An expedition in search of one of Australia's most mysterious marsupials
Background
We're really excited to launch our project today on Experiment.com! Our project team aims to search for an elusive desert marsupial called the desert rat-kangaroo – or ‘Ngurlukanta’ in the language of the traditional custodians of the region.
The desert rat-kangaroo is a small species of marsupial related to the other larger kangaroos of which you may be familiar. But it has only been found in the most incredibly sparse deserts of Australia's arid centre, and is uniquely adapted to this habitat.
There is great mystery surrounding the status of this animal - something that has intrigued us for many years. The animal has never been common, and even those few people who have lived within the range of the animal their entire lives have only reported seeing it once or twice. Recent sightings have come to light that give hope that the animal is still out there in the expansive deserts of central Australia, and we are dedicated to follow up these and other sightings using modern camera trapping methods.
Our Approach
Our 2-week expedition will trek to some of Australia’s most harsh and remote deserts to set camera traps for the desert rat-kangaroo, and to map the habitat of where sightings have been reported. From the data we gather, we'll be able to produce the first predictive distribution and habitat model for the species which will assist us to refine our understanding of the animal, and direct us to where we should focus future search effort. With your help, we'll undertake the most intensive and geographical wide-ranging expedition in search of the desert rat-kangaroo ever undertaken.
What Will We Find?
Lots of great footage! Our cameras will operate for several months, photographing every mammal that enters each camera's field of view and triggers the sensor to begin photographing or filming. We expect to generate 1000s of photographs and short videos that will document the wildlife occurring at our target sites. If the desert rat-kangaroo is out there, we hope to capture footage of it too.
Habitat Description. At the sites were desert rat-kangaroos have been captured or seen in the past, will we gather detailed habitat information that will be a first for this species, and will add a great deal to our understanding of its ecology.
Distribution and Habitat Model. Using cutting-edge computer modelling, we will use the information we collect to develop the first predictive distribution and habitat model for the desert rat-kangaroo. This will aid both our current project, and any future research aimed at documenting the existence of this elusive marsupial.
4. References
Robinson, T. and Forrest, T. (2012). A possible sighting of the Desert Rat-kangaroo or Oolacunta (Caloprymnus campestris) on the Peake Station, South Australia. South Australian Naturalist 86: 63–75. [Provides a detailed account of the most recent published sighting]
Finlayson, H.H. (1932). Rediscovery of Caloprymnus campestris (Marsupialia). Nature 129: 871. [Finlayson's rediscovery of this elusive marsupial]
Loxdale, H.D., Davis, B.J. and Davis, R.A. (2016). Known knowns and unknowns in biology. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society 117: 386–398. [The desert rat-kangaroo is cited here as an example of an 'unknown known', about which the authors make the point: "These often have a high probability of ultimately being rediscovered, especially if small and/or living in remote, under-sampled regions" ]
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