Eastern Pygmy-possum Cercartetus Research Articles

Novel field observations of eucalypt sap feeding behaviour in the Eastern Pygmy-possum Cercartetus nanus

The Eastern Pygmy-possum Cercartetus nanu s is a small arboreal marsupial in the family Burramyidae that is threatened in parts of its range. Considered a generalist omnivore, its diet is known to include invertebrates, seeds, nectar and pollen. Tree sap has never before been recorded as a part of the diet of C. nanus . Here, we report on two observations of C. nanus feeding on eucalypt sap in south-eastern New South Wales.

Monitoring ground-dwelling mammals, Eastern Bristlebird and Ground Parrot at Vincentia on the south coast of New South Wales

ABSTRACT Fauna surveys were conducted near the coastal village of Vincentia on the south coast of New South Wales from 2000 to 2014 in response to a proposal to extend a golf course. The surveys consisted of trapping ground-dwelling mammals along six, 200 m long transects and targeted surveys for the Eastern Bristlebird Dasyornis brachypterus and Ground Parrot Pezoporus wallicus. Eight native species of ground-dwelling mammal were trapped including the White-footed Dunnart Sminthopsis leucopus, Eastern Chestnut Mouse Pseudomys gracilicaudatus and Eastern Pygmy Possum Cercartetus nanus, species currently listed on the Threatened Species Conservation Act (1995) and the New Holland Mouse Pseudomys novaehollandiae listed as vulnerable under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (1999). The most abundant mammals trapped were the Bush Rat Rattus fuscipes and the Brown Antechinus A. stuartii accounting for 67% and 14% of all Elliott trap captures, respectively. The survey provided the firs...

Summer and winter torpor use by a free-ranging marsupial

Torpor is usually associated with low ambient temperatures (Ta) in winter, but in some species it is also used in summer, often in response to limited food availability. Since the seasonal expression of torpor of both placental and marsupial hibernators in the wild is poorly documented by quantitative data, we investigated torpor and activity patterns of the eastern pygmy-possum Cercartetus nanus (17.4g) over two seasons. We used radio telemetry to track animals during winter (n=4) and summer (n=5) in a warm-temperate habitat and found that torpor was used in both seasons. In winter all animals entered periods of short-term hibernation (from 5 to 20days) containing individual torpor bouts of up to 5.9days. In summer, torpor bouts were always <1day in duration, only used by males and were not related to daily mean Ta. Pygmy-possums entered torpor at night as Ta cooled, and rewarmed during the afternoon as Ta increased. Individuals interspersed torpor bouts with nocturnal activity and the percentage of the night animals were active was the same in summer and winter. Our study provides the first information on torpor patterns in free-ranging C. nanus, and shows that the use of torpor throughout the year is important for energy management in this species.

Distribution, habitat and conservation status of the Eastern Pygmy-possumCercartetus nanusin Queensland

Reliable modern records of the Eastern Pygmy-possum Cercartetus nanus in Queensland were collated from various sources (including databases and previous reports) and a map of potential C. nanus habitat was generated based on an analysis of regional ecosystems and expert decision rules. Modern records of C. nanus (collected between 1936 and 2002) are confined to the far south-east of the State, from or adjacent to Lamington and Mt Barney National Parks. Only 13 modern records exist and all but one are from or above 750 m elevation. Attention is also drawn to the existence of Late Pleistocene fossil records of C. nanus from Russenden Cave, Viator Hill, in south-east Queensland, which may suggest that a long-term range contraction has occurred. Currently the status of C. nanus is officially ‘least concern’ under the Queensland Nature Conservation (Wildlife) Regulation 1994. A reappraisal of the species' conservation status in this State was undertaken using the available evidence and the World Conservation U...

Aspects of the ecology of the eastern pygmy-possum Cercartetus nanus at Jervis Bay, New South Wales.

A variety of ecological data were collected on the eastern pygmy-possum Cercartetus nanus at Jervis Bay, in south-eastern New South Wales between March 2006 and January 2007. Elliott traps, pitfall traps, nest-boxes and spotlighting were used to survey for the species. Data on habitat suitability including abundance of food plants (flowering trees and shrubs) and potential nest sites were also collected. Home range data were gathered via radio telemetry. Three individuals were caught in 2150 trap-nights and one animal was re-trapped once. Radio-collars were attached to one animal of each sex and tracked for 11 days during March 2006. These possums used areas (using minimum convex polygons) of 0.85 ha (male) and 0.19 ha (female). The average overnight distance moved was 44 m for the male (range = 4-81 m) and 19 m for the female (range = 0-56 m). Nest-sites included hollows in the proteaceous shrubs Banksia serrata and B. ericifolia, and in the myrtaceous trees Corymbia gummifera, Eucalyptus sclerophylla, and Syncarpia glomulifera. Cercartetus nanus captures were confined to two sites that had the most prolific flowering of potential food plants and the highest availability of potential nest-sites. A review of literature and previous surveys of the surrounding area was a necessary precursor to field study and produced 57 records. Greater understanding of the impacts of development and fire are needed for conservation and management of this species.

The fossil distribution of the eastern pygmy-possum Cercartetus nanus.

A review of the literature on Cercartetus nanus at 12 fossil sites in NSW. The accumulating agents involved were owls and mammalian predators.

Distribution, habitat and conservation status of the eastern pygmy-possum Cercartetus nanus in Tasmania.

