Bettongia Lesueur Research Articles

In situ predator exposure creates some persistent anti-predator behaviours: insights from a common environment experiment

Prey naiveté has been implicated in the global decline and reintroduction failure of many threatened species. A number of tools have been developed to combat prey naiveté including in situ predator exposure using live predators. However, determining the effectiveness and persistence of these interventions can be difficult, and requires comparisons of individual responses from predator-naïve and predator-trained populations. Even when this occurs, interpreting behavioural responses can be challenging because of the constraints of experimental design in large scale population manipulations. We used a common environment experiment and placed burrowing bettongs (Bettongia lesueur) from predator-free and predator-exposed populations together in an 8 ha fenced paddock. The predator-exposed population had been previously exposed to feral cats (Felis catus) under controlled wild conditions for up to six years and initial work suggested this exposure had led to physical and behavioural changes. Within our common environment experiment we compared a range of anti-predator behaviours including trap and feeding behaviour and response to predator scent and models. We found evidence for persistent trait changes up to 7 months, the latest time behaviours were tested, after bettongs were moved to the predator-free common environment and isolated from predators. These behaviours include reduced alarm rates, preference for open areas, and responses to predator scent and model stimuli. Additionally, high risk predator cues were more likely to elicit anti-predator responses than passive measures of anti-predator behaviour. Our design shows that predator exposure leads to persistent shifts in some, but not all, anti-predator behaviours. Identifying the proximate basis of anti-predator traits is important to develop successful tools to combat prey naiveté.

Persistence of social structuring in an arid zone mammal following reintroduction

Animal social relationships affect animal survival, reproduction, and resource exploitation, and are important to translocation success, but little is known on how they are impacted in reintroduced populations. Here, we investigate the social genetic structure in a reintroduced population of boodies (Bettongia lesueur), one of few social burrowing marsupial species in Australia. Pairwise relatedness of male and female individuals located within seven warrens was determined using 12 microsatellite markers, while mitochondrial DNA was used to identify maternal ancestral lineage. Females were significantly more related within warrens than between warrens, while the difference among males was not significant. We also found evidence of fine-scale genetic structure up to distances of 2 km in females consistent with patterns found in natural populations. Although mean relatedness values were low, our results support the hypothesis that boodies exhibit a female social structure. Multiple maternal lineages were present within all warrens with one exception, suggesting boodies appear to be non-selective when living with individuals from different ancestral backgrounds. We found a significant positive relationship between female sex bias and the number of active entrances in each warren. Together, these results suggest that social structuring should be a key consideration in future reintroductions of boodies.

Rapid change in anti‐predator behaviour of a threatened marsupial after thousands of years of isolation from predators

AbstractPrey naivety occurs when an animal does not recognize or is unable to respond effectively to the threat of a predator. Many animals lose their anti‐predator responses if they become isolated from predators, becoming vulnerable to increased predation rates if released into areas where native or introduced predators are present. In situ exposure to introduced predators is a technique that has been shown to improve anti‐predator traits in burrowing bettongs (Bettongia lesueur) and greater bilbies (Macrotis lagotis) and is associated with greater survival in bilbies. However, little is known about how in situ exposure to native predators can address the issue of prey naivety. This study investigated whether Shark Bay bandicoots (Perameles bougainville) from a remnant island population isolated from all mammalian predators for several thousand years could improve their anti‐predator behaviour after living with a native predator, the western quoll (Dasyurus geoffroii). We compared the vigilance and wariness behaviour, and nest site attributes of bandicoot populations living with and without native quolls at the Arid Recovery Reserve in South Australia. We found that after 6 years of quoll exposure, quoll‐exposed bandicoots had significantly larger flight initiation distances and spent more time engaged in vigilance behaviours at feed trays compared to control bandicoots. Quoll‐exposed bandicoots also selected nests with increased vegetation cover, preferring nests with both understory and overstory shrub cover present. The results of this study indicate that in situ exposure to native predators can improve vigilance and wariness behaviours in Shark Bay bandicoots over relatively short time frames. Exposing threatened species to native predators may assist with preparing them for life outside fenced safe havens.

