5 - The diet of herbivores in the sheep rangelands

Summary

The diets of herbivores have been studied by many people throughout the arid zone of Australia. Here their findings are synthesised and compared with those from red and western grey kangaroos on Kinchega National Park. Finally the role of kangaroos in the dispersal of seeds is examined.

Methods

The investigation of diet on Kinchega began in November 1980 and ended in February 1984. Plant species were collected throughout the park and the specimens milled to make reference slides. Diets were assessed periodically from faeces collected in the field (‘field faeces’ hereafter) and from the stomach contents and rectal contents of animals shot to provide data on condition and reproduction (Chapter 9).

The field faeces were collected only from animals that were seen to void and so there is no possibility of the faeces being ascribed to the wrong species. Caughley (1964) and Grant (1974) maintained that the kangaroo species producing a faecal sample could be determined from the size and shape of the pellets but I was often unable to identify pellets to species, particularly after rain had produced a lush pasture. In such conditions the faecal material maintained no characteristic shape.