and that animals may adopt anti‐predator behaviours irrespective of the size of the group in which they occur or the recent presence of a potential predator.

HV1 mtDNA Reveals the High Genetic Diversity and the Ancient Origin of Vietnamese Dogs.

In this study, samples from 429 dog individuals across three main regions of Vietnam (Southern Vietnam (SVN), Central Vietnam (CVN), and Northern Vietnam (NVN)) were collected to analyze the 582 bp region mtDNA HVI, so as to study the genetic diversity and to screen the rare haplotype E in the Vietnamese village dog population. Nine new haplotypes A, two new haplotypes B, and three haplotypes C were unique to Vietnam dogs, in which the new haplotypes An3, An7, Cn1, and Cn3 concerned mutations at new polymorphism sites (15,517, 15,505, 15,479, and 15,933, respectively) which have not been previously reported. The detection of haplotypes A9 and A29, and the appearance of haplotype A200 in the two individual dogs sampled support that the Southeast Asian dog is the ancestor of today's Australian dingo and Polynesian dog. The two rare haplotypes E (E1 and E4) were reconfirmed in Vietnamese dogs and discussed. This study also contributes to strengthening the theory of domestication of dogs to the south of the Yangtze River and the Southeast Asian origin of the dingo.

Pathways to coexistence with dingoes across Australian farming landscapes

IntroductionAgriculture and biodiversity conservation are both vitally important human activities that overlap geographically and are often in conflict. Animal agriculture has been implicated in species loss and the degradation of ecosystems due to land clearing, overgrazing, and conflicts with large carnivores such as dingoes (Canis dingo). This paper explores the potential for transformation in Australian commercial livestock production from human-dingo conflict towards social-ecological coexistence.MethodA qualitative model that depicts transformative change was developed from field observations and twenty-one in-depth interviews with livestock producers, conservation researchers, grazing industry representatives and policy makers across Australia. The model articulates the current state of dingo management and the drivers of system change.ResultsSeven pathways are described to catalyse transformation from routine lethal management of dingoes towards a future vision that embeds mutually beneficial coexistence. Central to transformation is the adoption by livestock producers of preventive non-lethal innovations supported by a new farming movement, Predator Smart Farming, that balances livestock grazing and wildlife conservation values to unlock the resilience of landscapes, animals (domesticated and wild) and livelihoods. Other key pathways include targeted research, capacity building, outreach and knowledge sharing networks; institutional (policy, legislation, and economic incentives) and cultural change; public awareness raising and advocacy to reduce lethal control; and greater involvement of Indigenous Australians in decisions relating to wildlife management.DiscussionThe seven transition pathways are discussed in relation to how they can collectively foster coexistence with dingoes in extensive rangelands grazing systems. International examples of interventions are used to illustrate the types of successful actions associated with each pathway that could inform action in Australia. The findings have implications for coexistence with large carnivores in rangeland ecosystems globally.

Understanding conflict among experts working on controversial species: A case study on the Australian dingo

AbstractExpert elicitation can be valuable for informing decision‐makers on conservation and wildlife management issues. To date, studies eliciting expert opinions have primarily focused on identifying and building consensus on key issues. Nonetheless, there are drawbacks of a strict focus on consensus, and it is important to understand and emphasize dissent, too. This study adopts a dissensus‐based Delphi to understand conflict among dingo experts. Twenty‐eight experts participated in three rounds of investigation. We highlight disagreement on most of the issues explored. In particular, we find that disagreement is underpinned by what we call “conflict over values” and “conflict over evidence.” We also note the broader role played by distrust in influencing such conflicts. Understanding and recognizing the different elements shaping disagreement is critical for informing and improving decision‐making and can also enable critique of dominant paradigms in current practices. We encourage greater reflexivity and open deliberation on these aspects and hope our study will inform similar investigations in other contexts.

Carcass use by mesoscavengers drives seasonal shifts in Australian alpine scavenging dynamics

