Discover our Knowledge Base

(April 2018)
(February 2016)

Recovery Plans

Start, A. N., & Burbidge, A. A. (1995). Gilbert’s potoroo (Potorous tridactylus gilbertii). Interim Wildlife Management Guidelines No 3. Perth, Australia: Department of Conservation and Land Management.
Department of Parks and Wildlife (2016). Gilbert’s potoroo (Potorous gilbertii) Recovery Plan. Wildlife Management Program No.62. Prepared by J.A. Friend, S. Comer, M.J. Page, A. Thomas, Department of Parks and Wildlife, Perth, WA.

Action Plans

‍Orr, K., Gillen, K. & Danks, A. V. (1995). Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve: Management Plan 1995-2005. Department of Conservation and Land Management for the National Parks and Nature Conservation Authority.
Maxwell, S., Burbidge, A. A. & Morris, K. (1996). The 1996 Action Plan for Australian Marsupials and Monotremes. Project 500, for the IUCN/SSC Australasian Marsupial and Monotreme Specialist Group of the World Conservation Union/Species Survival Commission. Endangered Species Program, Environment Australia, Canberra.
Woinarski, J. C. Z., Burbidge, A. A. & Harrison, P. L. (2014). The Action Plan for Australian Mammals 2012. Collingwood, Victoria, CSIRO Publishing.
Roache, M. (2011). The action plan for threatened Australian macropods. WWF-Australia, Sydney: Australia.


Conservation Status

Rare and Endangered: Gilbert's Potoroo

Friend, T. (2003). Rare and Endangered: Gilbert's Potoroo. Nature Australia, 27(9), 22

Potorous gilbertii (Gilbert's Potoroo)

Threatened Species Scientific Committee. (2004). Potorous gilbertii (Gilbert's Potoroo). Advice to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage from the Threatened Species Scientific Committee (TSSC) on amendments to the list of threatened species under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).

‍Potorous gilbertii: The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

Woinarski, J. & Burbidge, A. A. (2016). Potorous gilbertii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016

Conservation Management

Patterns in the modern decline of Western Australia's vertebrate fauna: causes and conservation implications

Burbidge, A. A., & McKenzie, N. L. (1989). Patterns in the modern decline of Western Australia's vertebrate fauna: causes and conservation implications. Biological Conservation, 50(1-4), 143-198

Rescuing Gilbert’s potoroo, the world’s most endangered marsupial, with community help

Friend, T. (2007). Rescuing Gilbert’s potoroo, the world’s most endangered marsupial, with community help. National Wildlife Rehabilitation Conference Proceedings, 2007.

Minimizing species extinctions through strategic planning for conservation fencing

Ringma, J. L., Wintle, B., Fuller, R. A., Fisher, D. & Bode, M. (2017). Minimizing species extinctions through strategic planning for conservation fencing. Society for Conservation Biology, 31(5), 1029-1038.

How many bird and mammal extinctions has recent conservation action prevented?

Bolam, F. C., Mair, L., Angelico, M., Brooks, T. M., Burgman, M., Hermes, C., … Butchart, S. H. M. (2020). How many bird and mammal extinctions has recent conservation action prevented? biorXiv doi: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.02.11.943902v1

Translocations

Returning the rat-kangaroos: translocation attempts in the family Potoroidae (superfamily Macropodoidea) and recommendations for conservation

Finlayson, G. R., Finlayson, S. T., & Dickman, C. R. (2010). Returning the rat-kangaroos: translocation attempts in the family Potoroidae (superfamily Macropodoidea) and recommendations for conservation. In: G. Coulson and M. D. B. Eldridge (eds), Macropods: The biology of kangaroos, wallabies and rat-kangaroos, (pp. 245–262). CSIRO Publishing: Collingwood.

Honours Theses

Vetten, S. (1996). Microhabitat use by Gilbert's Potoroo (Potorous tridactylus gilbertii Gould) in relation to vegetation associations and ground cover. (Unpublished Honours thesis). Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia.
Burke, K. D. (1998). Behaviour of Gilbert's Potoroo (Potorous gilbertii Gould) in captivity. (Unpublished Honours thesis). Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia.
Nguyen, V. (2000). A diet study of Australia's most critically endangered mammal, Gilbert's Potoroo, Potorous gilbertii (Marsupialia: Potoroidae). (Unpublished Honours thesis). Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia.

