Context. Quantifying the space use and movement patterns of animals is important to understand other aspects of a species ecology, such as habitat use and social systems. However, basic data on space use and movement patterns, and how they are influenced by biotic or abiotic factors, are lacking for many species.

Aims. We identified the space use and movement patterns of the central bearded dragon (Pogona vitticeps), and assessed how external factors (environmental conditions) and internal factors (sex and morphology) shape these patterns.

Methods. We tracked 36 P. vitticeps individuals over three seasons from 2017 to 2018. Animals carried tags with a Global Positioning Systems (GPS) device to collect spatial data and an accelerometer to collect movement data in far western New South Wales, Australia. Measurements of body morphology were taken for each individual and ambient temperatures were recorded. Space use was analysed by calculating minimum convex polygons (MCPs) and kernel density estimates (KDEs) using the spatial data. Movement data were analysed to determine whether dragons had moved during 10-min periods.

Results. Twenty-three out of 36 individuals held defined activity areas. Males with wider tails were most likely to be floaters (i.e. not restricted to specific areas). Evidence of floater behaviour was shown by 45% of females and 20% of males, though both sexes often roamed over distances greater than 1 km. Air temperatures strongly influenced movement rates in both sexes. Movement rate was significantly higher for males than females during late-spring, but not mid-summer, and was inversely related to head sizes and body mass during mid-summer. Interestingly, although there was no correlation observed between daily movement rates and size of MCPs calculated, the movement rates of residents were significantly different from floaters for each season.

Conclusions. These results confirm that wild P. vitticeps movement patterns are driven by temperature, though space-use patterns vary from previously studied agamids, with high rates of nomadism, possibly due to drought conditions. Individuals varied widely in their space-use tactics, which seem unrelated to size, a potential proxy for social status or age.

Implications. Our study provides baseline information on a common arid zone agamid that is lacking research in the wild. More complex studies on the ecology of P. vitticeps can build on the findings of this study.

Context. Many prey species exhibit antipredator behaviours when threatened, yet prey response to temporal variation in predation risk is not well-understood, despite being foundational to predator–prey dynamics and an important consideration among game population managers and recreationalists.

Aims. To examine white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) behaviour in response to temporal variation in predation risk imposed by recreational hunters and to assess the effect of deer sex and age on antipredator response.

Methods. Global positioning system (GPS) collars were used to monitor behaviour of female and male deer in response to diel and weekly patterns of recreational hunting in Alabama, USA.

Key results. Deer behaviour on weekends (i.e. Friday–Sunday), corresponding to periods of elevated risk, was similar to behaviour on weekdays (i.e. Monday–Thursday). However, when behaviour was examined by individual day of the week, movement rate decreased by 17%, net displacement decreased by 31%, and the probability of activity decreased by 24% during daylight hours on Sundays compared with Fridays. Behavioural changes among days were not detected at night. Daytime behavioural shifts persisted until Wednesdays, despite lower weekday hunting activity. Behavioural variation by deer sex and age was also observed.

Conclusions. Deer perceive temporal variation in predation risk and modify their behaviour to reduce the likelihood of predation. Variation in response across sex and age classes may be driven by previous experience with hunters and/or survival- and fitness-related trade-offs that affect prey decisions at the individual level. Antipredator response was not initially detectable when examined at a broad temporal scale (i.e. weekend vs weekday); however, a behavioural response was shown with a finer-scale analysis (i.e. individual day of the week), which more closely reflected the pattern of risk fluctuation.

Implications. Our findings demonstrated the acute awareness of a large ungulate to temporal changes in predation risk and provided insight into ways in which these prey behaviourally respond to reduce the likelihood of predatory encounters. Future studies should consider the temporal scale of risk fluctuation when examining antipredator response to avoid false conclusions. Ungulate hunters and managers can use this information to more efficiently achieve their goals.

Context. Globally, insectivorous bats are important moderators of insect populations, including agricultural pests. However, in human-modified environments, changes to insect diversity and abundance may have detrimental impacts on bat populations. The southern bent-wing bat (SBWB; Miniopterus orianae bassanii), is a critically endangered, cave-dwelling bat with a restricted distribution across south-eastern Australia, an area now dominated by agricultural land uses. Understanding SBWB diet may highlight the role of bats in influencing insect populations in surrounding agricultural land, while simultaneously providing crucial data for conservation management of this critically endangered species.