Context Carrion is a high-energy and nutrient-rich resource that attracts a diverse group of vertebrate scavengers. However, despite the carrion pool being highly seasonal in its availability, there is little understanding of how scavengers utilise carcasses across all four seasons. Aim To assess how season influences carcass-detection times by vertebrate scavengers and their rates of scavenging. Methods We used remote cameras to monitor vertebrate scavenging at 15 eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus) carcasses in four consecutive seasons (summer, autumn, winter, and spring; total 58 carcasses) in the Australian Alps. Key results In total, 745 599 remote-camera images were captured, within which 34 vertebrate species were identified, nine of which were recorded to actively scavenge. Time to first detection of carcasses by vertebrate scavengers was 5.3 and 9.6 times longer during summer (average 144 h) than during spring (average 34 h) and winter (average 24 h) respectively. Rates of vertebrate scavenging were highest in winter and spring, with brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) accounting for 78% of all scavenging events during winter, and ravens (Corvus spp.) accounting for 73% during spring. High rates of carcass use by these mesoscavengers may reflect a scarcity of other food sources, the demands of their breeding season, or a relative absence of scavenging by larger dominant species such as dingoes (Canis dingo) and wedge-tailed eagles (Aquila audax). Conclusions These findings demonstrate the highly seasonal nature of vertebrate scavenging dynamics in an alpine ecosystem, and that mesoscavengers, not apex scavengers, can dominate the use of carcasses. Implications Accounting for the effects of season is integral to understanding the way animals utilise carcasses in alpine and other strongly seasonal environments; and for developing further our knowledge of ecosystem processes linked to decomposition.

Optimal distribution network reconfiguration to minimization power loss

With the development of industry, population growth, and suburbanization, load demand is constantly increasing from year to year. Overload demand has greatly strained the distribution network (DN), resulting in increased power losses due to the high-power flow. Therefore, it becomes very important to minimize power losses at the DN to maximize the efficiency of the distribution companies. Network reconfiguration is one of the effective methods distribution companies use to minimize losses in the DN. This paper proposes Dingo Optimization Algorithm (DOA) to solve network reconfiguration problems and minimize the DN's power loss. DOA mimics the social behavior of the Australian dingo dog. IEEE-33 bus DN has been used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The obtained simulation results compared with other methods in the literature and comparison showed that the proposed DOA provides better quality solutions than other methods.

An isolated population reveals greater genetic structuring of the Australian dingo

The Australian dingo is a recent anthropogenic addition to the Australian fauna, which spread rapidly across the continent and has since widely interbred with modern dogs. Genetic studies of dingoes have given rise to speculation about their entry to the continent and subsequent biogeographic effects, but few studies of their contemporary population structure have been conducted. Here we investigated the dingo ancestry and population structure of free-living dogs in western Victoria and contrasted it with a wider southern Australian sample. We wished to determine whether their geographic isolation was mirrored in genetic isolation. To address this question, we analysed 34 microsatellite markers using Bayesian clustering and discriminant analysis of principal components, and summarised genetic diversity at the population and individual level. The broader southern Australia sample (n = 1138) comprised mostly hybrid animals, with 30% considered pure dingoes. All western Victorian individuals (n = 59) appeared to be hybrids with high dingo ancestry. The population showed no evidence of admixture with other populations and low genetic diversity on all measures tested. Based upon our characterisation of this unusual mainland population, we advise against assuming homogeneity of dingoes across the continent.

Interspecific variation in the diet of a native apex predator and invasive mesopredator in an alpine ecosystem

AbstractCarnivores have key ecological roles in structuring and regulating ecosystems through their impacts on prey populations. When apex‐ and meso‐predators co‐occur in ecosystems, there is the potential for complex interspecific interactions and trophic dynamics that can affect the composition and functioning of ecological communities. Investigating the diet of sympatric carnivores can allow us to better understand their ecological roles (e.g. potential suppression of herbivores) or impacts (e.g. predation of threatened species). Australia's alpine region provides an ideal system in which to explore spatial and temporal variation in predator and prey interactions, using the dingo (Canis dingo) and invasive red fox (Vulpes vulpes) diet. We examined the diet of dingoes and foxes across three different mountains and seasons in Victoria's alpine region, using macroscopic scat analysis. There was little diet overlap between the two carnivores, with foxes having a broader diet than dingoes. Dingoes primarily consumed larger mammal species, including invasive sambar deer (Cervus unicolor, 44%), and the native common wombat (Vombatus ursinus, 34%), whereas foxes typically consumed smaller mammals, including the native bush rat (Rattus fuscipes, 55%), and the invasive European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus, 15%). Dingoes consumed more than thirty times the volume of large invasive mammals (predominantly sambar deer) than did foxes. Foxes consumed close to 15 times as many critical weight range individuals per scat than dingoes. Only one threatened critical weight range mammal species was identified within scats, the broad‐toothed rat (Mastacomys fuscus), found within five fox scats. Our results suggest that the introduction of novel prey may alter predator–predator interactions by causing a reduction in the dietary overlap. Therefore, in the context of integrated wildlife management and biodiversity conservation, any control of novel, invasive prey populations needs to consider possible flow on effects to apex‐ and meso‐predator diets and potential secondary impacts on native prey.

