A rare and elusive native rock-rat, re-discovered near Mt Sonder in Central Australia’s West MacDonnell National Park 12 months ago, has thrilled researchers by popping its head up again in a different location.
The team has just found another breeding population of the endangered Central Rock-rat (Zyzomys pendunculatus), this time on nearby Mt Giles. It’s a significant and exciting discovery of an endearing little creature that is now only found in the MacDonnell Ranges.
"Mt Giles had not been surveyed before, so finding a small population with pregnant mothers and juveniles is incredibly good news for the species,” Technical officer with the NT Government’s Biodiversity Conservation Unit, Peter McDonald says.
“While no Central Rock-rats were found on Mt Sonder during this survey, their apparent disappearance from that site and then the discovery of another population at Mt Giles demonstrates a known trait of the species. They go through big boom-and-bust cycles where they appear and disappear from areas somewhat erratically, largely due to the availability of food.
“Mt Sonder and Mt Giles are both rugged high-altitude quartzite peaks with relatively low densities of mammal predators like cats and dingos and may act as long-term refuges for this species. Hopefully, we can confirm this when we conduct repeat surveys in four years time.”
The Central Rock-rat was once found across much of the Territory’s south but its range has contracted dramatically over the last 100 years, probably due to the impact of predatory cats and foxes, and changed fire regimes.
These surveys marked the first of a series by government scientists, Parks and Wildlife Service rangers and Traditional Owners to document plant and animal diversity across the West MacDonnell National Park and investigate the impacts of environmental weeds and fire.
“This is the start of one of the most intensive flora and fauna monitoring programs ever undertaken in Australia’s arid zone, with more than 150 sites across the West Macs, Finke Gorge National Park and Watarrka National Park to be surveyed over the next four years,” Peter says.
“This monitoring program will assist us to detect changes in species populations, and this will guide our efforts to manage threats to the Territory’s native flora and fauna.
“The Central Australian environment has experienced some extremes of climate over the past 18 months with heavy rainfall early in the year and the recent intense and wide-spread bushfires.
“Thankfully places like Mt Sonder and Mt Giles were well protected from these recent wildfires and therefore there won’t be impacts on the Central Rock-rat or other flora and fauna in this part of the West MacDonnells.”
Desert mountain survey unearths a rare rock climber
By Kerry Sharp
A rare and elusive native rock-rat, re-discovered near Mt Sonder in Central Australia’s West MacDonnell National Park 12 months ago, has thrilled researchers by popping its head up again in a different location.
The team has just found another breeding population of the endangered Central Rock-rat (Zyzomys pendunculatus), this time on nearby Mt Giles. It’s a significant and exciting discovery of an endearing little creature that is now only found in the MacDonnell Ranges.
“Mt Giles had not been surveyed before, so finding a small population with pregnant mothers and juveniles is incredibly good news for the species,” Technical officer with the NT Government’s Biodiversity Conservation Unit, Peter McDonald says.
“While no Central Rock-rats were found on Mt Sonder during this survey, their apparent disappearance from that site and then the discovery of another population at Mt Giles demonstrates a known trait of the species. They go through big boom-and-bust cycles where they appear and disappear from areas somewhat erratically, largely due to the availability of food.
“Mt Sonder and Mt Giles are both rugged high-altitude quartzite peaks with relatively low densities of mammal predators like cats and dingos and may act as long-term refuges for this species. Hopefully, we can confirm this when we conduct repeat surveys in four years time.”
The Central Rock-rat was once found across much of the Territory’s south but its range has contracted dramatically over the last 100 years, probably due to the impact of predatory cats and foxes, and changed fire regimes.
These surveys marked the first of a series by government scientists, Parks and Wildlife Service rangers and Traditional Owners to document plant and animal diversity across the West MacDonnell National Park and investigate the impacts of environmental weeds and fire.
“This is the start of one of the most intensive flora and fauna monitoring programs ever undertaken in Australia’s arid zone, with more than 150 sites across the West Macs, Finke Gorge National Park and Watarrka National Park to be surveyed over the next four years,” Peter says.
“This monitoring program will assist us to detect changes in species populations, and this will guide our efforts to manage threats to the Territory’s native flora and fauna.
“The Central Australian environment has experienced some extremes of climate over the past 18 months with heavy rainfall early in the year and the recent intense and wide-spread bushfires.
“Thankfully places like Mt Sonder and Mt Giles were well protected from these recent wildfires and therefore there won’t be impacts on the Central Rock-rat or other flora and fauna in this part of the West MacDonnells.”
