Responses of common brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) to translocation on farmland, southern North Island, New Zealand

In: Wildlife research, Band 28, Heft 3, S. 277

Abstract

The behaviour, movements and fate of radio-tagged brushtail possums
(Trichosurus vulpecula) were studied after they were
translocated between sites on farmland in two areas in the southern North
Island, New Zealand. At both sites some possums remained near the release site
while others moved up to 12.5 km before settling. At one site, four possums
returned distances of about 3.9 km from the release site to their sites of
capture (homing), with two of these homing successfully twice. Translocated
possums displayed some of the characteristics of naturally dispersing possums
but, unlike them, their long-distance movements were not male-biased nor made
particularly by juveniles. The location and availability of suitable nest
sites appeared to influence the movements of translocated possums, but no
other major influences of landscape features on their patterns of movement
were detected. Survival during the first 9 weeks after translocation was not
influenced by sex, age, weight, distance moved or time since release.
Translocated possums on New Zealand farmland, where the main predators are
people and vehicles, suffered much lower mortality than possums in a similar
study in Australia, where canids, particularly foxes, were a major cause of
death.