Remote camera monitoring and arboreal trapping data for a reintroduced population of red-tailed phascogales (Phascogale calura)

Effective monitoring methods are required to evaluate the success of
wildlife reintroduction programs. To improve the threat status of the
Vulnerable red-tailed phascogale (Phascogale calura), the Australian
Wildlife Conservancy reintroduced the species to a fenced reserve at Mt.
Gibson Wildlife Sanctuary. After trialing a variety of post-release
monitoring methods, remote camera monitoring and arboreal trapping with an
extensive period of pre-luring provided the most information with which to
evaluate the success of the reintroduction. To date, reintroduced
red-tailed phascogales have increased in both occupancy and population
size following releases which began at Mt. Gibson in 2017. Other managers
of red-tailed phascogale populations may find the described methods
useful, particularly in the context of multi-species reintroductions where
trap saturation can reduce capture rates of smaller species, such as
phascogales.