Context. Wildlife viewing is a primary reason people visit parks and protected areas. However, high rates of visitation increase the potential for interactions between humans and wildlife. This close proximity of humans and wildlife can lead to habituation to human presence and pose a threat to both animals and humans.

Aims. We describe human–mountain goat interactions in Cathedral Provincial Park (CPP), in British Columbia (BC), Canada, and examine management and mitigation strategies to reduce these interactions.

Methods. This project was a collaboration with BC Parks. We used community-based participatory research methodologies, conducting interviews and surveys from July 2020 to November 2021 with park visitors, staff, and researchers.

Key results. Most respondents encountered mountain goats in the park and understood the park’s messaging; however, not all respondents took the necessary steps to reduce encounters. We recommend further education efforts focused on formal staff training and improved infrastructure in the park.

Conclusions. Our results can be used to inform management decisions related to human–wildlife interactions, primarily in parks and protected areas. On a proximate level, we suggest further educational efforts and improved infrastructure in the park to help overcome perceived lack of action by some participants. Ultimately, there is a need to incorporate human aspects of human–wildlife interactions into management decisions aimed at addressing potential and existing problems.

Implications. Using a multitude of approaches to management, informed by biological, social, and cultural knowledge, can improve responses and mitigation strategies in human–wildlife interactions. Collaboration among different stakeholders allows for the exchange of ideas and innovations that can contribute to positive movement towards coexistence of humans and wildlife in parks and recreational areas.

Context. Monitoring programs provide valuable information on wildlife populations, thereby underpinning strategies for conservation and control. For threatened species, where every animal represents a substantial portion of the population, representative sampling is vital. One fundamental challenge during sampling is understanding drivers of survey bias; for instance, behavioural heterogeneity in trap response. Methods such as capture–mark–recapture have long been used to estimate capture and recapture heterogeneity; yet, this method, like many others, is able to gather data only from the trappable and re-trappable portion of the population; a problem that presents a particular challenge for small or vulnerable populations. A greater understanding of why biases arise can result in improved survey methods, more reliable survey data and increased modelling accuracy.

Aims. We focus on an endangered species with unusually high recapture probabilities (0.78–0.92), namely, the mountain pygmy-possum (Burramys parvus). Specifically, we examine whether, within a single trapping session, a recapture bias exists either as a function of past trapping experience or personality.

Methods. We tested whether recapture probability differs among cohorts with different capture histories (‘known’ animals captured during trapping sessions in previous years vs ‘new’ animals trapped for the first time in this study). We also tested for individual personality, general risk-taking behaviour during foraging, and subsequent links to recapture probability.

Key results. Recapture probability was significantly affected by cohort. New animals had lower probabilities of recapture and took fewer risks during foraging than did known animals. Although personality did not significantly influence recapture probability, it did influence risk-taking during foraging.

Conclusions. Despite high recapture probability within the populations, captures were significantly skewed towards a subset of the population, likely being due to different perceptions of risk among individuals.

Implications. Understanding potential sources of bias during live-capture surveys is the initial step towards modifying and improving surveys to reduce sampling biases and to ensure representative population sampling.

Context. Research on large, terrestrial mammals often requires physical captures to attach tags or collars, collect morphological data, and collect biological samples. Choice of capture method should minimise pain and distress to the animal, minimise risk to personnel, and consider whether the method can achieve study objectives without biasing results.

Aims. We studied how capture via helicopter net-gunning affected survival, post-capture movement patterns, and space use of exotic nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus) in southern Texas, USA.

Methods. We estimated daily survival rates for 101 collared nilgai over 28 days, following 125 captures. We calculated mean daily movement rates and net-squared displacement for 21 recaptured nilgai for 60 days, starting 30 days before capture.

Key results. The survival probability of 125 nilgai individuals was 0.97 (95% CI = 0.92–0.99) over the 28 days following capture, with the lowest daily survival for the day after capture (x̄ = 0.99; 95% CI = 0.96–1.00). We observed an increase of ~65% in the mean daily movement rate of 134 m/h on the first 2 days since capture, followed by a period of reduced movement out to the 5th day before returning to pre-capture levels. Analysis of net-squared displacement for 21 nilgai showed that 17 resumed pre-capture space-use patterns within a week, whereas four individuals did not return to the pre-capture range for ≥1 month.

Conclusions. Capture-related mortality rates for nilgai using helicopter net-gunning in our study (3%) were similar or lower than those reported for similar species captured using the same method. While we were able to detect a period of elevated movement rates, followed by a recovery period of diminished movement as a result of capture, nilgai appeared to return to typical behaviour ~6 days post-capture. Most nilgai in our study also resumed typical space-use patterns within a week of capture; however, our results suggest high individual variability in their response.