Aim. To investigate the SBWB’s diet using arthropod DNA metabarcoding of scats and guano collected from seven caves across the species’ range.

Methods. We collected scats from bat roosts and from guano piles on cave floors during late summer and early autumn of 2019. We used PCR to amplify two short, overlapping arthropod mtDNA cytochrome oxidase subunit 1 barcodes and sequenced these using the Illumina MiSeq to identify arthropod diet species.

Key results. Moths (order Lepidoptera) were the most prevalent insect identified in all samples and from all sites. Many of the 67 moth species identified were associated with agricultural land use (e.g. pasture webworm (Hednota pedionoma) and armyworm (Persectania dyscrita)), and several, including the bogong moth (Agrotis infusa), are migratory, suggesting the SBWB’s diet changes seasonally.

Conclusion. By describing the diet of the SBWB, we have fulfilled one recommendation of the national recovery plan for the species. The SBWB preys predominantly on moths, and its diet has likely been impacted by the increase in agricultural land use across its range. Further research is required to understand its foraging habitat requirements.

Implications. Our findings suggest the SBWB may play a role in controlling populations of moth species considered to be agricultural pests. The wide variety of moths consumed by SBWBs could afford the species some resilience to landscape changes affecting moth assemblages. The methodological framework developed here could be applied to investigate how land-use changes may contribute to bat population declines, but also how insectivorous bats may provide important ecosystem services by controlling pest insect species in modified landscapes.

Context. To mitigate conservation conflicts, some jurisdictions translocate large carnivores into novel environments where they have no previous experience. Behavioural responses of these individuals are not typically monitored to evaluate the impacts of this management approach on the animals or populations.

Aims. We examined how grizzly bears (Ursus arctos) involved in conservation conflict responded to novel environments after translocation.

Methods. We used GPS location data to compare grizzly bears translocated to a novel environment (n = 12) with bears resident within the new area (n = 12). Our analyses investigated differences between these groups in relation to exploration behaviour, habitat use and response to human-caused mortality risk.

Key results. Translocated bears had higher movement rates, greater daily displacement and revisited areas less frequently than did resident bears. They spent more time in poor-quality habitat and the habitat used was of even lower quality in the second year after translocation. Translocated bears selected for agricultural lands and active oil and gas wellsites. They also spent more time in areas with higher potential mortality risk than resident bears. However, translocated bears avoided residential areas, which resident bears selected, and crossed roads at the same rate as did resident bears. Both groups avoided campgrounds and recreation sites. Only 25% of bears engaged in further conflict behaviour after translocation and 67% of translocated bears survived over the 2-year monitoring period.

Conclusions. This work found differences in exploration behaviour and habitat use between translocated and resident bears, and showed that translocated bears can survive without reoffending during the critical few years following translocation.

Implications. Managers and the public should recognise potential impacts for translocating grizzly bears. Translocated bears require time to explore and learn within their new environment, a process that can occur without repeating conflict. When conflict behaviour does re-occur, it should be viewed as a part of animal learning and not immediately as failure. On the basis of the amount of time translocated bears spent near humans and anthropogenic features, our findings suggest that translocated bears do not pose a greater threat to humans than do resident bears.

Context. Landscape management and restoration in rural environments is frequently driven by community groups, who often use ‘flagship’ species to generate broader engagement. In south-eastern Australia, installation of nest boxes for hollow-dependent fauna is undertaken by many groups. Monitoring the outcomes of such projects offers opportunities for citizen science.

Aims. The aim of the present study was to report on a community-led project to install and monitor nest boxes to enhance the conservation of a threatened species, the brush-tailed phascogale (Phascogale tapoatafa), and to investigate the extent of nest box use, factors influencing use, changes in use through time, and the effectiveness of nest boxes as a monitoring tool.

Methods. A community group installed 450 nest boxes across 150 sites to monitor and provide habitat for the brush-tailed phascogale. Of these, 102 sites were stratified in relation to: (1) geographic sub-region; (2) forest patch size; and (3) topographic position. Nest boxes were inspected five times over 8 years. We modelled factors influencing nest box use at the tree, site, and landscape level. We compared nest box data with data from camera traps at 50 sites to assess their value as a monitoring tool.

