Wallaby research and technical reports

This research outlines which monitoring methods produces the tightest precision per dollar (value for money) as well as being the most accurate in measuring the success of a wallaby control operation.

Finding wallabies at very low densities across vast and challenging landscapes is costly and logistically challenging. Research into finding an effective and affordable approach in these environments is required. This pilot trial aims to assess whether captured and released collared wallabies can seek out other wallabies in low population density environments.

Having the correct bait delivery design is critical for effective control operations. An ineffective design may result in no bait uptake or a sub-lethal dose which doesn’t kill the wallaby. The objective of this research is to determine the effectiveness of existing bait station designs in terms of bait acceptance and uptake by wallabies.

Having the correct bait delivery design is critical for effective control operations. An ineffective design may result in no bait uptake or a sub-lethal dose which doesn’t kill the wallaby. The objective of this research is to determine the effectiveness of new feeder designs in terms of bait acceptance and uptake by wallabies.

Research to assess whether behavioural interactions between wallabies and introduced brushtail possums at bait feeders are likely to reduce the efficacy of this method for wallaby control.

Knowing the detection probabilities of surveillance tools will help inform how much surveillance effort is required to confidently determine if wallabies are absent in an area and/or to prove elimination has been achieved. This research compares the detection probabilities, surveillance sensitivities and cost of surveillance between helicopter surveys with observers; a ground hunter with detector dogs; camera traps and helicopter surveys using a thermal imaging camera.

Achieving a social licence to control wallabies in areas favorable for deer hunting is important. Reducing the number of deer consuming wallaby control baits by adding deer repellents to the bait is one way to mitigate non-target impacts. The aim of this research is to determine whether the inclusion of deer repellent to wallaby bait, affects the palatability (and efficacy) of the bait against dama wallabies.

A decision support system model framework that will help decision makers and operational staff to make informed decisions about tactics, logistics, and expenditure for achieving local wallaby eradication (or elimination).

Knowledge of detection probabilities and surveillance sensitivities of surveillance tools allow you to determine how much surveillance is required to confidently determine if wallabies are absent from an area. This research aims to show whether trail camera traps are an effective and affordable way to confirm whether wallabies are no longer present in an area. If camera traps are proven to be effective, then it gives us confidence in declaring wallaby elimination when no animals are detected. Knowledge of density estimates aid in future cost vs. benefit analysis that seek to quantify the costs of the damage caused by wallabies at high densities.

Determining how much surveillance effort is required to confidently determine if wallabies are absent in an area and/or to prove elimination has been achieved, knowledge of detection probabilities and surveillance sensitivities are required. This research compares the detection probabilities, surveillance sensitivities and cost of surveillance in using helicopters with observers; helicopters with thermal imagery capability; detector dogs and camera traps in detecting Bennett's wallabies.

Knowledge of detection probabilities and surveillance sensitivities of surveillance tools allow you to determine how much surveillance is required to confidently determine if wallabies are absent from an area. This research aims to show whether detection dogs searching for dama wallaby scat is an effective and affordable way to confirm whether wallabies are no longer present in an area. If detection dogs are proven to be effective, then it gives us confidence in declaring wallaby elimination when no signs of wallabies are detected.

There is a lack of registered substances for wallaby control in New Zealand. In addition, possum interference of wallaby bait reduces the number of wallabies accessing and eating the bait. Broadleaf plants are not a preferred diet of possums, but wallabies readily eat broadleaf. This research explores whether Feratox® and Cyanara® paste attached to broadleaf foliage can kill Bennett’s wallabies, while reducing possum interference. In addition, a pilot study assesses the effectiveness of Cyanara® on dama wallabies during a possum control operation.

There is little value in achieving a high percentage kill in buffer areas, if that reduction only persists for a short time, due to reinvasion or in situ breeding. Research was undertaken to assess whether Bennett’s wallaby populations recover after an elimination control operation and if recovery occurs, the likely factors contributing to their recovery.

An effective lure can increase wallaby numbers around bait stations and hence increase numbers consuming bait. This research evaluates non-semiochemical olfactory (smell) lures and their attractiveness to Bennett’s wallabies.

There are a limited number of effective control substances that are registered for use against wallabies in New Zealand. This research assesses whether the pellet bait Double Tap® is effective against dama wallaby.

