HOME-RANGE OF THE ALLIED ROCK-WALLABY, PETROGALE-ASSIMILIS

The home range and movements of the allied rock wallaby, Petrogale ass imilis, a small macropod of the seasonally wet-dry tropics of Queensla nd, were studied over a 22-month period. There was no significant diff erence in the size of home ranges (95% isopleth) or core areas (65% is opleth) of males and females. Home ranges were generally elliptical wi th a mean size of 11.9 ha. Season had a major effect on home ranges. T he following measures were all significantly greater in the dry season s than in the wet seasons: home-range size (larger), home-range shape (more elongate), distance moved by females when feeding (longer), dist ance between shelter site and home-range centre of activity (longer). Feeding movements of males did not vary seasonally and were as long as dry-season movements of females, suggesting that movements of males a re primarily determined by behavioural rather than physiological consi derations. The overlap of rock-wallaby home ranges varied little betwe en the sexes or seasons and averaged 38%. Core areas overlapped by an average of 22%; however, feeding adult rock-wallabies rarely met other conspecifics, except their partners. A comparison of the fixes of unp aired wallabies that had overlapping home ranges showed that temporal separation was occurring. In contrast, the home ranges of consort pair s showed extremely high temporal and spatial overlap. Rock-wallabies e xhibited strong fidelity to their home ranges. The overlap of the seas onal home ranges and core areas of each individual rock wallaby averag ed 68% and 52%, respectively. However, the seasonal home range of a so cially immature adult male altered in location and size as he matured socially until it stabilised when he obtained a permanent consort.