Dr Tony Friend from CALM and DEC presented us with a talk on small Western Australian mammals with particular emphasis on the plight of dibblers. Tony is the principal research scientist based in Albany and his brief covers several mammals, including potoroos and numbats as well as dibblers. Dibblers (Parantechinus apicalis) are related to the antechinus, with one important difference: they do not die off each year. First recorded in 1842, although then described as a ‘tapering tailed phascogale’, the dibbler is distinguished by its tapering tail. The dibbler is a small marsupial with body length about 15 cm and coarse brownish grey fur, speckled with white. It also has distinctive white eye-rings.

Dibblers were collected in 1904 at Kojonup, from where they were first recorded. Their distribution is broadly the coastal south west of WA and their habitat is dense heath land.

In 1967 both male and female dibblers were captured by trapping at Cheyne’s Beach. Following on there were records of dibblers from various sites: in 1976 at Crane’s Farm; 1984 in the Fitzgerald National Park; 1985 on Boulanger and Whitlock Islands off Jurien Bay, and 1987 in Torndirrup National Park near Albany. More recently there have been no records of them except on the islands and in Fitzgerald National Park. Dibblers were also recorded in South Australia, but are now classed as endangered.

Dibblers have been the focus of several research projects which have led to greater understanding about their life style, diet and sexual behaviour. It has been found that males do die off within a year on one island (Boulager Island), and that curiously, the lice from house mice (also resident on the island) were found to have been ingested as a food source. The Dibbler is a carnivore and feeds mostly on ground-dwelling insects and other invertebrates but will also eat small lizards, small birds and small mammals among other items.

Subsequent monitoring of dibblers that had been bred at Perth Zoo has been carried out by research students. In 1997–2000 came the first release on Third and Escape Islands (in Jurien Bay) where there were no mice. Except for the damage to dibbler tails caused (it is thought) by skinks of which there are 1000s, these releases appear to have been successful and a new population has been established. There have been differences in the success of groups on the various islands; there are nutrient differences for instance between Boulanger and Whitlock Islands that relate to their underlying geology.

Tony discussed the varying success rates within dibbler groups at different release sites on mainland WA using zoo-bred dibblers. The Stirling Ranges and Peniup National Park were among the areas used. Monitoring of one group of 41 released animals, half of which were fitted with radio collars, took place after a period of a few months. It was demonstrated that only two dibblers were still alive whereas 13 were confirmed as dead. Predation by currawongs was mentioned as well as by foxes and cats. In special areas where there is a high degree of protection (Norman’s Beach), survival of dibblers and general faunal activity are successful as evidenced by I/R camera sightings showing potoroo, rat, dugite and brushtail possum activity.

Dibblers as a group have no community support.

Susan Stocklmayer