First ever mammal survey of Cape Range region completed

22/10/97

The first mammal survey ever conducted of Western Australia's unique Cape Range region has been completed by a team of researchers from the Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM).

Environment Minister Cheryl Edwardes said the CALM research team had conducted a two-week search for threatened and other native mammals in the Cape Range region.

The search primarily focused on finding the Antina, commonly called the Central Rock rat, a species never located alive in the State. The species was thought to be extinct until late 1996, when a few were located near Alice Springs in the Northern Territory. Skeletal remains of the Antina found in cave deposits in Cape Range prompted CALM to search the area for the elusive species.

The Antina is ranked as 'critically endangered' in WA and an interim recovery plan prepared by CALM listed the search of Cape Range as the main course of action.

The Minister said that though the search failed to locate any Antina, other small native ground mammals were found in the area.

"Six species of native mammals including the Little Red Antechinus, Fat-tailed Antechinus, Common Planigale, Pilbara Ningaui, Stripe-faced Dunnart and Sandy Inland Mouse were trapped," she said.

"In addition to those trapped, Cape Range is also home to a number of other species including the Black-footed rock wallaby, euro and echidna.

"The search also highlighted the existence of two species of introduced rodents - the House Mouse and Black Rat.

"The Black Rat appears to be well-established in the Cape Range region, which is of concern as this species has displaced native rodents in parts of Australia.

"The findings from this search will assist CALM in the conservation of threatened fauna in the area through the control of introduced predators such as the Black rat, as well as provide information on the status of all mammals native to the Cape Range region."

A further mammal survey of Cape Range will be carried out by CALM in May 1998.

Mrs Edwardes said the $20,000 project was primarily funded by Earth Sanctuaries Limited and the Earth Sanctuaries Foundation of Australia, with additional funding from the Commonwealth Natural Heritage Trust Endangered Species Program.

"The Cape Range project is one of a number of conservation initiatives undertaken with funding provided by the Earth Sanctuaries group in exchange for supplying Yookamurra Sanctuary in South Australia with threatened native mammals from WA," she said.

Other projects funded by its contribution include:

·      $10,500 for research on two species of pythons;

·      4,000 for the Western Swamp Tortoise Recovery Plan;

·      $7,800 for dibbler research;

·      $5,750 for quokka survey; and -

·      $4,000 for the conservation of the Black-footed rock wallaby.

"By working together with other conservation interests interstate, CALM has taken further steps to conserve Western Australia's many native fauna species," Mrs Edwardes said.

Media contacts: Ministerial - Diana Russell Coote on (08) 9421 7777

CALM - Mitzi Vance on (08) 9389 8644