by Tara MacKenzie, Ph D researcher and APA intern.
This is her third report on possums in your Park Lands.
Firstly, I have just returned from a big stint in the Riverland where we have seen my [possum] study population triple in 12 months after the floods, which has been an incredible sight. It has also been interesting to see how they have been able to maintain great condition, despite the possum density in such a small area increasing rapidly. This will be a great comparison to the Park Lands possums as I continue to analyse results.
Next thing - I have been working closely with Chris Butcher and his team at the [Adelaide City] Council as they are in the beginning stages of undergoing a huge biodiversity survey of the Park Lands. The last major survey was done in 2003 and focused on history of the Park Lands, so they want to update their data and show how the Park Lands have evolved in the last 20 years.
A possum in your Park Lands. Pic: Harrison Kent (@kentys_wildlife on Instagram),
I am working with them to survey arboreal mammals (koalas and possums) in the Park Lands so we are soon going to perform a large-scale spotlighting survey across the key biodiversity areas in the Park Lands.
Tara McKenzie with one of her study subjects.
The survey will be performed across 4 nights and will allow me to accurately calculate the possum (and koala) density in the different parks. Following this, I will then be surveying the vegetation to determine the resources available to possums in the different parks.
Final thing - I have retrieved the first three months of tracking data from my collars [i.e. collared possums] in the Park Lands.
I have two collars [collared possums] in Park 17 and one in Park 23 and have attached some maps of the data.
The range of each of Tara’s two collared possums (one male, one female) in Carriageway Park / Tuthangga (Park 17)
The range of Tara’s one collared male possum in G.S. Kingston Park / Wirrarninthi (Park 23)
I have only just started to analyse the data but there are already some key differences between our urban and bushland possums. A few key things to note:
home range size is much smaller than those collared in the Riverland (max home range of a Riverland male was 80,000m2 compared to just 18,300m2 for a Park Lands male)
Park Lands possums seem to have a far more distinct home range than the Riverland possums:
These Park Lands individuals have a very circular range that doesn't appear to surround anything in particular. This is in contrast to the Riverland possums who have a more linear range that follows the canopy along waterways.
the Park Lands possums also don't seem to explore very far. This may be that they have plenty of resources (will investigate this in my habitat surveys), possibly they are more territorial, or they could perceive a high degree of danger in the Park Lands (feral cats and foxes, or people walking dogs) so do not travel far from a safe place to retreat.
I will be looking into the data further to assess the number and location of den sites, the proportion of time spent in the canopy vs on the ground and if there are any variations in activity with weather changes, so will keep you in the loop as findings emerge.
Trapping, tagging and releasing: Tara McKenzie recording health data earlier this year from one of the collared Park Lands possums.
Tara McKenzie is a University of Adelaide researcher, studying Brushtail possums both in the Riverland, and in your Adelaide Park Lands.
Her research includes an internship with the Adelaide Park Lands Association where her main role is to collect information about the plant and animal species that are found across your Park Lands, with a focus on those that have an important role in possum habitats.
See her two earlier reports here:
