The diet of the musky rat-kangaroo, Hypsiprymnodon moschatus, a rainforest specialist

2002 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 209 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. Dennis
Keyword(s):  
Forest Floor ◽  
National Park ◽  
Seasonal Patterns ◽  
Fruiting Bodies ◽  
Faecal Pellets ◽  
Fibre Diet ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Line Tracking ◽  
Dietary Components ◽  
Primitive Member

Musky rat-kangaroos inhabit tropical rain forest and are Australia's smallest and most primitive member of the Macropodoidea. Their ecology and behaviour has remained unknown in the wild until this study, and is expected to be representative of an early unspecialised macropodoid lifestyle. I examined the diet of musky rat-kangaroos using a range of methods including microscopic examination of faecal pellets, direct observation, spool-and-line tracking and examinion of teeth marks left in fruit on the forest floor. Musky rat-kangaroos are frugivores and consumed the fruits of 40 species of plant on a 9-ha rainforest site in Wooroonooran National Park, Queensland. They ate primarily the flesh of fruits, but 11% of seeds from approximately half the species of fruit consumed were also eaten. While musky rat-kangaroos ate fruit from all size classes, they preferred large, fleshy drupes and seeds with a moderate to soft seed coat but without latex present. Invertebrates and the epigeal fruiting bodies of some agaric fungi were the other significant dietary components and these showed seasonal patterns of significance in the diet and differential use by adults and subadults. Musky rat-kangaroos eat the lowest-fibre diet of all animals in the superfamily Macropodoidea and their size and digestive tract reflect this unspecialised, and probably ancestral, diet.

Diversity, production, and nutrient dynamics of fungal sporocarps on logs in an old-growth temperate rain forest, Olympic National Park, Washington

1998 ◽  
Vol 28 (5) ◽  
pp. 665-673 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert L Edmonds ◽  
David S Lebo
Keyword(s):  
Forest Floor ◽  
National Park ◽  
Nutrient Dynamics ◽  
Tsuga Heterophylla ◽  
Picea Sitchensis ◽  
Common Type ◽  
Fruiting Bodies ◽  
Old Growth ◽  
Olympic National Park ◽  
Temperate Rain Forest

Fungal sporocarps were sampled on 47 logs in six 0.1-ha plots in an old-growth Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis (Bong.) Carr.) - western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) forest in the Hoh River Valley, Olympic National Park, Washington, from October 1993 to May 1994. Log biomass averaged 205 Mg/ha and the surface area of plots occupied by logs was 9.8%. Most fungal fruiting occurred on decay class 3 logs, the most common type on a scale from 1 (least decayed) to 5 (most decayed). Eighty-two taxa of fleshy fungi (63 saprophytic, 18 mycorrhizal, and one pathogenic) and six taxa of large annual or perennial fungi occurred on logs. Most fungi were basidiomycetes. Highest fleshy sporocarp production occurred in fall (456 g/ha) rather than spring (40 g/ha). Ischnoderma resinosum had the highest annual production (88 g/ha). Concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Na, Fe, Zn, Al, B, and Cu in fruiting bodies were determined. Lower N concentrations occurred in perennial fungi (0.45%) than mycorrhizal (4.33%) and fleshy saprophytic species (3.30%). Only a small fraction of the nutrient capital in the logs was exported to the forest floor in fungal sporophores.

Diet of mala (Lagorchestes hirsutus) at Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park and comparison with that of historic free-ranging mala in the Tanami Desert: implications for management and future reintroductions

2015 ◽  
Vol 37 (2) ◽  
pp. 201 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jim A. Clayton ◽  
Chris R. Pavey ◽  
Karl Vernes ◽  
Elizabeth Jefferys
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Dietary Analysis ◽  
Supplementary Food ◽  
Faecal Pellets ◽  
Average Percentage ◽  
Plant Parts ◽  
Lack Of Information ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Food Species ◽  
Free Ranging

Lack of information regarding the ecology of threatened species may compromise conservation efforts. Mala, a small macropod that historically inhabited a vast area of arid Australia, became extinct in the wild in 1991. Although dietary studies were completed before their disappearance from the Tanami Desert, no such work was conducted in the southern Northern Territory before mala became extinct in this part of its former range. The reintroduction of mala to Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park provided an opportunity for dietary analysis of faecal pellets. Results show that mala foraged a wide variety of plant species, although grasses and supplementary food comprised the bulk of the diet. Neither the average percentage of Poaceae, Triodia in particular, nor supplementary food found in pellet samples was correlated with rainfall. Niche breadth analysis showed a narrow dietary range for both the Tanami and Uluru studies. Mala at both locations selected similar types of plants, plant parts, and several of the same species. Results suggest that food species Aristida holathera and Eragrostis eriopoda should be monitored to assist in determining the carrying capacity of the Uluru enclosure. A botanically diverse reintroduction site supporting Eragrostis, Aristida and Triodia appears to be most suitable for mala.

