Project Aim: Use camera-trapping to quantify how frequently malleefowl and other animals use habitat links and restored habitat.

Background: Isolated populations are vulnerable to various threats of which inbreeding depression is perhaps the most insidious and damaging.  Habitat linkages and corridors can reduce the genetic isolation of malleefowl populations. However, their effectiveness depends on the frequency and timing of use by malleefowl, as well as the destinations of these corridors and the vulnerability of malleefowl along these routes. Understanding the rate of dispersal along corridors is not known but is critical to planning linkages between sites where malleefowl occur. Similarly, the use by malleefowl of restored habitat is not known but is vital for conservation planning.

How the project will benefit Malleefowl and the recovery group: Malleefowl use of linkages and restored habitat are vital pieces of missing information for the development of sustainable management plans. Linkages are common practice within conservation efforts but information on their effectiveness for malleefowl is lacking, and despite best intentions, habitat corridors may be ineffective or even damaging to small populations. A better understanding of what constitutes an effective genetic link, and when and how they are used by malleefowl, will greatly assist in developing sustainable populations throughout the species’ range. The need for genetic management of fragmented malleefowl populations is highlighted in the newly updated National Recovery Plan for Malleefowl, released in 2024.