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ZooNooz Article - September 2003
Rock
Stars
Yellow-footed Rock-wallabies and Brush-tailed
Rock-wallabies are prototypes for the modern zoo's role
in helping to save endangered native fauna.
Story by DARILL CLEMENTS
Photographs Annette Petersen
In 1993 a "wallaby" of a different kind - Australian Rugby Union winger
David Campese - opened Taronga's
new Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby
habitat. Although populations are
kept in 11 Australian zoos and fauna
parks, it was the first time Taronga
had displayed these small, brightly
coloured wallabies, classified as
Vulnerable by the International Union
for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
They have, over the past 10 years, bred
successfully at Taronga Zoo.
Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby |
Yellow-footed Rock-wallabies
occur naturally in South Australia,
throughout the Flinders Rangers, with
a few colonies present in the Gawler
Ranges and Olary Hills and in the
Gap and Coturaundee Ranges in New South Wales. A sub-species occurs in
southwest Queensland.
The catastrophic decline of
Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby numbers
was brought about by competition
for food from introduced goats and
rabbits. Wedge-tail Eagles, predatory
foxes and feral cats, hunting for their
once highly-desired pelts, and the
encroachment of European farming
have also taken their toll.
A national rock-wallaby
symposium was held in the Flinders
Ranges National Park in 1994, out
of which came the Yellow-footed
Rock-wallaby Recovery Program,
co-ordinated by Adelaide Zoo.
This program would see captivebred
animals released to the wild,
community involvement encouraged,
and self-sustaining populations
eventually developed.
Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby |
The Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby
story is a very similar one. Although
not possessing such distinctive
markings as the Yellow-footed Rockwallaby,
these animals are also small
and are agile climbers. They inhabit
rocky sclerophyll forest areas of
inland and sub-coastal southeastern
Australia and, while quite abundant
in some regions, the Victorian and
far southern New South Wales
populations are rare and possibly
endangered. This is also because of
fox predation as well as competition
from introduced herbivores.
Australian Mammals Keeper, Christi Lombe, although the first to suggest that rock wallabies are challenging animals to exhibit, is a long-time fan of the "rock stars".
Taronga Zoo received one male
and two female Brush-tailed Rockwallabies
from Healesville Sanctuary,
Victoria in 1999 prior to the opening
of their new home, Streets Creatures of the Wollemi. The Wollemi's rocky
cliff faces, caves and ledges provided
an ideal habitat for the wallabies and
encouraged them to breed.
Now three generations of Brushtailed
Rock-wallabies can be seen
sunning themselves in the afternoons
high up on the steep, backdrop
wall of the exhibit.
Australian Mammals Keeper,
Christi Lombe, although the first
to suggest that rock wallabies are
challenging animals to exhibit, is
a long-time fan of the "rock stars".
She is currently involved in the
introduction of a new male and two
new female Yellow-footed Rockwallabies
to the existing group.
"Unlike some species which we may have to keep going for 100 years before release is possible, the conservation work we do with these rock wallaby species can have an immediate impact,"
"I feel very fortunate to have been
able to also be involved in the field
aspects of the Recovery Program for
this species," Christi said. "Zoo staff
members, quite often through the
support of a Zoo Friends Conservation
Fellowship, were part of the team that
monitored the animals from Monarto
Zoo which were released in the
northern Flinders Ranges near Leigh
Creek in the Aroona Dam Sanctuary."
Senior Curator, Erna Walraven,
is currently part of a team, including
Taronga's William Meikle and
Taronga Western Plains Zoo's Suzy Barlow,
working with the NSW National
Parks and Wildlife Service to develop
a Recovery Program for the New
South Wales Brush-tailed Rock
Wallabies (see box).
"Unlike some species which
we may have to keep going for 100
years before release is possible, the
conservation work we do with these
rock wallaby species can have an
immediate impact," Erna said.
"By displaying these seldom-seen
animals, the zoo can raise awareness
and fulfil our environmental
education role. We can breed
genetically valuable animals and zoo
staff can provide their expertise in
the field. Competition and predation
from introduced animals can be
controlled and zoo-bred wallabies
can be released."
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