Bridled Nailtail Wallaby, Onychogalea fraenata
Problem:
The removal of cover by
sheep, cattle and rabbits, combined with droughts, has left Bridled Nailtails
vulnerable to predation by feral cats and foxes. In Queensland the clearing of
5,700,000 hectares of brigalow and softwood scrubs has reduced the area of this
wallaby's preferred habitat by around 95%.
Background Information:
Bridled Nailtail
Wallabies disappeared from the mallee scrubs of New South Wales and Victoria in
the early 1900s. Today only one population of around 400 animals remains in
remnant brigalow scrubs of Taunton National Park, central Queensland.
Research:
Research by the
Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage has shown that loss of native
grasses, lack of preferred brigalow regrowth areas and drought within their
limited habitat hamper their recovery. Dingoes and feral cats prey upon them,
particularly their newly emerged pouch young.
Solution:
Maintain the existing
Taunton population. Establish new populations of Nailtails in other areas of
suitable habitat. Control cats, foxes and dingoes.
The next species is the Nothern Hairy-nosed Wombat