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Little is known of the Endangered Lord Howe Island Cockroach Panesthia lata Walker, 1868, other than that it disappeared from Lord Howe Island following the introduction of ship rats Rattus rattus (Linnaeus, 1758) in 1918. With a rodent-eradication programme being planned for Lord Howe Island, an opportunity exists to reintroduce P. lata once rodents have been removed. Previous brief surveys of other islands within the Lord Howe Group have found that P. lata still occurs on some of these islands. In this study, further surveys were conducted on two of those islands (Blackburn and Roach) to gain a better understanding of the distribution and abundance of P. lata there and to investigate potential survey techniques. Brief observations were also made of the behaviour and ecology of the species. Extrapolation from survey plots showed that although 60% of the estimated population of 10 000 individuals on Blackburn Island were living beneath the sole Banyan Ficus macrophylla Desf. tree, P. lata was widely distributed across the island, utilising both native and exotic vegetation, including the introduced Rhodes Grass Chloris gayana Kunth. On Roach Island, the bulk of the estimated population of 3500 individuals occurred within Leafy Flat Sedge Cyperus lucidus R. Br. habitat. Panesthia lata seemingly spends considerable time sheltering within refuges rather than foraging on the surface; consequently, population estimates based on surface counts are underestimates. Improving either the accuracy or precision of these counts risks damaging individuals and their habitat. Mark-recapture techniques were not applicable for assessing the abundance of this species, but trials of novel attraction stations indicated that such devices could be useful for monitoring distribution and gross fluctuations in population size. Panesthia lata appears to feed on any dead vegetation, but primarily leaves. Individuals were relatively sedentary overnight, sheltering by day under any object that provided the appropriate microenvironment. Soil characteristics in areas where P. lata sheltered were significantly modified, suggesting that this species may play an important role in soil conditioning and nutrient cycling. Maintaining the rodent-free status of islands on which P. lata occurs is a high priority for this species.

Seabird life-history traits such as long generation time, low annual fecundity and delayed sexual maturation make them more prone to population loss and consequently to extinction; petrels are indeed amongst the most threatened birds. Based on coalescence and multiloci inference this study examines the extent of genetic differentiation of a vulnerable New Caledonia (caledonica) and Australia (leucoptera) subspecies of Pterodroma leucoptera (Gould’s Petrel), and whether the genetic relationship between them results from the influence of past events like variation in sea level, or is dominated by contemporary gene flow. Sequences of two mitochondrial genes and five nuclear introns were obtained from 86 individuals from both populations. Haplotype networks were used to infer relationships between the haplotypes of both populations. The demographic history of the P. leucoptera complex was studied using neutrality tests and Extended Bayesian Skyline Plots. A weak population differentiation was revealed. The Extended Bayesian Skyline plot suggested a population expansion approximately 80,000 years before present (bp) for caledonica and 30,000 years bp for leucoptera. The split was dated to 30,000 years bp by means of multilocus inference through *BEAST. Despite genetic similarity of the two taxa, we advocate to consider them as independent units for conservation management, given their strong ecological distinctiveness (foraging distribution, winter distribution, breeding phenology and breeding distribution).

The Providence Petrel (Pterodroma solandri) currently breeds only on Lord Howe and Phillip Islands and is globally threatened. It once bred on Norfolk Island in large numbers but was extirpated by the late 18th century, greatly reducingtheinfluxofmarine-derivednutrientsintheformofdroppings,andfailedeggsandchicks.Thislackofnutrientshas impairedthehealthoftheremainingnativeforestsonNorfolkIsland.There-establishmentofacolonyofProvidencePetrels onNorfolkIslandwouldnotonlyprovideanotherviablebreedingcolonyofthisthreatenedspeciesbutisessentialtorestore ecosystemfunctiononNorfolkIsland.ThispaperinvestigatesthebiologyofProvidencePetrelchicksasaprerequisiteforthe translocation of this species to Norfolk Island from Lord Howe. Petrels are highly philopatric, so only chicks not yet imprintedattheirnatalcolonycanbetranslocated.Weinvestigatedthetimingof firstemergencefromtheburrow,growthand provisioning of chicks on Lord Howe Island, and developed selection and ageing criteria for translocation, together with appropriate feeding regimes. Such information is critical for the success of the proposed translocation.

SummaryUntil recently, Bermuda Petrel Pterodroma cahow (IUCN Category: ‘Endangered’) bred only in sub-optimal habitat on four small islets in north-east Bermuda. Although intensive management of the population since 1962 has led to a substantial increase in population size (now approaching 100 pairs), the nesting habitat on these four islets is being increasingly inundated, eroded and destroyed by high seas associated with hurricanes and storms. To ensure the long-term conservation of the species a decision was made to establish a new colony at a more secure site on nearby Nonsuch Island, where they once bred in large numbers. Between 2004 and 2008, 104 near-fledged nestlings were translocated to artificial burrows on Nonsuch Island, where they were hand-fed meals of fish and squid. All but three translocated birds fledged successfully, with the first returning to Nonsuch Island in February 2008. The first Bermuda Petrel egg on Nonsuch Island in more than 300 years was laid in January 2009, and the resultant fledgling departed in June of the same year. By the end of the 2009/10 breeding season, a total of 18 Bermuda Petrels have been recorded on Nonsuch Island, 17 were translocated as near-fledged nestlings, and one bird came from the existing colonies. A total of five eggs have been produced, resulting in two fledglings. The establishment of this new colony, at a site that is much more secure than the existing nesting sites, greatly enhances the conservation prospects of the species and demonstrates the importance of translocation as a tool for the conservation of threatened seabirds.

