How many macropods? A manager’s guide to small-scale population surveys of kangaroos and wallabies

Abstract

Every macropod population is unique in terms of the combination of species, site and management goals, so there is no universal ‘best’ method for surveying populations. We distinguish between different measures of abundance and the confidence a manager can place in them. We examine the separate components of survey methods: the survey platform, mode of detection and form of sampling. We also review the range of current methods available and highlight new developments, including their assumptions and limitations. To guide managers in choosing a method for their management context, we provide a decision matrix based on the behavioural ecology of the target species, the structure of habitat at the site and the porosity of the site boundary. To promote current best practice, we describe in detail four standard counting methods: direct count, sweep count, faecal accumulation rate and distance sampling.