Genetic mixing in conservation translocations increases diversity of a keystone threatened species, Bettongia lesueur.

Translocation programmes are increasingly being informed by genetic data to monitor and enhance conservation outcomes for both natural and established populations. These data provide a window into contemporary patterns of genetic diversity, structure and relatedness that can guide managers in how to best source animals for their translocation programmes. The inclusion of historical samples, where possible, strengthens monitoring by allowing assessment of changes in genetic diversity over time and by providing a benchmark for future improvements in diversity via management practices. Here, we used reduced representation sequencing (ddRADseq) data to report on the current genetic health of three remnant and seven translocated boodie (Bettongia lesueur) populations, now extinct on the Australian mainland. In addition, we used exon capture data from seven historical mainland specimens and a subset of contemporary samples to compare pre-decline and current diversity. Both data sets showed the significant impact of population founder source (whether multiple or single) on the genetic diversity of translocated populations. Populations founded by animals from multiple sources showed significantly higher genetic diversity than the natural remnant and single-source translocation populations, and we show that by mixing the most divergent populations, exon capture heterozygosity was restored to levels close to that observed in pre-decline mainland samples. Relatedness estimates were surprisingly low across all contemporary populations and there was limited evidence of inbreeding. Our results show that a strategy of genetic mixing has led to successful conservation outcomes for the species in terms of increasing genetic diversity and provides strong rationale for mixing as a management strategy.

Addressing prey naivety in native mammals by accelerating selection for antipredator traits.

Harnessing natural selection to improve conservation outcomes is a recent concept in ecology and evolutionary biology and a potentially powerful tool in species conservation. One possible application is the use of natural selection to improve antipredator responses of mammal species that are threatened by predation from novel predators. We investigated whether long-term exposure of an evolutionary naïve prey species to a novel predator would lead to phenotypic changes in a suite of physical and behavioral traits. We exposed a founder population of 353 burrowing bettongs (Bettongia lesueur) to feral cats (Felis catus) over 5 years and compared the physical and behavioral traits of this population (including offspring) to a control (non-predator exposed) population. We used selection analysis to investigate whether changes in the traits of bettongs were likely due to phenotypic plasticity or natural selection. We also quantified selection in both populations before and during major population crashes caused by drought (control) and high predation pressure (predator-exposed). Results showed that predator-exposed bettongs had longer flight initiation distances, larger hind feet, and larger heads than control bettongs. Trait divergence began soon after exposure and continued to intensify over time for flight initiation distance and hind foot length relative to control bettongs. Selection analysis found indicators of selection for larger hind feet and longer head length in predator-exposed populations. Results of a common garden experiment showed that the progeny of predator-exposed bettongs had larger feet than control bettongs. Results suggest that long-term, low-level exposure of naïve prey to novel predators can drive phenotypic changes that may assist with future conservation efforts.

Seroprevalence of

Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous protozoan transmitted by felids and infection, morbidity, and mortality occur in numerous marsupial species. This study explores the relationship between cat exposure and Toxoplasma in burrowing bettongs (Bettongia lesueur) in the Arid Recovery Reserve (ARR), South Australia. We estimated seroprevalence, using a modified agglutination test for T. gondii-specific immunoglobulins, in cat-free and cat-exposed bettong populations. Tissue samples collected opportunistically from bettong carcasses and from cats within and around the reserve were screened for T. gondii DNA using multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (M-qPCR). Two cats trapped inside the ARR tested positive (50.0%; 95% CI: 15.0–85.0%). All bettongs tested from the cat-free (n = 48) and cat-exposed (n = 19) exclosures were seronegative (95% CI: 0–7.41% and 0–16.82% respectively). We found no evidence of fatal toxoplasmosis, with all bettong carcasses negative on M-qPCR (n = 11). We propose that T. gondii was not detected in bettongs coexisting with cats primarily due to low exposure of bettongs at the time of sampling, possibly due to poor oocyst viability in arid conditions or low shedding by cats. Ongoing screening throughout high and low rainfall years should be conducted to better establish the risk of Toxoplasma to bettongs in the ARR.