Australia's most widespread palm, the Cabbage Tree Palm Livistona australis (R. Br.) Mart. has only a few offshore populations, but one of considerable significance is on Cabbage Tree Island on the mid-north coast of New South Wales. This island is also the principal breeding site of a threatened endemic seabird, the Gould's Petrel Pterodroma leucoptera leucoptera. This paper outlines some of the ecological interactions between this iconic palm and this enigmatic seabird. P. leucoptera nests in rock cavities, under fallen palm leaves, or in hollow fallen palm trunks. It takes to the air by climbing to the top of palms and is sometimes killed by colliding with them. The eradication of the European Rabbit Oryctolagus cuniculus from Cabbage Tree Island in 1997 was undertaken to remove one of the threatening processes endangering P. leucoptera. This action has in turn released the population of L. australis from 91 years of unsustainable grazing pressure, helping to restore the long-term integrity of this, an...

Summary Surprisingly few faunal taxa worldwide have experienced an improvement in conservation status through direct conservation action. One of the few is Gould's Petrel (Pterodroma leucoptera leucoptera) – a threatened species that breeds only in New South Wales. In the early 1990s, the breeding population of this subspecies was small (

Knowledge of the habitat requirements of threatened species at both local and landscape scales is crucial for maintaining viable populations and for making conservation and management decisions. Here, we use live trapping and radio-tracking to investigate habitat use by four species of threatened marsupials – burrowing bettongs ( Bettongia lesueur ), brush-tailed bettongs ( B. penicillata ), greater bilbies ( Macrotis lagotis ), and bridled nailtail wallabies ( Onychogalea fraenata ). The study populations had been re-introduced to Scotia Sanctuary in western New South Wales, Australia, within a predator-proof area. All showed preferences for particular macrohabitats while resting by day, with M . lagotis and B . penicillata selecting Eucalyptus woodland with Triodia understorey and B . lesueur and O . fraenata selecting Eucalyptus woodland with shrubs. However, they showed no such partiality at night. Bettongia penicillata used areas with Triodia and litter but few herbs for shelter, while burrows of M. lagotis avoided shrubs. Habitat components that influenced trap captures were: crust cover and herb layer cover (negative) for B . penicillata , trees B . lesueur, crust cover for M . lagotis , and crust cover and trees O. fraenata (both negative). There was also a negative association at this scale between B. penicillata and both B. lesueur and M. lagotis , suggesting the possibility of competition. Our results support the idea that studies at multiple spatial scales are crucial to understand the habitat use and requirements of threatened fauna, and should therefore be incorporated into future re-introduction programs.

Malleefowl (Leipoa ocellata) are in decline across their range. Previous studies have found that the survival rate of young Malleefowl is low, the single greatest cause of mortality being predation by the introduced Red Fox (Vulpes vulpes). Many of these studies, particularly those in New South Wales (NSW), were conducted in habitats that were heavily modified by fire, exotic herbivores or plant harvesting. In this paper, we examine the survival of Malleefowl in relatively undisturbed mallee habitats within two conservation reserves in South Australia (SA). Both reserves were long unburnt and free of large exotic herbivores, but differed greatly in understorey structure. Fifteen young captive-reared Malleefowl were released into each reserve. In all, 70% of these individuals were dead within 40 days. Fox predation was the prime cause of mortality, accounting for at least 30%, and perhaps as much as 96%, of all deaths. The extent and causes of mor- tality were similar in the two reserves. The overall level of Malleefowl survival was (1) better than that recorded in more disturbed habitat in NSW in the absence of any Fox control, but (2) substantially less than that in NSW after widespread Fox control was implemented. This study indicates that Malleefowl in SA are subject to significant levels of Fox predation, even in relatively undisturbed habitats. Also, for the two mallee habitats examined, evidence suggests that understorey structure had no influence on the degree of predation. Available data indicate that during the past two decades Malleefowl populations in SA have declined at about the same rate as those in NSW. Current densities in SA are typically about one- quarter of what they were 15 years ago. We conclude that habitat integrity and structure have little effect on the interaction between Foxes and Malleefowl, and suggest that Malleefowl populations across Australia are threatened by Foxes, placing the species at substantial risk of extinction.

Conservationists are continually seeking new strategies to reverse population declines and safeguard against species extinctions. Here we evaluate the potential efficacy of a recently proposed approach to offset a major anthropogenic threat to many marine vertebrates: incidental bycatch in commercial fisheries operations. This new approach, compensatory mitigation for marine bycatch (CMMB), is conceived as a way to replace or reduce mandated restrictions on fishing activities with compensatory activities (e.g., removal of introduced predators from islands) funded by levies placed on fishers. While efforts are underway to bring CMMB into policy discussions, to date there has not been a detailed evaluation of CMMB's potential as a conservation tool, and in particular, a list of necessary and sufficient criteria that CMMB must meet to be an effective conservation strategy. Here we present a list of criteria to assess CMMB that are tied to critical ecological aspects of the species targeted for conservation, the range of possible mitigation activities, and the multi-species impact of fisheries bycatch. We conclude that, overall, CMMB has little potential for benefit and a substantial potential for harm if implemented to solve most fisheries bycatch problems. In particular, CMMB is likely to be effective only when applied to short-lived and highly-fecund species (not the characteristics of most bycatch-impacted species) and to fisheries that take few non-target species, and especially few non-seabird species (not the characteristics of most fisheries). Thus, CMMB appears to have limited application and should only be implemented after rigorous appraisal on a case-specific basis; otherwise it has the potential to accelerate declines of marine species currently threatened by fisheries bycatch.