THE ESSENTIAL CONTRIBUTION OF CAPTIVE SUMATRAN ELEPHANT IN ELEPHANT TRAINING CENTER, WAY KAMBAS NATIONAL PARK FOR WILDLIFE GENETICS CONSERVATION

2020 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elly Lestari Rustiati ◽  
Priyambodo Priyambodo ◽  
Yanti Yulianti ◽  
Eko Agus Srihanto ◽  
Dian Neli Pratiwi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
In Situ Conservation ◽  
Training Center ◽  
Conservation Effort ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Wildlife Genetics ◽  
Way Kambas National Park ◽  
Human Conflict ◽  
Essential Contribution

Way Kambas National Park (WKNP) is home of five protected big mammals including sumatran elephants.  It shares its border with 22 of 37 villages surrounding the national park.  Understanding their existence in the wild is a priority, and  wildlife genetics is a crucially needed. Besides poaching and habitat fragmentation, wildlife-human conflict is one big issue.  Elephant Training Center (ETC) in WKNP is built for semi in-situ conservation effort on captive sumatran elephants that mainly have conflict histories with local people.  Participative observation and bio-molecular analysis were conducted to learn the importance of captive Sumatran elephant for conservation effort.  Through captive sumatran elephants, database and applicable methods are expected to be developed supporting the conservation of their population in the wild.  Participative observation and molecular identification was carried on captive sumatran elephants in ETC, WKNP under multiple year Terapan grant of Ministry of Research and Technology Higher Education, Indonesia. Gene sequence and cytological analyses showed that the captive sumatran elephants are closely related and tend to be domesticated.  Translocation among ETC to avoid inbreeding, and maintaining the captive sumatran elephant as natural as possible are highly recommended. Developing genetic database can be a reference for both captive and wild sumatran elephants.

Predicting the Distribution of Sunda Pangolin (Manis javanica Desmarest, 1822) in Way Canguk Research Station, Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park, Lampung

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 58612
Author(s):  
Silvi Dwi Anasari ◽  
Wulan Pusparini ◽  
Noviar Andayani
Keyword(s):  
National Parks ◽  
National Park ◽  
Natural Habitat ◽  
Area Under The Curve ◽  
Canopy Cover ◽  
Research Station ◽  
Environment Variables ◽  
Presence Data ◽  
Manis Javanica ◽  
In The Wild

The distribution of a species can help guide the protection activities in their natural habitat. Conversely, the lack of information on this distribution makes the protection strategy of this species difficult. The research was conducted in Way Canguk Research Station, Bukit Barisan Selatan National Park from January until March 2018. The purposes of this research were to create a distribution prediction map of Sunda pangolin (Manis javanica) and estimating the environment variables that most influenced the probability of the distribution. Fourteen points of camera trap coordinates were used for presence data with nine types of environment variables such as elevation, slope, understorey, canopy cover, distance from roads, distance from rivers, distance from villages, food source, and distance from the threat. The result of maxent showed an Area Under the Curve (AUC) value of 0.909 categorized as very good. The highest probability of Sunda pangolin distributions was in the Pemerihan Resort and Way Haru Resort area, while the dominant environmental variables included the distance from the village, the canopy cover, and the distance from threat with the value 47.7; 25.85; and 15.8%, respectively. Prediction maps and environment variables can help to identify the population of Sunda pangolin in the wild and can provide input for the national parks to prioritize protection areas for Sunda pangolin from the increased poaching.

scholarly journals Notes on wild dog Lycaon pictus and lion Panthera leo population trends during a drought in the Kruger National Park

Koedoe ◽  
1995 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
M.G.L. Mills
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Kruger National Park ◽  
Population Trends ◽  
Adult Survival ◽  
Panthera Leo ◽  
Lycaon Pictus ◽  
Drought Period ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
High Predation ◽  
Wild Dog

Wild dog Lycaon pictus and lion Panthera leo populations in the Kruger National Park appeared to undergo an increase during a drought period in the early 1990s. Newly established packs, high adult survival and pup productivity contributed to an increase in the wild dog population and evidence for high predation success during the height of the drought is presented. An increase in the lion density between 1989 and 1993 on the northern basalt plains, as well as changes in the structure of the population, seem to be related to changes in prey populations, particularly to a decline in numbers and condition of buffalo Syncerus cafer.