Irrupting prey populations in the absence of a mammalian apex predator drive shifts in prey selection by eagles

Removal of apex predators can have far-reaching effects on the organization and structure of ecosystems. This occurs because apex predators can exert strong suppressive effects on their prey and competitors and perturbation of these interactions can shift the balance of interactions between dyads of species at lower trophic levels and trigger trophic cascades. Dingoes (Canis dingo) are Australia’s largest mammalian carnivore. Because they are a pest to livestock producers, dingo populations are suppressed in many regions. Suppression of dingo populations has been linked to a suite of ecosystem changes due to ensuing population irruptions of their prey and competitors. Here, we investigate the impact that the suppression of dingoes has on the diet of wedge-tailed eagles (Aquila audax) in Australia’s Strzelecki Desert. Wedge-tailed eagles are generalist predators that readily shift their diet in relation to prey availability. We assessed the abundance of species frequently preyed on by eagles and quantified prey remains at eagle nests located on either side of a dingo-proof fence where dingoes were common and rare, respectively. Wedge-tailed eagles consumed more species where dingoes were rare compared to where dingoes were common. Kangaroos (Macropodidae) and western bearded dragons (Pogona vitticeps) were more abundant and were consumed more frequently by eagles where dingoes were rare. Introduced European rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus) were the prey item most frequently identified at eagle nests. However, rabbits were more abundant and their remains were found at a higher proportion of nests where dingoes were common. Our results provide evidence that shifts in the composition of vertebrate assemblages associated with the presence/absence of dingoes, particularly the irruption of kangaroos, influence the diet of wedge-tailed eagles. More generally, by showing that the presence/absence of dingoes can influence the diet of wedge-tailed eagles, our study highlights how pervasive apex predators’ effects on ecosystems can be.

The Australian dingo is an early offshoot of modern breed dogs.

Dogs are uniquely associated with human dispersal and bring transformational insight into the domestication process. Dingoes represent an intriguing case within canine evolution being geographically isolated for thousands of years. Here, we present a high-quality de novo assembly of a pure dingo (CanFam_DDS). We identified large chromosomal differences relative to the current dog reference (CanFam3.1) and confirmed no expanded pancreatic amylase gene as found in breed dogs. Phylogenetic analyses using variant pairwise matrices show that the dingo is distinct from five breed dogs with 100% bootstrap support when using Greenland wolf as the outgroup. Functionally, we observe differences in methylation patterns between the dingo and German shepherd dog genomes and differences in serum biochemistry and microbiome makeup. Our results suggest that distinct demographic and environmental conditions have shaped the dingo genome. In contrast, artificial human selection has likely shaped the genomes of domestic breed dogs after divergence from the dingo.

Cross‐cultural collaboration leads to greater understanding of the rare Spectacled Hare‐wallaby in the west Kimberley, Western Australia

SummaryCross‐cultural collaboration between Yawuru Country Managers (Rangers) and WWF‐Australia ecologists led to new detections of the Spectacled Hare‐wallaby (SHW), (Lagorchestes conspicillatus) in the west Kimberley region of Western Australia where it was presumed to be locally extirpated. This collaboration relied on the expertise of the Yawuru Country Managers to select specific locations for targeted field surveys and resulted in the confirmation of SHW on the Yawuru IPA for the first time in a decade. Subsequent remote camera trap surveys over a larger area included collaboration with two additional neighbouring Indigenous ranger groups, Karrajarri and Nyikina Mangala. These surveys investigated the spatial and temporal relationship between SHW and other mammals which may threaten (e.g., feral Cat [Felis catus], Dingo [Canis familiaris dingo]) or compete (e.g., Agile Wallaby [Macropus agilis]; Cattle [Bos taurus]) with them. We found a negative relationship between SHW and cat activity, suggesting that cats may limit the activity or abundance of SHW. Temporal portioning was evident between SHW and both Cattle and Agile Wallaby suggesting that SHW may avoid times when these species are most active. Further, we found a negative relationship between SHW occurrence and distance to fire scar edge burnt in current or previous fire season. This edge habitat is likely important to SHW because they may require recently burnt areas to forage and dense unburnt areas to shelter. This project highlights the benefits of cross‐cultural research and monitoring partnerships with Indigenous rangers as active observers and managers of their traditional lands.

Too hot for the devil? Did climate change cause the mid‐Holocene extinction of the Tasmanian devil Sarcophilus harrisii from mainland Australia?

