Banded Hare-wallaby
Lagostrophus fasciatus fasciatus
Australia's Threatened Species Category
Vulnerable
Listed since: 31/08/2023
IUCN's Threatened Species Category
Vulnerable
Listed since: 16/03/2014
Population trend: Stable
Other names: Merrnine, Marnine, Munning
Priority Species? No
The Australian government's Threatened Species Action Plan 2022-2032 selected over 100 priority species derive from consultation with threatened species experts and the wider community. While all species are important, focusing on a limited number of species can help target effort and resources so that outcomes can be achieved, measured and shared.
Description
The Banded Hare-wallaby is a small to medium sized wallaby with visible bands across its lower back and rump. Wild populations are only found on Bernier and Dorre Islands in Shark Bay region, Western Australia. Banded Hare-wallaby abundance and distribution is influenced by vegetation cover as they prefer dense thickets of vegetation for shelter. They are nocturnal and feeding takes place at night in open areas where they feed on a range of grasses, shrubs and flowering plants.
Threats
Climate change is the most significant current threat to the Banded Hare-wallaby population, particularly changes in rainfall patterns as their populations fluctuate in size in response to rainfall and drought. The susceptibility of the banded hare-wallaby to impacts of predation by feral cats and red foxes is rated as �extreme�.
Quollity Conservation Hub's Vulnerability Score:
47
To help compare the relative vulnerability of different species, we have developed a scoring system based on biological and ecological characteristics that influence a species' ability to survive and recover from environmental change and natural disasters.
The framework is adapted from assessment methods used by conservation experts following the Black Summer bushfires to help identify species most in need of conservation action, research, and recovery funding.
Each species is assessed using a range of factors, including its conservation status, lifespan, reproductive rate, habitat and dietary requirements, ability to disperse or recover after fire, and the number and severity of threats it faces.
In general, the higher a species' score, the greater its overall vulnerability and risk of decline or extinction.
Like all conservation assessments, this scoring system is limited by the information currently available. Many threatened species remain poorly studied and receive limited research funding, meaning some assessments rely on the best available scientific knowledge or information from closely related species. As new research becomes available, scores may be updated to reflect our improved understanding.