Rachyl-anne Stover, Edith Cowan University
Harriet Mills, Edith Cowan University
Robert Davis, Edith Cowan University
Saul Cowen, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions
Anna Hopkins, Edith Cowan University

Animal translocations and reintroductions for conservation purposes are an important tool for wildlife managers to overcome dispersal barriers for a given species. Global change has the capacity to alter perceptions of introductions and reintroduction for conservation, as the concept of ecologically functional novel ecosystems becomes more favourable than simply reintroducing historic assemblages of organisms into a potentially changed climate. A translocated population that is able to take advantage of novel foods may be less likely to experience resource exhaustion than a species that is restricted to its pre-translocation diet. Conservation translocations to islands make specific threats to species easier to control, but have a higher risk of resource exhaustion due to the inability of terrestrial organisms to disperse widely. The ‘Return to 1616’ restoration project on Dirk Hartog Island seeks to return ecosystem function to Western Australia’s largest island. As part of this project, the banded hare-wallaby (Lagostrophus fasciatus) and rufous hare-wallaby (Lagorchestes hirsutus bernieri) have been translocated to Dirk Hartog Island from the nearby Bernier and Dorre Islands for their conservation. It is currently unknown whether these two species have altered their diets since translocation in response to increased floristic diversity. Their capacity to eat and spread weed species is also of interest, as it could impact future management decisions for the island. This project aims to use next-generation DNA sequencing to determine the differences in diet between the two species and between the islands, as well as whether these species may be acting as vectors for native plants or weed species.