Rapid population expansion of Boodie (Burrowing Bettong, Bettongia lesueur) creates potential for resource competition with Mala (Rufous Hare‐wallaby, Lagorchestes hirsutus)

SummaryTranslocations to closed systems such as fenced reserves are commonly used for conservation of threatened fauna species worldwide; however, resources are limited in these areas, and natural processes that regulate populations in response to resource availability are unable to occur. This can result in overabundance followed by overuse of resources, potentially resulting in extreme declines or local extinctions. Resource exhaustion can negatively impact other fauna in the closed environment that exploit similar resources, through inter‐specific competition. This paper discusses the reintroduction of Boodie (Bettongia lesueur) and Mala (Lagorchestes hirsutus) to a fenced reserve on the Matuwa Indigenous Protected Area, Western Australia, and raises the concern of potential competition between the two threatened species.

Individual traits influence survival of a reintroduced marsupial only at low predator densities

AbstractPredation is a key factor contributing to the failure of reintroductions of vertebrates but there is variation in predation risk between individuals. Understanding the traits that render some animals less susceptible to predation, and selecting for these traits, may help improve reintroduction success. Here, we test whether prior exposure to predators or specific morphological and/or behavioural attributes explained variation in post‐reintroduction survival in a moderate and low predator density environment. We exposed a population of the threatened burrowing bettong (Bettongia lesueur) to controlled densities of feral cats (Felis catus) for ≥3 years. We then conducted two translocations of cat‐exposed and control populations that had no exposure to predators to a new site where cats were present at moderate, then low density. Variation in survival of burrowing bettongs was not explained by prior predator exposure to predators or measured individual traits at moderate cat density. At lower cat densities, males died sooner and burrowing bettongs with larger hind feet survived longer. Although prior cat‐exposure did not confer a survival advantage at low cat densities, the cat‐exposed burrowing bettong population had larger hind feet (n = 44) compared to the control population (n = 45) suggesting that trait divergence between cat‐exposed and non‐cat‐exposed burrowing bettongs may not yet be sufficient for improved survival. Alternatively, prior predator exposure may not confer a survival advantage because they are “outgunned” by evolutionarily novel cats. Predation is a major problem thwarting successful reintroductions world‐wide. Exposing populations to predators over longer time periods and periodically testing survival will be required to determine whether pre‐release predator exposure prepares animals for life with novel predators. Our study highlights the importance of reducing predator activity at release sites prior to reintroduction to enable any benefits from intraspecific variation in survival traits to be realised.

Predator exposure enhances the escape behaviour of a small marsupial, the burrowing bettong

Predator-protected populations of threatened fauna are important for species conservation, although these animals can quickly become predator naïve and can lack appropriate antipredator behaviour to enable them to persist once released. Controlled predator exposure can improve predator recognition and encourage avoidance behaviour, but little is known about the escape responses or fleeing behaviour of prey species. We compared the escape behaviour of a small marsupial, the burrowing bettong, Bettongia lesueur, between two fenced populations: one that had been purposely exposed to feral cats, Felis catus, while the other had been maintained without exotic predators. To quantify escape behaviour, bettongs were trapped and released into a temporary runway and a threatening stimulus was introduced to encourage them to flee. Measures relating to reactivity (escape initiation), escape speed and flight path (protean characteristics: agility, path irregularity and straightness) were recorded from video footage. Cat-exposed bettongs were significantly heavier than those from the cat-naïve population. We found a significant effect of the interaction of treatment (‘cat-exposed’ or ‘cat-naïve’) and body mass on overall escape behaviour. These differences were attributed to increased reactivity and escape speed in cat-exposed bettongs, but not protean characteristics of their flight path. Cat-exposed bettongs fled at an intensity where body size affected their escape performance (larger animals performed longer bounds and achieved faster speeds), while this body size effect was not evident for cat-naïve animals. This result suggests the cat-naïve animals were not as motivated to flee. Introducing low levels of predation pressure can successfully promote the development of antipredator behaviour through selection and/or individual learning, including a heightened escape response. Controlled predator exposure may be able to address some types of prey naïvety and lead to increased survival outside predator-free sanctuaries.

