PROTECTING THE NORTHERN
HOPPING-MOUSE TO TRACK TRAJECTORY
The challenge
The northern hopping-mouse, wurrendinda (Notomys aquilo) is now known only from Groote Eylandt after disappearing from the mainland.
This small native rodent lives in open forest and woodlands and coastal heathlands. It’s listed as Endangered by the Australian Government, Vulnerable by the Northern Territory Government, and is a priority species in the Australian Government’s Threatened species action plan 2022–32.
It’s threatened by mining, cats and changes to fire regimes. Remaining populations appear to be in decline and have been recently affected by late-season fires and impacts from Cyclone Megan.
To protect northern hopping-mice, we need to find out more about them on Groote Eylandt, their last remaining refuge.
Project goals
This project will provide vital knowledge of the status of the northern hopping-mouse and help inform effective conservation measures.
Extensive surveys across Groote Eylandt and potentially suitable nearby islands will establish a baseline for the current northern hopping-mouse population and identify whether nearby islands may be suitable for potential future translocations.
This project will:
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Undertake surveys and monitoring across Groote Eylandt;
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Continue surveys at existing monitoring sites;
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Assess the species’ genetic health and conservation genetics;
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Build a species distribution model to guide future survey efforts, assess the population, and investigate nearby islands as potential future translocation sites;
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Survey those islands for hopping-mice and their threats (particularly cats) and undertake vegetation surveys to identify habitat suitability;
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Estimate the population as a baseline for monitoring; and
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Produce a detailed project report to inform ongoing monitoring programs and conservation efforts.
Working together​
We’re collaborating with Anindilyakwa Land and Sea Rangers and Traditional Owners.
Close consultation with Traditional Owners will be ongoing, and the process is overseen by the Anindilyakwa Land Council and the Anindilyakwa Land and Sea Rangers.
We’ll keep using camera traps at existing monitoring sites to collect valuable longer-term data. Aerial surveys will cover large areas of Groote Eylandt, looking for burrow spoils and identifying sites for ground surveys. We’ll obtain genetic samples by live-trapping hopping-mice.
This project will run from June 2024 to June 2026.
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​This project is funded by the Australian Government’s Saving Native Species Program and delivered by Territory Natural Resource Management.
Making a difference
Genetic sampling and analysis will give us information about the conservation genetics and diversity of the northern hopping-mouse – a must for any future conservation-breeding or translocation programs. The species distribution model will help with targeting future survey efforts and identifying potential future translocation sites.
The activities and outcomes from this project will address several research and monitoring priorities in the species’ conservation advice, including addressing knowledge gaps in population status, distributions and ecological requirements.
Next steps
Initial planning and consultations are already underway.
Throughout September and October 2024, extensive aerial surveys were carried out across much of Groote Eylandt looking for burrows, visiting detected burrows on foot to ‘ground-truth’, and setting camera traps to confirm the burrows were in use by hopping-mice.
Camera traps have been set and walking transects have been undertaken at three sites for the fourth year in a row and at two sites for the second time in three years – these sites represent the longest monitoring undertaken for northern hopping-mice.
We’re analysing thousands of images from the camera traps, and planning more ground-truthing and genetic surveys for 2025. Camera trapping and walking transects at the five ongoing monitoring sites will continue throughout the project to detect any changes in hopping-mice sub-populations.
