Twenty-one species of non-flying native mammals were positively identified during a systematic fauna survey of forest, woodland and scrub habitats in State Forests on the northwest slopes of New South Wales (1993-95). This is about 50% of the known historical diversity of mammal species from this region (43 recorded species), with 11 considered extinct and 12 species known from the region, but not recorded during the survey. Of the species detected during the survey, 10 can be considered as common or widespread, while 12 species can be considered rare or under-recorded. The specific identity of two species detected from hair and scat samples, Notomys sp. and Rattus sp., remain unclear as do observations made of rat-kangaroos. This paper presents the results of the mammal survey and analyses the habitat1 resource preferences and weight ranges of the extant, declining and extinct species from the region. The results of this analysis suggest that grass-dependent species and species between 50 g and 6 kg have suffered most from extinction. Species currently considered under threat or whose status remains unclear generally have shrubby understorey and mature tree/log preferences and weigh between 10 g and 1.5 kg. Mammals still common in State Forests of the region are generally mature woodland (tree and log dependent) or shrubby understorey species over 1 kg. Patterns of cultural disturbance are compared to these trends.
Research-Article|
March 17 2014
Patterns of decline in the native mammal fauna of the north-west slopes of New South Wales
David Paull;
David Paull
1
Department of Zoology, University of New England, Armidale, New South Wales 2351
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Elizabeth Date
Elizabeth Date
2
19 Towarri Street, Scone, New South Wales 2337
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Australian Zoologist (1999) 31 (1): 210–224.
Citation
David Paull, Elizabeth Date; Patterns of decline in the native mammal fauna of the north-west slopes of New South Wales. Australian Zoologist 1 June 1999; 31 (1): 210–224. doi: https://doi.org/10.7882/AZ.1999.021
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