Improving habitat for endangered mahogany gliders

ENDANGERED MAHOGANY GLIDERS

IMPROVING GLIDER HABITAT ON FARMS

A small population of endangered mahogany gliders is living in narrow strips of forest on farmland south of Ingham. Wildlife cameras have captured mahogany gliders for two years in a row at four spots in the Bambaroo-St Helens area.

Improving ‘glideability’

Terrain NRM’s Evizel Seymour said the gliders were in forest along creeks where vines and woody weeds have been removed to improve its “glideability” and condition. Coupled with scientists’ findings from genetic research in recent years, it shows the critical need for more habitat restoration.

“Mahogany gliders are only found between the Hull River near Tully and Ollera Creek north of Townsville, with an estimated total population of about 2500,’’ Evizel said. “The woodlands they live in are often narrow fragments of forest. To help this species, a big focus is restoring and connecting their habitat.”

Inbreeding a concern

Recent genetics research by James Cook University researcher Eryn Chang found the species was retaining moderate genetic diversity across much of its range despite decades of habitat loss. But it also identified inbreeding in northern parts of the mahogany glider’s habitat and researchers fear the combination of habitat decline and an increasing fragmented mahogany glider population could lead to more serious genetic health issues.

During Terrain NRM’s recent ‘Keeping Country Connected for Mahogany Gliders’ project, crews from Hinchinbrook Shire Council removed woody weeds and vines from 15 kilometres of forest along Waterview Creek, Easter Creek and two unnamed creeks on cane farming land in the Bambaroo-St Helens area.

Gliders captured on camera in four farmland locations for two years in a row

Evizel said wildlife cameras, installed twice at 30 spots along the creeks for six-week periods over two years, had led to mahogany glider detections across 15 locations. Gliders were detected in four of those locations both times the cameras went out.

“Of these, four locations recorded mahogany gliders during both survey periods, indicating consistent use of those areas,” she said.

“This region was focused on for weed and vine removal because we knew from earlier monitoring that small populations of mahogany gliders were likely to be living there.

Narrow strips on woodland on cane farms

“The narrow strips of woodland are between sugar cane land and waterways and they’re close to Paluma and Halifax Bay national parks. The aim is to link more coastal patches of mahogany glider habitat to foothills in national parks via vegetated waterway areas, so there is a functional corridor for this endangered species.”

This work follows a series of Australian and Queensland government-funded mahogany glider projects led by Terrain NRM over the past 15 years, focused on planting wildlife corridors on private land to connect to existing glider habitat and staging cool burns on private properties and in national parks to reduce forest thickening and restore glider habitat. Population monitoring has also been part of projects.

Mahogany Glider Recovery Team Chair Jacqui Diggins said recovery teams members – from conservationists, researchers and Traditional Owners to organisations including all levels of government, natural resource management bodies and energy providers – had strategically used their resources to establish glider pole crossings alongside roads and under powerlines, increase wildlife-friendly fencing uptake in the region, improve habitat management and raise awareness of the species’ fight for survival.

Habitat connectivity remains the big issue

She said habitat connectivity remained the big issue.

“The only north-south corridor for mahogany gliders is on the edge of national park and it’s a really narrow band of woodland abutting a steeper range that’s inaccessible to the species,’’ she said. “Land was historically cleared to the edge of the foothills. The forest areas that remain are progressively declining with the creep of rainforest species, woody weeds and sclerophyll making the narrow bands of habitat even less traversable for mahogany gliders.

“The best way this endangered species can be helped in the future is investment in the strategic connection of habitat, and in collaborations like the Mahogany Glider Recovery Team which can enable significant in-kind action.

“Mahogany gliders can glide about 30 metres. Sometimes connecting relatively small sections of land can make a huge difference. It helps these gliders to move between habitat areas for feeding and it can also help the flow of genes.”

The recent ‘Keeping Country Connected for Mahogany Gliders’ project, which ended this month, was proudly funded by the Queensland Government’s Threatened Species Recovery Action Grants program. It was delivered by Terrain NRM in partnership with Hinchinbrook Shire Council, Girringun and Nywaigi Indigenous Rangers and the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service.