Historical References

Gould, J. (1841). Monograph of the Macropodidae or family of Kangaroos. London, UK: J. Gould.
Gould, J. (1863). The Mammals of Australia. London, UK: J. Gould.
Shortridge, G. C. (1910). An account of the Geographical distribution of the marsupials and monotremes of south-west Australia, having special reference to the specimens collected during the Balston Expedition of 1904-1907. Proceedings of the Zoological Society, 55, 803- 848.

Searches and Rediscovery

Start, A. & Kabay, E. (1976). Results of the search for the potoroo in south west and southcoast of Western Australia 1975/76. Woodvale, W.A.: Dept. of Fisheries & Wildlife.
Sinclair, E. A., Danks, A., & Wayne, A. F. (1996). Rediscovery of Gilbert’s potoroo, Potorous tridactylus, in Western Australia. Australian Mammalogy, 19, 69-72.
Anonymous (1976). Our diminishing heritage – Potoroos. S.W.A.N.S 6(1), 12-13

Diet

Nguyen, V. (2000). A diet study of Australia's most critically endangered mammal, Gilbert's Potoroo, Potorous gilbertii (Marsupialia: Potoroidae). (Unpublished Honours thesis). Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia.
Nguyen, V. P. , Needham, A. D. , and Friend, J. A. (2005). A quantitative dietary study of the ‘critically endangered’ Gilbert’s potoroo Potorous gilbertii. Australian Mammalogy, 27, 1–6.
Cochrane, J. A, Friend, J. A., & Hill S. J. E. (2005). Endozoochory and the Australian bluebell: consumption of Billardiera fusiformis(Labill.) Payer seeds by three mammal species at Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, Western Australia. Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia, 88, 191-196.
Bougher, N. & Friend, T. (2009). Gilbert's potoroo translocated to new areas find their fungi. Information Sheet 4/2009
Bougher, N. L. & Friend, J. A. (2009). Fungi consumed by translocated Gilbert's potoroos (Potorous gilbertii) at two sites with contrasting vegetation, south coastal Western Australia. Australian Mammalogy 31: 97-105.

Reproduction

Taggart, D. A., Schultz, D. J., Fletcher, T. P., Friend, J. A., Smith, I. G., Breed, W. G., & Temple-Smith, P. D. (2010). Cross-fostering and short-term pouch young isolation in macropod marsupials: implications for conservation and species management. In: G. Coulson and M. Eldridge (Eds.), Macropods: The biology of kangaroos, wallabies and rat-kangaroos (pp. 263-278). Collingwood, Victoria, CSIRO Publishing.
Stead-Richardson. E., Bradshaw, D., Friend, T., & Fletcher, T. (2010). Monitoring reproduction in the critically endangered marsupial, Gilbert’s potoroo (Potorous gilbertii): Preliminary analysis of faecal oestradiol-17β, cortisol and progestagens. General and Comparative Endocrinology, 165(1), 155-162.

Genetics and Taxonomy

Phylogenetic relationships within the genus Potorous (Marsupialalia: Potoroidae) based on allozyme electrophoresis and sequence analysis of the cytochrome-b gene

Sinclair, E. A., & Westerman, M. (1997). Phylogenetic relationships within the genus Potorous (Marsupialalia: Potoroidae) based on allozyme electrophoresis and sequence analysis of the cytochrome-b gene. Journal of Mammalian Evolution, 4, 147- 161.

Chromosome morphology in Gilbert’s potoroo, Potorous gilbertii (Marsupialia: Potoroidae)

Sinclair, E. A., Murch, A. R., Di Renzo, M., & Palermo, M. (2000). Chromosome morphology in Gilbert’s potoroo, Potorous gilbertii (Marsupialia: Potoroidae). Australian Journal of Zoology, 48, 281- 287.

Detecting a genetic bottleneck in Gilbert’s potoroo (Potorous gilbertii) (Marsupialia: Potoroidae), inferred from microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA sequence data.

Sinclair, E. A., Costello, B., Courtenay, J. M., & Crandall, K. A. (2002). Detecting a genetic bottleneck in Gilbert’s potoroo (Potorous gilbertii) (Marsupialia: Potoroidae), inferred from microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA sequence data. Conservation Genetics, 3, 191- 196.