Burrowing by translocated boodie (Bettongia lesueur) populations alters soils but has limited effects on vegetation.

Digging and burrowing mammals modify soil resources, creating shelter for other animals and influencing vegetation and soil biota. The use of conservation translocations to reinstate the ecosystem functions of digging and burrowing mammals is becoming more common. However, in an increasingly altered world, the roles of translocated populations, and their importance for other species, may be different. Boodies (Bettongia lesueur), a commonly translocated species in Australia, construct extensive warrens, but how their warrens affect soil properties and vegetation communities is unknown. We investigated soil properties, vegetation communities, and novel ecosystem elements (specifically non‐native flora and fauna) on boodie warrens at three translocation sites widely distributed across the species’ former range. We found that soil moisture and most soil nutrients were higher, and soil compaction was lower, on warrens in all sites and habitat types. In contrast, there were few substantial changes to vegetation species richness, cover, composition, or productivity. In one habitat type, the cover of shrubs less than 1 m tall was greater on warrens than control plots. At the two sites where non‐native plants were present, their cover was greater, and they were more commonly found on boodie warrens compared to control plots. Fourteen species of native mammals and reptiles were recorded using the warrens, but, where they occurred, the scat of the non‐native rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) was also more abundant on the warrens. Together, our results suggest that translocated boodie populations may be benefiting both native and non‐native flora and fauna. Translocated boodies, through the construction of their warrens, substantially alter the sites where they are released, but this does not always reflect their historic ecosystem roles.

New evidence of seed dispersal identified in Australian mammals

Context Mammal–seed interactions are important for structuring vegetation communities across a diverse range of ecosystems worldwide. In Australia, mammals are typically considered to be seed predators and to play insignificant roles in seed dispersal. However, very few studies have investigated endozoochorous seed dispersal in Australian species. The translocation of Australian mammals for the purposes of ecosystem restoration is increasing. Digging mammals (i.e. species that dig to obtain food or create shelter) are commonly the focus of these translocations because they are considered to be ecosystem engineers, but an understanding of their role in seed dispersal is lacking. Aims The aim of the present study was to expand the understanding of endozoochory in Australian digging mammals by determining whether seeds consumed by select species remain viable and able to germinate. Methods Scat samples were collected from five digging mammal species, known to consume seeds or fruit, across nine sites in Western and South Australia. The samples were searched for seeds, with the recovered seeds identified and tested for viability and germination capacity. Key results The abundance of intact seeds in scats was generally low, but 70% of the retrieved seeds appeared viable. Five species of seed germinated under laboratory conditions. These seeds were retrieved from bilby (Macrotis lagotis), boodie (Bettongia lesueur), golden bandicoot (Isoodon auratus) and quenda (I. fusciventer) scats. Conclusions Seeds consumed by Australian digging mammals can remain viable and germinate, indicating that digging mammals play a more important role in seed dispersal than previously considered. Implications Digging mammals have the potential to contribute to ecosystem restoration efforts through the dispersal of viable seeds, but there is also a risk that non-native species could be dispersed. These costs and benefits should be considered by practitioners when planning reintroductions of digging mammals.

Industry environmental offset funding facilitates a large multi-species fauna translocation program

Worldwide deterioration in natural communities has led to an increased use of fauna translocations to improve conservation status and restore ecological function. However, few translocation programs have sufficient resources to involve multiple species and destination locations with appropriate threat management and monitoring before and after release. As part of conservation actions to mitigate impacts of the Chevron Australia Gorgon liquefied natural gas project on Barrow Island Nature Reserve, biodiversity offset funding was provided to benefit species impacted by the development. Animals were translocated from three islands to two mainland locations in Western Australia. We aimed to: (1) improve conservation status and security of several threatened species; and (2) contribute to reconstruction of pre-European fauna assemblages. Nine hundred and seventy five individuals of six mammal and two bird species were translocated. These included 421 golden bandicoots (Isoodon auratus barrowensis), 111 spectacled hare-wallabies (Lagorchestes conspicillatus conspicillatus), 105 Barrow Island boodies (Bettongia lesueur ssp. Barrow Island), 104 brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula hypoleucus), 62 mala (Lagorchestes hirsutus ssp. Tanami), 88 djoongari (Pseudomys fieldi), 37 black and white fairy-wrens (Malurus leucopterus edouardi) and 47 spinifexbirds (Eremiornis carteri). Of 11 new populations, only two failed to establish; attributed to native and feral predators. Additional populations of four species of threatened mammal (one of which has now been reduced in conservation listing) and one species of threatened bird were established. To our knowledge, this is the largest translocation effort ever undertaken in Australia and is a rare example of an offset that has provided tangible threatened species benefit.

