Ecology of the rufous hare-wallaby, Lagorchestes hirsutus Gould (Marsupialia : Macropodidae), in the Tanami Desert, Northern Territory, 3. Interactions with introduced mammal species.
1993
Lundie Jenkins G. | Phillips C.M. | Corbett L.K.
Six species of introduced mammals were recorded through transect counts of faecal pellets and tracks: dingoes, rabbits, camels, foxes, feral cats and cattle. The local distributions for a number of these species were found to be significantly correlated with that of L. hirsutus during some seasons. Analysis of dingo scats collected from fire trails within the study area identified a total of 12 different food classes including hare-wallabies which occurred in 6.9 percent of the scats. Foxes and feral cats appear to be more important predators as demonstrated by their impacts on natural and reintroduced populations of hare-wallabies. Comparison of the diets of the rabbit and L. hirsutus identified significant overlap in utilised plant species, particularly during drier times. Competition between rabbits and L. hirsutus seems probable, given the overlap of their diets and their similar body sizes and metabolic requirements. Cattle and camels are potentially as important at densities above present levels.
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