Implications. We recommend using net-gunning from a helicopter as a method for capturing nilgai when conditions and where vegetation and topography allow. We suggest censoring data for a minimum of 7 days following capture for analyses related to survival and movement rates. For analyses relating to space use, we suggest inspecting net-squared displacement or some similar displacement analysis for each animal separately to account for individual variation in response and exclude data accordingly.

Context. Small mammals may traverse the urban fringe and use both natural and anthropogenic resources. In Australia, human commensal black rats (Rattus rattus) and native long-nosed bandicoots (Perameles nasuta) are important tick hosts, which can be found persisting at the urban fringe, leading to human–wildlife conflict.

Aims. We aimed to (1) determine the relative activity of small mammals in yards and associations with yard attributes, (2) compare activity of black rats and long-nosed bandicoots in bushland with activity in yards and (3) determine the proportion of black rats and long-nosed bandicoots that crossed the urban fringe. We predicted that native bandicoots would be more active in bushland habitats and that black rats would be more active in yards.

Methods. We used camera trapping in 56 residential yards, 18 of which were paired with adjacent bushland to measure small mammal activity in the two habitats. We recorded yard attributes and examined these associations using generalised linear models. We used isodar analysis to investigate black rat preferences of bushland habitat compared with yards, and we used Rhodamine B baiting to investigate movement at the urban fringe.

Key results. We found that black rats were the most active small mammal in residential yards and were detected in more yards than other small mammals, followed by bandicoots. Black rat activity was greater in yards adjacent to bushland, but no other yard attributes were associated with black rat and bandicoot activity. Overall, activity tended to be higher in bushland than in yards at paired locations.

Conclusions. Our findings suggest residential yards likely provide high-quality resources for long-nosed bandicoots. Low rates of movement at the urban fringe (6%), and a preference for bushland at low densities suggests that black rats may be synanthropic rather than commensal, occupying an urban niche but not depending on anthropogenic resources as expected.

Implications. Residential properties located adjacent to bushland may be exposed to increased black rat activity in yards. Future work should consider how introduced rats may be controlled in bushland to assist urban rat control efforts and avoid non-target impacts. Residential yards are likely to be important habitat for the persistence of long-nosed bandicoots in urban environments.

Context. Home range studies allow investigation of faunal habitat use within a well-defined area, and for some species, the concept of ‘core’ and ‘non-core’ home ranges provides the means to examine how resource use varies within home ranges. Taking this approach, we investigated whether koalas preferentially used areas of taller forest canopy within home ranges. After an extensive examination of data quality and home range estimation methods, we used remote sensing techniques to provide canopy height information at high resolution.

Aims. In many areas, koalas prefer taller individual trees at the plot scale; our aim was to investigate whether koalas prefer forest areas with higher canopy height within their home ranges.

Methods. In our southeast Queensland study area, we developed a canopy height model (CHM) from airborne LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) data. Existing radio telemetry and GPS data from 135 koalas were used to generate home ranges using 95% kernel density estimators, and 50% kernels represented core home ranges. Some home ranges occupied more than one forest type (Regional Ecosystem – RE); we treated each RE as an individual patch, and used 225 patches in our analysis. We intersected the 95% kernels with the CHM, and used hierarchical spatial clustering to derive four categorical canopy height classes within each patch. We then compared differences in height class area proportions between core and non-core areas for each patch.

Key results. The highest of the four canopy height classes comprised a significantly higher proportion of core areas (42.3%) than non-core areas (30.7%). Classes 2 and 3 were evenly distributed, and the proportion of Class 4 (lowest canopy height) was 20.3% of non-core areas and 11.0% in core areas. Results were similar for REs grouped by Land Zone and individual REs.

Conclusions and implications We conclude that areas of higher canopy are an important habitat resource for koalas. We have, for the first time, examined resource variability within entire koala home ranges using remote sensing, and our methods demonstrate an avenue for further research using other forms of remote sensing. Classified canopy height models could also be used for strategic conservation planning, and at population-level koala habitat management when combined with other relevant habitat factors.

Context. Understanding the home-range size and the ecological drivers that influence the spatial distribution of feral pigs is of paramount importance for exotic-disease modelling and the improvement of pest management programs.

Aims. To investigate various factors affecting home- and core-range size and test selection of habitat, to better inform disease modelling and pest management programs.

Methods. In this study, 59 GPS-collared feral pigs were tracked over four sites in eastern Australia between 2017 and 2021. Using minimum convex polygon (MCP) and the nearest-neighbour–local convex hull (k-LoCoH) as home-range estimators and foliage projective cover (FPC) as an estimator of landscape-scale shelter, we investigated the influence of sex, site, season, year and body weight on range size and tested selection of habitat by using chi-squared and Jacob’s index tests.