A last chance to save the northern white rhino?

Oryx ◽  
1986 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 20-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kes Hillman-Smith ◽  
Mankoto ma Oyisenzoo ◽  
Fraser Smith
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Ceratotherium Simum ◽  
In Captivity ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
White Rhino

The northern subspecies of white rhinoCeratotherium simum cottoniis very close to extinction. Probably fewer than 50 remain in the wild and only 13 are known in captivity. Garamba National Park in northern Zaire contains the only potentially viable group, of 15–20 individuals, and here there is a possibility of action to save them.

scholarly journals The illegal pet trade is driving Madagascar's ploughshare tortoise to extinction

Oryx ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 54 (2) ◽  
pp. 188-196 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angelo R. Mandimbihasina ◽  
Lance G. Woolaver ◽  
Lianne E. Concannon ◽  
E. J. Milner-Gulland ◽  
Richard E. Lewis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
National Park ◽  
Animal Species ◽  
Distance Sampling ◽  
Wildlife Trade ◽  
Restricted Range ◽  
Pet Trade ◽  
Trade Routes ◽  
In The Wild ◽  
Line Transects ◽  
North Western

AbstractThe illegal wildlife trade is driving declines in populations of a number of large, charismatic animal species but also many lesser known and restricted-range species, some of which are now facing extinction as a result. The ploughshare tortoise Astrochelys yniphora, endemic to the Baly Bay National Park of north-western Madagascar, is affected by poaching for the international illegal pet trade. To quantify this, we estimated population trends during 2006–2015, using distance sampling surveys along line transects, and recorded national and international confiscations of trafficked tortoises for 2002–2016. The results suggest the ploughshare tortoise population declined > 50% during this period, to c. 500 adults and subadults in 2014–2015. Prior to 2006 very few tortoises were seized either in Madagascar or internationally but confiscations increased sharply from 2010. Since 2015 poaching has intensified, with field reports suggesting that two of the four subpopulations are extinct, leaving an unknown but almost certainly perilously low number of adult tortoises in the wild. This study has produced the first reliable population estimate of the ploughshare tortoise and shows that the species has declined rapidly because of poaching for the international pet trade. There is an urgent need for increased action both in Madagascar and along international trade routes if the extinction of the ploughshare tortoise in the wild is to be prevented.

scholarly journals Seasonal patterns of predation for gray wolves in the multi-prey system of Yellowstone National Park

2012 ◽  
Vol 81 (3) ◽  
pp. 553-563 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew C. Metz ◽  
Douglas W. Smith ◽  
John A. Vucetich ◽  
Daniel R. Stahler ◽  
Rolf O. Peterson
Keyword(s):  
Yellowstone National Park ◽  
National Park ◽  
Seasonal Patterns ◽  
Gray Wolves ◽  
Prey System

Benefits of being a generalist carnivore when threatened by climate change: the comparative dietary ecology of two sympatric semelparous marsupials, including a new endangered species (Antechinus arktos)

2016 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 249 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emma L. Gray ◽  
Chris J. Burwell ◽  
Andrew M. Baker
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
National Park ◽  
Diet Composition ◽  
Prey Selection ◽  
Pitfall Traps ◽  
Dietary Ecology ◽  
Late 21St Century ◽  
Dietary Components ◽  
Abundance And Diversity ◽  
Selection Of

The endangered black-tailed dusky antechinus (Antechinus arktos) was described in 2014, so most aspects of its ecology are unknown. We examined diet composition and prey selection of A. arktos and a sympatric congener, the northern form of A. stuartii, at two sites in Springbrook National Park. Overall, taxa from 25 invertebrate orders were identified in the diets from 252 scat samples. Dietary components were similar for each species, but A. arktos consumed a higher frequency and volume of dipteran larvae and Diplopoda, while A. stuartii consumed more Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Orthoptera and Isopoda. Both species of Antechinus had a higher percentage of ‘empty’ scats (devoid of any identifiable invertebrate material) in 2014 compared with 2015. The former was a drier year overall. Lower rainfall may have reduced abundance and diversity of arthropod prey, causing both species to supplement their diet with soft-bodied prey items such as earthworms, which are rarely detected in scats. Comparison of prey in scats with invertebrate captures from pitfall traps showed both species to be dietary generalists, despite exhibiting distinct preference and avoidance of certain prey categories. The ability of an endangered generalist marsupial to switch prey may be particularly advantageous considering the anticipated effects of climate change on Gondwanan rainforests during the mid-late 21st century.

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