Home-range and den use of the mahogany glider, Petaurus gracilis

Jackson, Stephen M. (2000) Home-range and den use of the mahogany glider, Petaurus gracilis. Wildlife Research, 27 (1). pp. 49-60.

[img] PDF (Published Version) - Published Version
Restricted to Repository staff only

View at Publisher Website: http://dx.doi.org/10.1071/WR98046
33


Abstract

The home-range of the mahogany glider was estimated, and its social behaviour examined, by following radio-collared animals over a two-year period within an area of continuous habitat and an adjacent area of fragmented habitat. The average home range within the continuous habitat was 19.25 ha for males and 20.34 ha for females, with male and female pairs occupying a combined area of 23.15 ha. In contrast, the average home range in the fragmented habitat was 11.05 ha for males and 6.80 ha for females, with a combined home-range of male and female pairs being 11.60 ha. The average overlap of the home ranges of paired males and females was 85.9%, compared with approximately 11% for non-paired individuals, which suggests that mahogany gliders are socially monogamous. For a total of 46 nights on which gliders were considered to behave normally for the entire night, the average foraging distance was 1506 m (range 590–3420 m) with no significant difference between males and females in either the continuous or fragmented habitat. There was, however, a significant difference in the distance individuals travelled during different times of the year, with longer distances being travelled during late dry season/wet season and shorter distances during the early to mid dry season. Mahogany gliders also travelled further when there was a high availability of nectar and pollen than when there was lower availability. A total of 83 dens (tree hollows) were recorded for the mahogany glider, with the poplar gum, Eucalyptus platyphylla, forest red gum, Eucalyptus tereticornis, and Clarkson's bloodwood, Corymbia clarksoniana, being most used.

Item ID: 13053
Item Type: Article (Research - C1)
ISSN: 1448-5494
Date Deposited: 13 Dec 2010 04:31
FoR Codes: 06 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 0602 Ecology > 060208 Terrestrial Ecology @ 100%
SEO Codes: 96 ENVIRONMENT > 9608 Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity > 960806 Forest and Woodlands Flora, Fauna and Biodiversity @ 100%
More Statistics

Actions (Repository Staff Only)

Item Control Page Item Control Page