How effective is spotlighting for detecting the greater glider (Petauroides volans)?
Date
2001
Authors
Cunningham, Ross
Donnelly, Christine
Incoll, R
Pope, M
Tribolet, C
Viggers, Karen
Welsh, Alan
Lindenmayer, David B
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
CSIRO Publishing
Abstract
The efficacy of spotlighting as a field survey technique for detecting the greater glider (Petauroides volans) was assessed by comparing the precise location of radio-tracked animals with locations determined simultaneously from spotlighting searches. Radio-collars were fitted to 20 greater gliders in three eucalypt patches embedded within an extensive radiata pine (Pinus radiata) plantation near Tumut in south-eastern New South Wales. Our success rate for detecting collared animals was low, even when survey effort was increased. These findings suggest that spotlighting underestimates actual population size. A further, properly designed study, in different forest types is needed to provide precise estimates of the magnitude of the bias in counts of P. volans obtained by spotlighting.
Description
Keywords
arboreal species, marsupial, population estimation, sampling bias, Australia
Citation
Collections
Source
Wildlife Research
Type
Journal article