Abstract for presentation at Biodiversity Extinction Crisis Conference - A Pacific Response

The Tasmanian Bettong (Bettongia gaimardi) is part of the family Potoroidae. Like other members of the family, B. gaimardi is nocturnal and prefers open dry forests with a healthy understorey. Its diet consists of seeds, grasses, insects and underground fungi. Breeding occurs all year round with sexual maturity reached at twelve months of age. Despite being one of the most abundant species of Bettongia, this species is now wholly protected in Tasmania. The nominal subspecies B. g. gaimardi is now extinct on mainland Australia whereas B. g. cuniculus is now solely restricted to eastern Tasmania. The disappearance of the nominal subspecies from mainland Australia has been attributed to a combination of factors including land clearing, and the introduction of foxes (Vulpes vulpes) and rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Like many species within the critical weight range of 50-5000g, B. gaimardi is particularly susceptible to fox predation, while rabbits destroy habitat required by this species. With the recent introduction of foxes into Tasmania, these same processes are now threatening the remaining Tasmanian Bettong populations in Tasmania. However invasive species are not the only threat to B. gaimardi. Currently only 5% of the open forest habitat required by Tasmanian Bettongs is located within national parks, leaving it particularly susceptible to habitat destruction and dependant upon private landowners for adequate vegetation management. Bettong populations are being sampled from throughout the remaining range of this species. DNA genotyping of these populations using a suite of seven microsatellite loci is being done to determine the presence of management units within this taxon. We aim to determine how similar populations are to each other or how isolated. Distinguishing whether these are separate management units or one large population has direct implications for the conservation management of this species.