Key results. Home-range sizes were highly variable, with k-LoCoH90 (home) ranges between 0.08 and 54.97 km² and k-LoCoH50 (core) ranges between 0.01 and 7.02 km². MCP90 ranged between 0.15 and 242.30 km², with MCP50 being between 0.07 and 60.61 km². Sex and site both significantly (P < 0.001) influenced home-range size, but season and year did not. Home-range size was shown to increase with body mass for both sexes (P = 0.001). Importantly, the data indicated that feral pigs prefer habitat within 20–40% FPC (woodland), whereas open forests (51–80% FPC) and closed forests (>80% FPC) were actively avoided. Typically, use of open vegetation (1–10% FPC) was also avoided, but this behaviour varied and was dependent on site.

Conclusion Feral pig ranges are influenced by sex, site and body mass but not by season and year. Broad-scale selection for shelter indicated that feral pigs prefer habitat between 20% and 40% FPC.

Implications. Targeting or avoiding such areas respectively for control or monitoring tool placement may result in improved, efficient outcomes to monitor or manage feral pig populations. Feral pig distribution modelling may also find benefit in the consideration and further study of the above factors and the influence of food and water sources on the activity ranges and behaviour of feral pigs.

Invasive alien species are responsible for considerable biodiversity loss and environmental damage. Timely detection of new incursions is critical in preventing novel populations establishing. Citizen reports currently account for the majority of alien species detections, arising from the massive observation effort that the physical and digital ‘eyes and ears’ of citizens provide, in combination with crowd-sourced species identification. Because the reporting of alien species sightings is generally not mandatory, there is interest in whether mining social media data via image recognition and/or natural language processing can improve on existing passive citizen surveillance in a cost-effective manner. Here, we illustrate, using examples from Australia, how citizen surveillance for most vertebrate groups appears to currently be effective using existing voluntary reporting mechanisms. Where citizen surveillance is currently ineffective, for reasons of inadequate sampling, data mining of social media feeds will be similarly affected. We argue that mining citizens’ social media data for evidence of invasive alien species needs to demonstrate not only that it will be an improvement on the business as usual case, but also that any gains achieved cannot be achieved by alternative approaches. We highlight the potential role of education in increasing the surveillance effectiveness of citizens for detecting and reporting sightings of alien species. Should data mining of social media platforms be pursued, we note that the scale of the task in terms of the potential number of exotic vertebrate species to be classified is very large. The expected number of false positive classifications would present a considerable workload to process, possibly undermining the efficiency rationale for the use of data mining. Hence, prioritisation is needed, and we illustrate how the number of species to be classified can be reduced considerably. If we are to deploy data mining and analysis of social media data to help with detecting introductions of invasive alien species, we need to conduct it in a manner where it adds value and is trusted.

Context. The bourgeoning carbon economy is creating novel ways to incentivise conservation management activities that have the co-benefits of reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and social inequality.

Aims. To estimate the monetary value of carbon credits that landowners could generate by reducing ecologically destructive feral populations of the Asian water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) in northern Australia.

Methods. First, we estimated buffalo enteric emissions based on the population structure of feral buffalo in northern Australia, and discounted the reduction of fire emissions due to the consumption of grassy fuel by feral buffalo. We then predicted the change in buffalo population size across the South Alligator River region of Kakadu National Park under four buffalo management scenarios: (1) no buffalo control; (2) low-intensity buffalo control; (3) moderate-intensity buffalo control; and (4) high-intensity buffalo control. We quantified the reduction of GHG emissions under the three buffalo control scenarios, relative to the scenario of no buffalo control, while discounting the GHG emissions that directly result from buffalo control actions (e.g. helicopter emissions).

Key results. All three buffalo control scenarios substantially reduced the estimated GHG emissions that would otherwise have been produced. The low-intensity buffalo control scenario was predicted to abate 790 513 t CO₂-e over the 20-year simulation, worth USD15 076 085 (or USD753 804 year⁻¹). Our high-intensity buffalo control scenario had the greatest reduction in GHG emissions, with a total net abatement of 913 231 t CO₂-e, worth USD17 176 437 (or USD858 822 year⁻¹).

Conclusions. The potential value of carbon credits generated by controlling feral buffalo populations in northern Australian savannas far exceeds the management costs.

Implications. The management of feral ruminants could be incentivised by the generation of carbon credits. Such management could simultaneously avoid GHG emissions, generate income for landowners and offer significant ecological benefits.