There are a limited number of effective control substances that are registered for use against wallabies in New Zealand. This research assesses whether the pellet bait Double Tap® is effective against Bennett’s wallaby.

Developing a diagnostic tool that can be field deployable, accurate, cost effective and produce real time results can provide tremendous value in detecting animals across large, varied landscapes. LAMP (Loop Mediated Isothermal Amplification) assays are flexible in terms of implementation and well-suited to point of need applications. This research explores the feasibility and value of undertaking a full scientific investigation in developing a LAMP assay specific for wallabies.

It has been proven that synthetic pheromone lures have the ability to greatly improve capture rates of animals. A feasibility study was undertaken into the development and testing of semiochemical based lures (e.g., pheromones, social scent cues) for dama and Bennett’s wallabies.

A landscape genomics study detected a new wallaby species (Parma wallaby) on mainland New Zealand for the first time.

Trail cameras are widely used in wildlife monitoring. Manually processing 1000s of images captured using trail cameras is however time consuming and resource intensive. This research aims to develop a prototype software model that uses Artificial Intelligence to automate the identification of wallabies from trail camera images with a high level of accuracy. If successful, image processing times will decrease allowing for a more cost-effective approach and improved response times to positive detections.

To determine the baseline level of accuracy in detecting dama wallaby using a machine vision model on thermal imagery. The first trial tested the image recognition software on dama wallabies.

To determine the baseline level of accuracy in detecting dama wallaby using a machine vision model on thermal imagery. Additional field testing of the machine learning model on dama wallabies.

A systematic literature review (including grey literature) of Indigenous knowledge, and its potential application to the detection and control of herbivorous mammals such as wallabies.

Genetic relatedness between individual wallabies can reveal their source/origin and how animals disperse across a landscape. The purpose of this research is to establish a baseline genetic database which will enable us to examine genetic relatedness and dispersal for dama and Bennett’s wallabies.

Very little is known about the basic ecology of Bennett’s wallaby in New Zealand. This research aims to inform the home range, habitat selection and estimates of daily movement rates of Bennett's wallabies and the impact surveillance has on wallaby movement patterns. Potential to provide valuable insights into how one could optimise the deployment of surveillance and control operations.

There is anecdotal evidence that suggests that wallabies are being captured and released into the wild outside areas where they currently occur. This can significantly compromise eradication efforts.
The purpose of this research is to characterise the motivations of people who might engage in this behaviour and identify strategies for reducing the likelihood of this behaviour from occurring.

Delivering aerial bait in sensitive areas requires a high level of accuracy in where the bait is dispersed and the use of bait pods dropped from an Unmanned aerial vehicle or UAV has proven proof-of concept in delivering bait with high precision. This research assesses the efficacy of bait pods for delivering baits to dama wallabies under forest cover.

A high-level guide to the research needed to support our strategy and the long-term vision of a wallaby-free Aotearoa.

How wallabies behave in areas well outside their natural range is currently unknown. Do they behave differently compared to areas where they currently reside? The objective of this research is to determine whether translocated Bennett’s wallabies show high site fidelity when released in areas where there are no other wallabies known to be present. The outcomes of this research may provide insights in how you plan surveillance in areas where wallabies have been reported but are not known to be present as well as implications when planning future detection probability research.

Knowledge of detection probabilities and surveillance sensitivities of surveillance tools allow you to determine how much surveillance is required to confidently determine if wallabies are absent from an area. This paper outlines the results that show that detection dogs and handlers are an efficacious and cost-effective surveillance method for confirming eradication of dama wallaby in open and forested habitats.

Finding wallabies in areas outside the wallaby containment area is challenging and resource intensive. A cost-effective way to measure the likelihood of wallaby presence in these areas is the creation of grid-based risk maps. This research outlines the process in developing such maps that can be used to assist surveillance planning for both dama and Bennett’s wallabies in areas outside containment in mainland New Zealand.

Isotopes can be used to assess an animal’s movement patterns across their lifespan. This research improves our current capability to undergo strontium testing to help inform likely movement patterns and origin of individual wallabies across their lifespan. This is of particular importance in assessing whether new wallaby detections originated from locally breeding populations or not.

Isotopes can be used to assess an animal’s movement patterns across their lifespan. This research aims to build our capability to undergo strontium testing to help inform likely movement patterns and origin of individual wallabies across their lifespan. This is of particular importance in assessing whether new wallaby detections originated from locally breeding populations or not.