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Finding Ching’ka and Iyitpi on Kuuku I’yu Ngaachi

Iyitpi looking back on the Kaanju Ngaachi IPA (c) Chuulangun Aboriginal Corporation

The “Finding Iyitpi (Cape York Rock-wallaby) and Ching’ka (Northern Quoll) on Kuuku I’yu Homelands” project commenced in late 2020 and covered the southern part of the Kaanju Ngaachi Wenlock and Pascoe Rivers Indigenous Protected Area (IPA). The project was funded with the assistance of a grant from the Queensland Government Community Sustainability Action Grants Program – Round 4 Threatened Species Recovery and Resilience.

Iyitpi and Joey (c) Chuulangun Aboriginal Corporation

Twenty camera traps targeting Iyitpi or Ching’ka were deployed for 2,985 trap nights across an area of about 30,000 hectares in the Kaanju Ngaachi IPA between December 2020 and February 2023. Cape York Rock-wallabies were detected by nine cameras, with 2,928 images of at least 12 individuals and two sightings from four colonies, the outermost of which are 25 km apart. Three of the colonies are new to western science and the southerly colonies are around 10 km from any previous records in the IPA. The images included: joeys in the pouch, foraging, males fighting and courtship. We identified that iyitpi were breeding at Chuula and Walantichi and that like other rock wallabies, this species eats fruit.

Ching’ka caught on cameras from previous surveys on Kaanju Ngaachi (c) Chuulangun Aboriginal Corporation

Ching’ka scats were found at four locations across the Chuula, Ithu Wirri and Walantichi clan estates, but eluded our cameras. The most intensively studied iyitpi colony on the Chuula clan estate covered an area of at least five hectares of which less than 1.5 hectares was rainforest.

Of the non-target species, the Common Wallaroo was the most widely detected by cameras, followed by the Michingun (Dingo). Several cameras detected small rodents, some of which appear to be Thupi (Giant White-tailed Rat).

The listed threats to Iyitpi are inappropriate fire regimes, habitat degradation and resource depletion due to livestock and feral herbivores and predation by feral cats. Our photos showed that feral pigs and horses were foraging in rock wallaby habitats.

Potential habitats were chosen by Kuuku I’yu Traditional Custodian and Elder David Claudie (now deceased) and Ecologist Simon Kennedy using Indigenous knowledge of the species and of the biocultural landscape. Aerial imagery from SASPlanet and Google Earth also informed site selection. We searched for areas with outcropping rocks and rainforest which could be reached on foot or by helicopter.

Ranger David Claudie Jnr at one of the survey sites (c) Chuulangun Aboriginal Corporation

The remoteness of the IPA enabled us to leave cameras in the field for several months at a time with very low chances of theft except at a small number of sites close to the Portland Roads Road that bisects the IPA. Cameras were generally left in the field for 5-6 months. We did not use baits of any kind. The cameras were deployed by Simon Kennedy and Chuulangun Rangers including David Claudie Jnr. On reaching potential habitat, we searched for Iyitpi scats and Ching’ka scats.

We recorded Iyitpi on 45% of the cameras deployed, with a field sighting at one site bringing the reporting rate to 50% for the site network. Ching’ka were not recorded on any cameras, despite scats being located at four (20%) of the sites, including one that had deposited on the back of one of the cameras. The cameras detected 11 species of mammals, 12 birds, three reptiles and one amphibian.

Iyitpi at Dusk on Kaanju Ngaachi IPA (c) Chuulangun Aboriginal Corporation

Our survey demonstrated that Iyitpi is widespread across the IPA and is present in habitats where drier eucalypt savanna is extensive as long as some rainforest is present. Ching’ka scats, along with our discovery of Ching’ka dens (with numerous photos) in sandstone country just south of the IPA in 2017, demonstrate that Ching’ka is widespread and living among populations of cane toads.

While both species are widespread, our results are not enough to determine if they are abundant or what their population trajectory may be. However, the high detection rates using cameras for Iyitpi and scat searches for both species is encouraging and provides an impetus for a monitoring network to be established that could gather sufficient data to be meaningful. It is also fortunate that we can do this without baiting Iyitpi, and the large number of photos at several sites suggests they are comfortable with the cameras, albeit rather curious about them.

If you would like more information about the project contact the Chuulangun Rangers at chuulangunrangers@gmail.com.