A KANGAROO research project has identified a family of rare albino wallaroos living on Mount Panorama.
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The University of Technology, Sydney-led research program is using non-invasive scientific methods to determine the number of kangaroos
living on the Mount.
It was launched in response to annual calls for a kangaroo cull ahead of the Bathurst 1000 to ensure driver safety during the Great Race.
But the project has scored an unexpected victory with confirmation of a family of albino wallaroos.
It was actually Bathurst councillor Jess Jennings who first brought the
wallaroos to the project team’s attention after spotting them while running in a public reserve on the Mount.
He snapped a photo on his phone before wildlife photographer Tim Bergen was able to take clearer images.
Mr Bergen’s photographs were then forwarded to UTS’s macropod scientist Dr Daniel Ramp for confirmation.
“I’d previously heard about the albino wallaroos, so when I was asked if I could get clear photos I was happy to oblige and learn more about these special animals,” Mr Bergen said.
“The wallaroo shape is very distinctive and their yellow tails normally indicate female wallaroos. It was a thrill to find that the albino wallaroo mother seems to have an older albino daughter, and a younger non-albino female joey.
“I’ve since learned that there are different types of albinism, determined by which genes are affected, and the animals’ yellow tails might also be a clue to the type of albinism they have.”
Dr Ramp, who is leading the UTS kangaroo research program in Bathurst, had spotted a white wallaroo on an initial visit to the Mount earlier this year, and was keen to get a clearer look.
“Albinism in wildlife is rare. Just a handful of wild albino macropods are mentioned in the scientific literature and public press, although zoos breed them as attractions,” he said.
“Because albino genes are recessive and rare, in humans the chance of both parents carrying the albino gene and having an albino offspring is one-in-20,000. For the female wallaroo to have an albino offspring, she must have mated with a male also carrying the recessive gene.”
Dr Ramp said poor eyesight and an inability to hide from predators, meant albino animals usually did not survive long on the wild, though the family of wallaroos appears quite healthy.
He said some local residents had known of the wallaroos for some time and wanted to see them protected.
“The most important thing is to leave them alone, drive carefully in the Mount Panorama precinct, and keep dogs leashed when in kangaroo habitat,” he said.
The kangaroo research program is supported by Bathurst Regional Council, and is a collaboration with the community-based Bathurst Kangaroo Project.
“Council is generously supporting the UTS research with the purchase of some tracking and monitoring technology, and we’re looking forward to using a community-based approach to collaborate with council, local experts and Bathurst residents in running the Bathurst Kangaroo Project,” Dr Ramp said.
“This innovative science collaboration will be launching soon, with the beginning of the fieldwork, and we will be putting out the call for participants and partnerships in the near future.
“These rare animals could well serve as an important flagship for the project.”