Exposure to a novel predator induces visual predator recognition by naïve prey

The “life-dinner principle” posits that there is greater selection pressure on the species that have more to lose in an interaction. Thus, based on the asymmetry within predator-prey interactions, there is an advantage for prey to learn quickly, especially in response to novel, introduced predators. Here, we test the “learned recognition” hypothesis that posits that naive prey species’ ability to recognise and respond to introduced predators can be induced through experience. We quantified the behavioural response of initially predator-naive burrowing bettongs (Bettongia lesueur) that had been living in the presence (for 8–15 months) and absence of an introduced predator (feral cats—Felis catus) to models of cats, a herbivore (rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus)), novel object (plastic bucket) and no object (control). We expected that if bettongs recognised cats as a threat, they would be more wary in the presence of cat models than either rabbit models, buckets or the control. Bettongs living without predators did not modify their behaviour in response to the cat model, but spent more time cautiously approaching the rabbit model compared with the control. However, bettongs living with cats spent more time cautiously approaching the cat model compared with the rabbit, bucket and control. Our results are consistent with the learned recognition hypothesis which suggests that a predator-naive prey species ability to recognise novel predators is inducible through experience. Our finding suggests that antipredator responses of reintroduced species could be improved prior to release by exposing them to predators under carefully controlled conditions. Predator-prey interactions have played a strong selective factor in the evolution of predator avoidance behaviour by prey. In order for prey to appropriately and successfully respond and avoid predation, it is essential that prey species recognise a predatory threat in the first place. The isolation of prey species on predator free islands, geographically isolated continents (such as Australia) and predator-free fenced reserves, means that prey are increasingly isolated from predator-driven natural selection processes. We studied the behavioural response of a population of initially predator-naive burrowing bettongs that had been living in the presence (for 8–15 months) and absence of feral cats, (an introduced predator). Our results show that predator-naive prey species’ ability to recognise novel predators is inducible through experience.

Factors influencing the residency of bettongs using one‐way gates to exit a fenced reserve

AbstractUnderstanding the conditions under which small native Australian mammals can persist in the presence of introduced predators remains a key challenge to conservation ecologists. Bettong‐specific one‐way gates were used at a predator‐free reserve in South Australia to allow the burrowing bettong (Bettongia lesueur) – a small potoroid, listed as ‘vulnerable’ nationally – to disperse out of the reserve. We conducted a field experiment to explore the conditions affecting residence time of bettongs that left the reserve. We monitored bettong and mammalian predator activity outside the fence using track surveys across 18 sites over two seasons. We examined the effect of supplementary feeding as a strategy for increasing residence time, as well as the influence of predator presence and habitat quality, using linear mixed models. Bettong activity was positively associated with supplementary feeding, midstorey vegetation cover and shelter availability. After gates were closed, bettong activity near gates declined to almost zero the following weeks, likely either due to death from predation or due to movement away from the sites. To a small extent, mammalian predators were more likely to be present at sites with high bettong activity. Further research on conditions to support persistence of burrowing bettongs and other small mammals, including understanding minimum necessary predator control effort, is required before successful establishment of populations outside of fences can occur.

Population Genomics of Bettongia lesueur: Admixing Increases Genetic Diversity with no Evidence of Outbreeding Depression.

