Conservation Programs
Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby
IUCN Status Vulnerable
Geographical Region: Australia
Yellow-footed Rock wallabies disappeared from Aroona Dam in 1983.
There has been a decline in Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby numbers since early European settlement, largely due to competition with introduced herbivores, and through predation by introduced predators, primarily foxes.
After a successful reintroduction program, the 60th Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby was recorded at Aroona Dam in 2007.
What is being done to help?
Involvement started: Initiated 1994, release occurred in 1996, ongoing
Type of involvement: in situ population monitoring; feral control; community education
Location in the wild: SA and NSW (other subspecies in QLD)
Numbers in wild: ~6000 in SA; <100 in NSW
Threats: competition with introduced herbivores, predation by introduced carnivores; also wildlife and habitat clearance for agriculture
Partners: Flinders Power (Babcock and Brown); Flinders University, Department for Environment and Heritage, Conservation Volunteers Australia, Taronga Zoo, Melbourne Zoo
Project Details
Winner of the 2008 ARAZPA In Situ Conservation Award
A collaborative effort by the Royal Zoological Society of South Australia (Zoos South Australia) and the Electricity Trust of South Australia (now Flinders Power) assisted by the Department of Environment and Heritage (DEH), Taronga Zoo and Melbourne Zoo saw ten yellow-footed rock wallabies released at Aroona Sanctuary in 1996, with a further two the following year.
In 1998, with the financial assistance of Leigh Creek School, three tracking stations were erected, allowing animals fitted with radio collars to be monitored, and the success of the population to be established. Software provided by Flinders University allowed this monitoring to occur 24 hours per day. Mark-recapture monitoring by PhD student Steve Lapidge concentrated on research into diet and reproduction. Since 2001, monitoring of the population has continued through a partnership involving Zoos South Australia, Conservation Volunteers of Australia (CVA) and Flinders University, supported by invaluable assistance from Flinders Power and the Leigh Creek community.
In 2007, there were approximately 41 animals in the yellow-footed rock wallaby population at Aroona Sanctuary. The continual success of the population is largely due to the comprehensive feral control program implemented by Zoos South Australia, along with co-operation by surrounding landowners and pastoralists. Prior to 2007, all feral baiting was undertaken using FOXOFF© Econobaits, which have proved to be very effective in controlling fox numbers. From this year, 1080 poison meat baits have been kindly supplied by DEH’s Bounceback program and will be used to continue with the fox, and hopefully cat, baiting in the region. A supplementary shooting program was adopted so that those foxes and cats reluctant to take baits are also controlled, and trapping within the immediate dam area is undertaken as required. Feral animal numbers are monitored quarterly through the spotlighting of ten set transects, where all rabbits, foxes, cats and kangaroos (for grazing pressure analysis) are counted. This collaborative effort, supported by funding from the Aroona Catchment Biodiversity Enhancement Project (ACBEP), has resulted in a 20km buffer zone around the sanctuary where the presence and impacts of feral animals has been significantly reduced.
Latest Feral Animal Control Report
The long-term management of Aroona Sanctuary, with particular regard to its successful control of feral animals, has opened up the potential of re-introducing more species into the region. Zoos South Australia, in collaboration with Flinders Power, Flinders University and the Department of Environment and Heritage are currently exploring other conservation initiatives.
Updates
In October 2007 the 60th yellow-footed rock wallaby was recorded at this site.
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