The possible role of climate change in late Quaternary animal extinctions is hotly debated, yet few studies have investigated its direct effects on animal physiology to assess whether past climate changes might have had significant impacts on now‐extinct species. Here we test whether climate change could have imposed physiological stress on the Tasmanian devil Sarcophilus harrisii during the mid‐Holocene, when the species went extinct on mainland Australia. Physiological values for the devil were quantified using mechanistic niche models of energy and water requirements for thermoregulation, and soil‐moisture‐based indices of plant stress from drought to indirectly represent food and water availability. The spatial pervasiveness, extremity and frequency of physiological stresses were compared between a period of known climatic and presumed demographic stability (8000–6010 BP) and the extinction period (5000–3010 BP). We found no evidence of widespread negative effects of climate on physiological parameters for the devil on the mainland during its extinction window. This leaves cultural and demographic changes in the human population or competition from the dingo Canis dingo as the main contending hypotheses to explain mainland loss of the devil in the mid‐Holocene.

The nature of coxofemoral joint pathology across family Canidae.

We evaluated coxofemoral joints from museum specimens of: Vulpes lagopus; Vulpes vulpes; Vulpes velox; Nyctereutes procyonoides; Urocyon cinereoargenteus; Aenocyon [Canis] dirus; Canis latrans; Canis lupus lupus; Canis lupus familiaris; C. l. familiaris × latrans; and Canis dingo. Acetabular components included: fossa; articular surface; medial and lateral articular margins; and periarticular surfaces. Acetabular components variably revealed: osteophyte-like features; varying appearance of articular margin rims (especially contour changes); rough bone surfaces (especially fossa and articular surface); and surface wear. Proximal femoral components included: articular surface; articular margin; periarticular surfaces; and joint capsule attachment. Femoral components variably revealed: rough bone surface; bone loss; articular margin osteophyte-like features; caudal post-developmental mineralized prominence; and enthesophytes along the joint capsule attachment. Non-metric multidimensional scaling was used to analyze right-left asymmetric relationships between observed traits, across taxa. Significantly different acetabular trait asymmetry involved only C. latrans-C. l. familiaris; V. vulpes-N. procyonoides, and U. cinereoargenteus-N. procyonoides. There were no significant lateralized differences in proximal femoral traits involving modern canids, ancient and modern C. l. familiaris, or modern vulpines. Thus, the observations were strongly bilateral. We hypothesized high similarity of traits across taxa. The data confirm the hypothesis and strongly suggest broad and deep morphological and mechanistic conservation that almost certainly pre-existed (at least) all modern canids. Further zoological studies are needed to evaluate phylogenic implications in greater detail.

Proactive management of kangaroos for conservation and ecosystem restoration – Wild Deserts, Sturt National Park, NSW

SummaryKangaroo populations have increased significantly across Australia’s arid rangelands where the Dingo (Canis dingo) is excluded, with some of the highest concentrations in western New South Wales. Novel adaptive management tools are needed to conserve kangaroo (Macropus and Osphranter spp.) populations and avoid negative impacts to biodiversity, agricultural production and animal welfare associated with their overabundance. Kangaroo densities within the Wild Deserts ecosystem restoration project within Sturt National Park in western New South Wales exceeded 100/km2 in mid‐2016, during an 18‐year regional population high. Following mass population declines attributed to emigration, an estimated 7,700 (±2,100 SE) kangaroos died within the 350‐km2 Wild Deserts site over an 8‐month period during drought (December 2017–August 2018). Population trends recorded at Wild Deserts were similar to population declines recorded during annual aerial survey counts across western New South Wales over the same period. With New South Wales (NSW) National Parks and Wildlife Service, Wild Deserts developed a kangaroo management plan to avoid future catastrophic mortality from starvation and mitigate associated ecosystem impacts. Conservation management centred upon a 104‐km2 Adaptive Management Zone, fenced to trial adaptive management of sustainable kangaroo populations and restore habitats for the reintroduction of locally extinct mammals. Kangaroos were removed from two 20‐km2 exclosures, adjacent to the Adaptive Management Zone, to provide baselines against which kangaroo populations could be assessed under variable environmental conditions. To effect this management, we assessed the effectiveness of one‐way weldmesh spear and flap gates to provide passive unidirectional movement through fences. Of 171 approaches by adult Red Kangaroos to spear gates, 57 resulted in successful exits, while none of 51 approaches resulted in return movements, supporting the utility of spear gates as a practical and effective tool for directional exits of kangaroos through fences.