Small and isolated populations are subject to the loss of genetic variation as a consequence of inbreeding and genetic drift, which in turn, can affect the fitness and long-term viability of populations. Translocations can be used as an effective conservation tool to combat this loss of genetic diversity through establishing new populations of threatened species, and to increase total population size. Releasing animals from multiple genetically diverged sources is one method to optimize genetic diversity in translocated populations. However, admixture as a conservation tool is rarely utilized due to the risks of outbreeding depression. Using high-resolution genomic markers through double-digest restriction site-associated sequencing (ddRAD-seq) and life history data collected over nine years of monitoring, this study investigates the genetic and fitness consequences of admixing two genetically-distinct subspecies of Bettongia lesueur in a conservation translocation. Using single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) identified from 215 individuals from multiple generations, we found an almost 2-fold increase in genetic diversity in the admixed translocation population compared to the founder populations, and this was maintained over time. Furthermore, hybrid class did not significantly impact on survivorship or the recruitment rate and therefore we found no indication of outbreeding depression. This study demonstrates the beneficial application of mixing multiple source populations in the conservation of threatened species for minimizing inbreeding and enhancing adaptive potential and overall fitness.

Mixing Genetically and Morphologically Distinct Populations in Translocations: Asymmetrical Introgression in A Newly Established Population of the Boodie (Bettongia lesueur).

The use of multiple source populations provides a way to maximise genetic variation and reduce the impacts of inbreeding depression in newly established translocated populations. However, there is a risk that individuals from different source populations will not interbreed, leading to population structure and smaller effective population sizes than expected. Here, we investigate the genetic consequences of mixing two isolated, morphologically distinct island populations of boodies (Bettongia lesueur) in a translocation to mainland Australia over three generations. Using 18 microsatellite loci and the mitochondrial D-loop region, we monitored the released animals and their offspring between 2010 and 2013. Despite high levels of divergence between the two source populations (FST = 0.42 and ϕST = 0.72), there was clear evidence of interbreeding between animals from different populations. However, interbreeding was non-random, with a significant bias towards crosses between the genetically smaller-sized Barrow Island males and the larger-sized Dorre Island females. This pattern of introgression was opposite to the expectation that male–male competition or female mate choice would favour larger males. This study shows how mixing diverged populations can bolster genetic variation in newly established mammal populations, but the ultimate outcome can be difficult to predict, highlighting the need for continued genetic monitoring to assess the long-term impacts of admixture.

Exploring the internal and external wildlife gradients created by conservation fences.

Spillover effects are an expansion of conservation benefits beyond protected areas through dispersal of species that reside within. They have been well documented in marine but not terrestrial systems. To understand the effects on wildlife created by conservation fences, we explored the internal and external gradients of activity in mammal, reptile, and bird species at a conservation reserve in arid Australia that is fenced to exclude invasive rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), cats (Felis catus), and foxes (Vulpes vulpes). Two methods were used: counts of animal tracks along transects on sand dunes and captures at pitfall-trapping sites. In both cases, sites were spaced at different distances from the reserve fenceline inside and outside the reserve. We recorded a range of spillover, source-sink, step, and barrier effects that combined to create a zone within and around the reserve with fence-induced species-specific wildlife gradients. Two endemic rodents but none of the 4 mammal species reintroduced to the reserve showed positive spillover effects. Barrier effects, where activity was highest close to the fence, were recorded for the feral cat and native bettong (Bettongia lesueur), species that could not breach the fence. In comparison, some reptiles and native mammal species that could permeate the fence displayed source-sink effects; that is, their activity levels were reduced close to the fence likely due to constant emigration to the side with lower density. Activity of some reptiles was lowest at sites inside the reserve and gradually increased at outside sites with distance from the fence, a gradient likely related to trophic cascades triggered by predator exclusion. Our result shows that fenced reserves can create overlapping layers of species-specific gradients related to each species' ability to permeate the fence and its varying susceptibility to threats. Managers should be aware that these gradients may extend for several kilometers either side of the fence and that not all contained species will increase in abundance. Creating wider conservation benefits may require increased fence permeability and threat reduction outside the fence.

In situ predator conditioning of naive prey prior to reintroduction.

