Sean Buckley1, Anna Connolly1, Saul Cowen4, Robert Davis1, Anna Hopkins1, Harriet Mills1,2, Bryony Palmer3, Rebecca Quah1
1Conservation and Biodiversity Research Centre, Edith Cowan University, Joondalup, Australia, 2 Perth Zoo Science, Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions, , Australia, 3Australian Wildlife Conservancy, , , 4Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions, , Australia
Abstract:
Globally, biodiversity loss is a key environmental threat caused primarily by loss of habitat and the introduction of exotic species. Australia has one of the highest extinction records in the world for mammals, with 30 mammal species now extinct. Conservation translocations are a crucial tool for managing extinction risks in threatened species and ecological communities. Translocations to closed systems such as fenced reserves or islands are commonly used for the conservation of threatened fauna worldwide; these can provide significant conservation benefits to biodiversity however such closed systems require close monitoring. eDNA analysis of scat is increasingly being used as a non-invasive and reliable method for monitoring fauna. Here we outline several studies where we have used eDNA scats analysis to examine site suitability and resource availability for translocated mammals as well potential competition between co-existing translocated mammals. Our data illustrate the reliability of this low cost, low intervention approach and also demonstrate the significant ecological impact these mammals can have at a landscape scale. These studies represent a novel approach to pre-and post-translocation assessment with implications for planning reintroductions and informing adaptive management strategies. We recommend that eDNA analysis be adopted as a regular tool for mammal translocations to support comprehensive resource and carrying capacity assessments of the translocation site.