Key results. In any given survey, up to 6% of nest boxes had individuals present and up to 22% had evidence of use by the brush-tailed phascogale. There was greater use of nest boxes when installed on ‘stringybark’ type trees than ‘box’ and ‘gum-barked’ species. Nest box use was greater for sites on forest slopes than in gullies, and use varied between years. Surveys using remote cameras were more effective at detecting phascogales than monitoring nest boxes.

Conclusions. Nest box monitoring can provide insights into the distribution and habitat requirements of hollow-dependent species, and engage the community in citizen science. Elements that enhance community-led monitoring include scientific input to project design, collecting data in a consistent manner, allocating sufficient time for data curation, engaging people invested in project outcomes, maintaining good relationships with stakeholders, and sharing data for analysis.

Implications. Collaboration between scientists and community groups can be of benefit to both parties. However, to maximise scientific and conservation outcomes there must be effective engagement and adequate resourcing for project coordination.

Context. Accurate estimates of population size is fundamentally important for effective conservation management of threatened species. Remote sensor camera traps often capture cryptic species that are difficult to sight or capture. When animals are individually identifiable, camera traps can be used in conjunction with mark–recapture methods to provide a robust estimate of density. This has been effective for medium and large mammals such as felid and quoll species. Less is known about whether this may be an effective approach for smaller species. The numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus), a small diurnal marsupial once widespread across southern Australia, is now highly restricted. Low densities and crypsis make them challenging to survey, and current population monitoring methods (driving transects and sign surveys) do not provide accurate density estimates.

Aims. This study aimed to: (1) assess whether numbats can be individually identified using camera trap images; and (2) use spatial and non-spatial capture–recapture methods to investigate whether camera trapping is a viable population monitoring tool for numbats in the largest extant population.

Methods. We conducted spatial and non-spatial population modelling using images captured incidentally during a large camera-trapping project.

Key results. We found numbats could be individually identified by stripe patterns from camera images that, in conjunction with capture–recapture modelling, could provide a density estimate. From 6950 trap nights there were 116 numbat detections on 57 of 250 cameras. Of these, 61 detections were used to identify 29 individuals and provide a density estimate of 0.017 ha⁻¹ ± 0.004 (CV = 0.26). This density applied across the estimated extent of distribution suggests a substantially larger numbat population in the Upper Warren, Western Australia (~1900 adults) than previously assumed.

Conclusions. Camera trapping is a potential method for monitoring the population density of small uniquely marked species, such as the numbat, and for monitoring population trends in response to conservation efforts such as introduced predator control and translocations, as well as management actions such as prescribed burning and timber harvesting.

Implications. This study contributes to the understanding of situations where camera traps can be utilised to survey small, cryptic species. To provide a more reliable density estimate, and to develop an optimal sampling layout for numbats, further studies would be required.

Context. Thermal imaging has been shown to be a valuable technique for detecting a range of terrestrial mammals across different environments. The limited studies looking at its effectiveness in detecting arboreal mammals in rainforest ecosystems have had mixed success due to the complexity of the environment and limitations of the technology itself.

Aims. We investigated whether using a hand-held thermal imaging device would detect more individuals of six species of nocturnal arboreal mammal in tropical rainforests than the most-used detection method of spotlighting. We determined whether environmental variables effecting either equipment operation or mammal behaviour would influence these results.

Methods. We surveyed eight transects across the Wet Tropics of northern Queensland for six species of arboreal mammals using both a hand-held thermal imager and a spotlight. We used a measure of underestimation to compare counts of individual species, and then modelled total mammal counts with detection method and environmental variables to find the best approximating model.

Key results. Spotlighting underestimated the total number of each species by between 33 and 100% when compared with thermal imaging. Detection method alone without any environmental interaction term provided the best approximating model (AICc = 275.58, marginal pseudo R² = 0.286), with thermal imaging technology detecting almost double the number of our target individuals (12.3 ± 1.76) compared with spotlighting (6.7 ± 1.02).

Conclusions. Despite recorded operational limitations, thermal imaging technology greatly improved our ability to locate both small and large nocturnal, arboreal mammals, including a species that is rarely observed in the wild.

Implications. The potential to not only improve detection of nocturnal, arboreal mammals but also improve cryptic species distribution and abundance measures suggests thermal imaging technology is an important tool for use globally across rainforests environments.