Many translocations and introductions to recover threatened populations fail because predators kill prey soon after release; a problem exacerbated for predator-naive prey. While pre-release training has been shown to work in some situations, it is time consuming and relies on using inferred predator cues and treating small groups. We review a relatively new and very promising management tool: in situ, pre-release predator conditioning. Here, the goal is to allow prey in large enclosures to live with low densities of predators to accelerate selection for antipredator traits (in an evolutionary sense) or provide prey essential experience with predators that they will later encounter. We review the published results of a large-scale, controlled experiment where we have permitted burrowing bettongs (Bettongia lesueur) and greater bilblies (Macrotis lagotis) to live with low densities of feral cats (Felis catus), a species implicated in their widespread decline and localized extinction. We found that both species could persist with cats, suggesting that future work should define coexistence thresholds-which will require knowledge of prey behaviour as well as the structure of the ecological community. Compared to control populations, predator-naive prey exposed to cats has a suite of morphological and behavioural responses that seemingly have increased their antipredator abilities. Results suggest that predator-conditioned bilbies survive better when released into a large enclosure with an established cat population; future work will determine whether this increased survival extends to the wild. This article is part of the theme issue 'Linking behaviour to dynamics of populations and communities: application of novel approaches in behavioural ecology to conservation'.

Searching for an effective pre-release screening tool for translocations: can trap temperament predict behaviour and survival in the wild?

Individuals often respond to threatening situations in consistently different ways and these differences may predict later translocation success. Thus, the ability to easily identify these differences prior to translocation may assist in improving conservation outcomes. We asked whether burrowing bettongs (Bettongia lesueur), a marsupial species that has undergone significant decline since the introduction of exotic predators to Australia, responded in consistently different ways to capture in traps, and if so, whether this was related to anti-predator behaviour, ranging behaviour and survival following translocation. Behavioural responses of 40 bettongs were measured and included response to removal from traps (trap docility), latency to leave a trap or bag and escape behaviour upon release. We used flight initiation distance to measure escape behaviour, and distance moved from diurnal refuges during nocturnal foraging to measure ranging behaviour. Survival was measured through radiotracking after release. Behaviours scored during removal from a trap were consistent and repeatable, and formed a behavioural syndrome with anti-predator and ranging behaviour. Less docile bettongs foraged closer to refuges and had longer flight initiation distances. Less docile bettongs were also more likely to survive after release, although the sample size of mortalities was small. Our results suggest that behaviours scored during trapping could be a useful metric for pre-release screening in translocation programs to enhance the chances of individual survival post-release.

One‐way gates successfully facilitate the movement of burrowing bettongs (Bettongia lesueur) through exclusion fences around reserve

AbstractWhen native herbivores are enclosed in fenced reserves without predators or dispersal options then overgrazing can occur, leading to damage to vegetation and co‐occurring fauna species. One‐way gates that allow medium‐sized herbivores to exit fenced reserves may be an effective management tool to address overabundance or facilitate population expansion. We tested the use of one‐way gates to facilitate the movement of the reintroduced burrowing bettong (Bettongia lesueur) from inside to outside a fenced reserve in arid South Australia. One‐way gates were installed in the exterior fence of the reserve and assessed using remote motion‐sensor cameras. The influence of gate position (dune, swale or corner) and provision of food were assessed in relation to gate visits and exits. Animals were trapped inside and outside the gates to determine any population bias in gate exits. Baited gates recorded significantly more exits than unbaited gates and dune gates had higher exit rates than interdunal swale gates. When gates were unbaited, those installed in corners of the reserve showed significantly higher visitation by bettongs and a non‐significant trend towards more exits compared to gates placed in straight sections of fence along dunes or swales. There was no sex or age bias of burrowing bettongs using the gates and bettongs travelled between 75 m and 1535 m from their warrens to use the gates. No non‐target species gained access to the reserve through the one‐way gates and only two non‐target animals used the gates to exit the reserve confirming gate specificity for bettongs. During the same period, 96 burrowing bettongs exited the reserve through the one‐way gates. One‐way gates may be a management strategy for facilitating passive movement of medium‐sized herbivores outside of fenced reserves for the purposes of reducing overpopulation or facilitating population expansion outside reserves.