Novel insights into the phylogenetic relationships of the endangered marsupial genus Potorous

Frankham, G. J., Handasyde, K. A., & Eldridge, M. D. B. (2012). Novel insights into the phylogenetic relationships of the endangered marsupial genus Potorous. Molecular Phytogenetics and Evolution, 64, 592-602.

Long-nosed and Long-footed potoroos

Green, K. & Mitchell, A. T. (1997). Breeding of the Long-footed Potoroo, Potorous longipes (Marsupialia: Potoroidae), in the wild: behaviour, births and juvenile independence. Australian Mammalogy, 20, 1-7.
‍Green, K., Mitchell, A. T., & Tennant, P. (1998). Home range and microhabitat use by the long-footed potoroo, Potorous longipes. Wildlife Research, 25(4), 357-372.
Long, K. I. (2001). Spatio-temporal interactions among male and female long-nosed potoroos, Potorous tridactylus (Marsupialia: Macropodoidea): mating system implications. Australian Journal of Zoology, 49(1), 17-26.

Fossil Distribution

Vetten, S. (1996). Microhabitat use by Gilbert's Potoroo (Potorous tridactylus gilbertii Gould) in relation to vegetation associations and ground cover. (Unpublished Honours thesis). Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia.
Burke, K. D. (1998). Behaviour of Gilbert's Potoroo (Potorous gilbertii Gould) in captivity. (Unpublished Honours thesis). Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia.
Nguyen, V. (2000). A diet study of Australia's most critically endangered mammal, Gilbert's Potoroo, Potorous gilbertii (Marsupialia: Potoroidae). (Unpublished Honours thesis). Edith Cowan University, Perth, Australia.

Books and Book Chapters

Ride, W.D.L. (1970). A Guide to the native mammals of Australia. Melbourne, Australia: Oxford University Press.
Friend, J. A. (2008). Gilbert's Potoroo, Potorous gilbertii. In: S. Van Dyck and R. Strahan (eds), The Mammals of Australia. Third Edition, (pp. 297-298). Sydney: Reed New Holland.

Links to Government Agencies

Department of the Environment

Website of the Australian Federal Government Department of the Environment

http://www.environment.gov.au/

Threatened Species and Ecological Communities

http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened

Centre for Australian National Biodiversity Research

The Centre's major function is to document the biological diversity of the Australian environment through establishing the taxonomic identity and relationships of native plants, their geographical distribution, and their ecological relationships.

http://www.anbg.gov.au/cpbr/index.html

Truffle-like fungi in Australia (Australian National Botanic Gardens: Fungi Web Site)

The truffle-like fungi differ from the bulk of the fungi discussed on this website, in that the truffle-like fruiting bodies are generally produced underground...

http://www.anbg.gov.au/fungi/truffle-like.html

Links to Environmental/Conservation Organisations Groups

IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources: Since their inception, the IUCN Red Data Books and Red Lists have enjoyed an increasingly prominent role in guiding conservation activities of governments, NGOs and scientific institutions...

http://www.iucnredlist.org/

Potorous gilbertii

IUCN Red List entry for Gilbert's Potoroo.

http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/18107/0

WWF Australia

We are a part of the WWF International Network - the world's largest independent conservation organisation...

http://www.wwf.org.au/

Threatened Species Network

The Threatened Species Network (TSN) has a rich history of community-based conservation work. Unfortunately, the government funding that made this program possible is no longer available.

http://www.wwf.org.au/news_resources/archives/threatened_species_network/

TSN Fact sheet: Gilbert's potoroo [01/10/2003]

Fact Sheet on Gilbert's Potoroo (Adobe Acrobat PDF format)

http://awsassets.wwf.org.au/downloads/sp005_fs_gilberts_potoroo_1oct03.pdf

The Australian Mammal Society

The Australian Mammal Society (AMS) is an interdisciplinary society of biologists whose common interest is in the biology and conservation of Australian mammals.

http://www.australianmammals.org.au/

Earthwatch Australia

Earthwatch engages people in scientific field research and education to promote the understanding and action necessary for a sustainable environment.

http://www.earthwatch.org/australia/