We review literature pertaining to the distribution, habitat and conservation status of the eastern pygmy-possum Cercartetus nanus in Tasmania. Records from fauna surveys, museum specimens, and the Tasmanian Natural Values Atlas database, suggest that although C. nanus is widespread, it occurs in low numbers in Tasmania. From 51 fauna surveys examined, only 19 C. nanus were detected in a total of 47,087 Elliott trap-nights, 5,665 pitfall trap-nights, 196 scats or owl pellets, 899 spotlight hours, and 86 predator stomachs. A total of 102 Tasmanian C. nanus specimens was located in Australian and overseas museums. These records combined with 23 from the Natural Values Atlas database and 61 from an earlier published collation represent 99 of 679 grid squares (10 km x 10 km) overlaid across Tasmania (including King Island and Flinders Island). The patchy distribution of these records may be a reflection of low survey effort, low population numbers, low detectability or a combination of these and other factors. The highest number of records for a single locality was only four. Available data suggest that Tasmanian populations may be small and therefore potentially at risk from habitat loss, inappropriate fire regimes, and firewood collection. We believe there is a pressing need for further surveys to more clearly define the conservation status of C. nanus in Tasmania.

Fossil Occurrences of Cercartetus Nanus (Marsupialia: Burramyidae) in South Australia

SummaryThis study documents the known prehistoric distribution of the eastern pygmy-possum Cercartetus nanus in South Australia. This is based on 10 caves (Bat Cave, Cathedral Cave, Comaum Forest Cave, Haystall Cave, Henschke Fossil Cave, Kilsbys Hole, Robertson Cave, Sleeping Cave, Victoria Fossil Cave, and Wet Cave) and one rockshelter deposit (Narcurrer Shelter) all from the south-east of South Australia. Comparison of prehistoric and modern distribution records for C. nanus suggest a recent northward range contraction. The oldest fossil C. nanus are from Cathedral Cave where dates as old as 279,000 years have been established. The bone assemblages were reported to be the result of natural pitfall death-traps or from predatory species such as owls and mammalian carnivores depositing prey remains in caves.

Distribution, habitat and conservation status of the eastern pygmy-possum Cercartetus nanus in Victoria.

We review the distribution, habitat and conservation status of the eastern pygmy-possum (Cercartetus nanus) in Victoria. Data on the habitat occurrences and rates of detection were gleaned from 133 published and unpublished fauna surveys conducted from 1968 to 2003 in Gippsland; northern Victoria; the Melbourne area and south-western region. C. nanus was reported from a broad range of vegetation communities, which predominantly included a dense mid-storey of shrubs rich in nectar-producing species such as those from the families Proteaceae and Myrtaceae. Survey effort using a range of methods was immense across surveys: 305,676 Elliott/cage trap-nights, 49,582 pitfall trap-nights, 18,331 predator remains analysed, 4424 spotlight hours, and 7346 hair-sampling devices deployed, 1005 trees stagwatched, and 5878 checks of installed nest-boxes. The surveys produced 434 records of C. nanus, with Elliott/cage trapping, pitfall trapping and analysis of predator remains responsible for the vast majority of records (93%). These data and those from the Atlas of Victorian Wildlife indicate that although C. nanus has a widespread distribution in Victoria, it is rarely observed or trapped in fauna surveys. Only 11 (8%) of the surveys we reviewed detected &gt;10 individuals. C. nanus is likely to be sensitive to several recognised threatening processes in Victoria (e.g., feral predators, high frequency fire, feral honeybees). There is also evidence of range declines in several regions, which suggests that the species is vulnerable to extinction. Therefore, we recommend that it be nominated as a threatened species in Victoria.

Detection of the eastern pygmy-possum Cercartetus nanus (Marsupialia: Burramyidae) at Barren Grounds Nature Reserve, New South Wales.

THE eastern pygmy-possum (Cercartetus nanus) has an extensive distribution, from south-eastern Queensland to south-eastern South Australia, and also into Tasmania (Strahan 1995). Despite this it is rarely detected in fauna surveys (Bowen and Goldingay 2000). This rarity in detection suggested that the species may be characterised by small and isolated populations, and therefore vulnerable to extinction. Consequently, it became listed as a 'Vulnerable' species in New South Wales (NSW) in 2001. Unless resolved, the low rate of detection of C. nanus will continue to hinder the acquisition of basic ecological information that is needed to more clearly define its conservation status and that is fundamental to the development of a recovery plan. An extensive body of survey data for NSW involving C. nanus has been reviewed by Bowen and Goldingay (2000). Among a range of survey methods aimed at detecting this species, trapping within flowering banksias and checking installed nest-boxes had the highest rates of detection. Indeed, one study in northern NSW captured 98 individuals over a 3- year period from within nest-boxes (Bladon et al. 2002). All other studies detected fewer than 15 C. nanus. It is clear that further research is required to investigate the effectiveness of a range of detection methods.

Husbandry and breeding of the Eastern pygmy possum Cercartetus nanus: at Healesville Sanctuary

In 1998 6.4 Eastern pygmy possums Cercartetus nanus were placed in a large communal outdoor enclosure at Healesville Sanctuary. After 4 months two ♀♀ each had litters of four pouch young and a third ♀ had a single pouch young. The husbandry conditions which resulted in successful breeding in 1998 and 1999 are described and goals for future husbandry and research are outlined. At time of writing, and to the best of our knowledge, this is the first published record of C. nanus breeding in captivity.