Activity patterns and detection rates of red-legged pademelons (Thylogale stigmatica) in tropical north Queensland and temperate north-eastern New South Wales

Red-legged pademelons (Thylogale stigmatica) occur as several subspecies in eastern Australia. The northern subspecies (T. stigmatica stigmatica) in north Queensland is considered common; the southern subspecies (T. stigmatica wilcoxi) in north-eastern New South Wales is, by comparison, rare and is listed as threatened. Activity patterns should also vary between these subspecies because T. s. stigmatica emerges from the forest at night to graze, whereas T. s. wilcoxi remains in the forest throughout the 24-h cycle. Using camera traps, we detected pademelons at a greater rate at a Queensland site occupied by T. s. stigmatica than at a New South Wales site inhabited by T. s. wilcoxi; this result is consistent with their conservation status. However, pademelons at these sites displayed remarkably similar activity patterns within rainforest over the 24-h period, a result that was unexpected based on what is known of their diel behaviour.

Automated summary

Red-legged pademelons have different conservation statuses and activity patterns across subspecies in eastern Australia, with T. s. stigmatica being common and T. s. wilcoxi being rare and threatened. However, pademelons at different locations displayed remarkably similar activity patterns within rainforest, which was unexpected based on what is known of their behavior.